The Thomas Tuchel effect continues at Chelsea, which is already fifth in the Premier League, one point behind Liverpool and the Champions League positions, after beating bottom Sheffield United at Bramall Lane (1-2). The ‘blues’ remain unbeaten in four days since the German coach relieved Frank Lampard in ninth place and have three consecutive wins.
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Tuchel continues to bet on Antonio Rüdiger in defense and Jorginho in the middle, both ostracized with Lampard, and still without N’Golo Kanté, nor Hakim Ziyech. Today, instead, he started OIivier Giroud as 9 while Timo Werner, who gave an assist and forced a penalty, was free to play for both wings.
The VAR avoids a scare to Chelsea
Chelsea controlled the ball but without clarity in the last pass against a rocky rival locked in their area. However, the Sheffield Unitd gave a scare in the 12th minute when Chris Basham fell in the area before the entrance of Ben Chilwll, but the referee rectified his initial decision to point out the penalty spot by checking through the VAR that Basham received offside.
The first half looked set to end with the opening 0-0 as Chelsea were unable to convert their dominance at times, but Werner’s mobility paid off for Tuchel.
Werner da el 0-1 a Mount
The former Leipzig striker received a deep pass down the left from Chilwell and first crossed back from the baseline so that Mason Mount, one of Chelsea’s key players, nailed the ball into the net with a precise cross kick ( 42 ‘).
Rüdiger gives away the tie
After the break, Sheffield United advanced the pressure and made it difficult for Chelsea to get the ball out. Furthermore, in the 54th minute, the draw was found out of nowhere thanks to a gift from Rüdiger. Oliver McBurnie tried to put a pass to Oliver Burke, but the German central cut the pass without realizing that Edouard Mendy had left his goal to go to the cut and the ball went meekly into the goal.
It is the first goal that Chelsea have conceded since Tuchel took over the reins, but the joy at the poor man’s house, in this case the bottom, did not last long.
VAR penalty and Jorginho sentence
Just 70 seconds later, the game took a new turn. Jayden Bogle, under pressure from Mount, gave way back from the left, but Werner, again decisive, intercepted it and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale ran him down on his exit.
The referee did not initially signal a penalty but the VAR led him again to rectify and indicate the fatal point. Jorginho did not miss the shot after his usual little jump before kicking the ball, although on Thursday he did not do it in the maximum penalty that decided the derby against Tottenham (0-1).
Final scare
Jorginho returned to give the three points to Chelsea despite the fact that Sheffield United, which is reluctant to throw in the towel even being 12 points from salvation, pushed in search of a tie and was about to achieve it in the discount in a superb Chilean of Billy Sharp that Mendy took out next to the post. The ‘blues’ did not close the game and were able to pay for it.
Sheffield United: Ramsdale; Basham, Egan, Bryan (Sharp, 68′); Bogle, Lundstram, Norwood (Brewster, 86′), Fleck, Lowe; Burke
(McGoldrick, 62′) y McBurnie
Chelsea: Edouard Mendy; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rüdiger; James, Jorginho, Kovacic, Chilwell (Marcos Alonso, 62 ‘); Mount, Giroud (Hudson-Odoi, 62 ‘) and Werner (Kanté, 75’)
Goals: 0-1 Mount (43′), 1-1 Rüdiger (p.p.) (54′),
1-2 Jorginho (pen.) (58 ‘)
Referee: Kevin Friend. Cards: YELLOW: Basham (17 ‘)
Stadium: Behind closed doors on Bramall Lane