Chelsea vs Crystal Palace player ratings
Chelsea made it six league wins in six with a success against London rivals Crystal Palace. Here’s how we rated the Blues players in the 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
Kepa Arrizabalaga: 5
He had practically nothing to do but was far from convincing with a couple of passes out from the back.
Reece James: 8
The 19-year-old was exceptional on his first Premier League start, showing his pace and power to deal with the considerable threat of Wilfried Zaha and posing regular problems with some dangerous forays down the right flank. One lapse of concentration gifted Zaha the ball after the break, but James fully justified his inclusion at the expense of Cesar Azpilicueta.
Fikayo Tomori: 7
Chelsea’s first-choice centre-back was excellent once again and as well as looking solid with what little defending he had to do, his passing was crisp and effective and forward-thinking.
Kurt Zouma: 7
Zouma’s aerial ability shone through when Palace enjoyed a little spell of pressure with the score at 1-0 and the imposing centre-half looked more comfortable with the ball at his feet than he has for much of the season.
Emerson Palmieri: 6
He was booked in the first half, which curtailed his willingness to steam into challenges and commit himself, but was steady, didn’t waste the ball and one fine run almost led to a goal with a cross-shot late on.
Mateo Kovacic: 8
The Croatian continues to demand and accept possession in situations where it seems impossible to wriggle free, but somehow invariably does. He was booked early on but remained calm and was involved in both goals.
N’Golo Kante: 7
A relatively quiet, but most welcome return for the influential midfielder, who was, for once, outshone by his team-mates.
Mason Mount: 7
Mount was a surprise starter given how much pain he looked in when he limped off against Ajax in midweek but he got through a tremendous amount of work, closing down, nipping into tackles and leading the press.
Christian Pulisic: 8
The American was bright, brimming with confidence and a constant menace and his simple finish for the game-clinching second goal was a fitting reward for a fine performance.
Willian: 9
Chelsea’s captain for the day had a more than decent showing, looking lively throughout, going close to scoring on several occasions, and teeing up Tammy Abraham’s opener with a stylish flick.
Tammy Abraham: 7
He had a first half where he struggled to get involved other than one or two unconvincing moments, but his 11th goal of the season was beautifully taken soon after the restart and he had more of a say as the game opened up before being replaced.
Michy Batshuayi: 7
He made a nuisance of himself in the final 20 minutes, setting up the second goal and almost grabbing a third after a sharp turn in the box.
Callum-Hudson-Odoi: 6
An energetic cameo from the winger, who almost scored after a fine run. Billy Gilmour’s late introduction meant more vital minutes for the talented Scottish teenager, although he came on too late to make an impact.
