Chelsea’s season received a massive boost as they defeated Rafael Benitez Newcastle side 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The visitors threatened the Blues with a positive movement around the Chelsea area but could not find the breakthrough.
The hosts took the lead through Dortmund-bound Michy Batshuayi, who then completed his brace 13 minutes later before Marcos Alonso carved the final result.
Here are the Chelsea player ratings from the game:
Caballero – 6.0
Caballero was outstanding between the sticks. He is showed good reflexes to keep a clean sheet along the way.
Antonio Rudiger – 6.0
The German struggled to keep up with the pace of the opposing side early in the game but grew in confidence as the match progressed.
Andreas Christensen – 6.5
The Danish center-back was a joy to watch. He showed quality and passing ability from the pivot of defence. He was decent going forward and linked up well with the midfield players.
Gary Cahill – 6.5
The center-back formed good understanding with Christensen, picking up the slack in defence. He made a couple of good forward runs in the tie as well.
Davide Zappacosta – 6.5
The Italian right-back justified his inclusion in the match by adding extra sharpness in attack. He did his defensive responsibility well enough too, adding stability to the back-line.
Marcos Alonso – 6.5
The Spaniard struggled with his movement and crosses early in the match but improved as the match wore on. He curled in a superb-free-kick for Chelsea’s third goal of the game.
N’Golo Kante – 6.5
The diminutive defensive midfielder was crucial to Chelsea’s game. He closed down the opposition tightly in midfield and contributed with some decent passes.
Danny Drinkwater – 5.5
The midfielder’s performance was not an encouraging one as he lost possession of the ball on a couple of occasions. His attempts on goal were off the mark too. He would’ve felt he could contribute with more.
Pedro Rodriquez – 6.0
The speedy forward showed vision in setting up Eden Hazard with a through ball that led to the first goal. He showed flair and pace in transition but was unlucky in front of goal.
Michy Batshuayi – 7.0
The unsettled Belgian forward was at the right place to poke home Hazard’s assist for Chelsea’s opener. He got a brace in this match.
Eden Hazard – 7.0
Hazard was his typical self. He set up Batshuayi twice and was a constant pest for the Newcastle defence.
Substitutes
Ross Barkley – 6.5
The forward made his much-awaited debut and was very lively on the pitch. He gave Chelsea options going forward as he continued from where Hazard left off in the game.
Ethan Ampadu – 6.0
The talented defender fit in quite well in midfield as Chelsea had laid control of the game. Overall, a great match performance from the youngster.
