Chelsea did their hopes of qualification for next season’s Champions League a world of good as they comfortably brushed aside Watford 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Frank Lampard demanded a reaction from his players following his side’s 3-2 defeat to West Ham. After Manchester United temporarily moved above them into the top four with a comprehensive victory over Bournemouth on Saturday, Chelsea needed to win.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ehFCgj3lQ8
A new inclusion to this weekend’s matchday squad, Olivier Giroud, marked his return to the side with the opener, finding the bottom corner with a left-foot shot to break the deadlock.
The Blues doubled their lead two minutes before the break as Willian converted from the spot following a foul by Etienne Capoue on Christian Pulisic.
Chelsea dominated the second half of the match and also consolidated their lead as Ross Barkley, who created the assist for the first goal, added the icing on the cake when he met Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross to slam home a smart finish at the near post.
The result means Chelsea leapfrogged United by two points back into the fourth spot. Watford remain precariously placed, one place and a solitary point above the relegation zone ahead of 18th-placed Aston Villa, who visit Liverpool on Sunday
Stats and facts from the match
- Chelsea has won four successive Premier League games at Stamford Bridge for the first time since winning seven in a row at home under Antonio Conte between October-December 2017.
- Chelsea has scored 2+ goals in nine of their last 10 Premier League games, only failing to do so in a 0-2 loss to Man Utd at Stamford Bridge in February.
- Watford has lost four consecutive Premier League away games in a row for the first time since the final six on the road in the 2017-18 season under Javi Gracia.
- Watford hasn’t won away at Chelsea in any competition since May 1986 (5-1), drawing four and losing nine at Stamford Bridge since then.
- Only seven defenders have recorded more Premier League assists than Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta (31), with the Spaniard equalling his record for assists in a single campaign in the competition (6 – also 2017-18).
- After failing to score with his last 63 shots in the Premier League, Ross Barkley has scored his first goal since netting against Burnley in October 2018.
- Chelsea midfielder Barkley has been directly involved in eight goals in his last 10 starts in all competitions (three goals, five assists).
- Olivier Giroud has scored four goals in his last seven Premier League games for Chelsea, more than he had netted in his previous 38 appearances (3).
- Willian is the first-ever Chelsea player to score a penalty in three consecutive Premier League games and the sixth different player to do it in the competition.
Other results from earlier…
Norwich 0 – 1 Brighton
Leicester 3 – 0 Crystal Palace
Man Utd 5 – 2 Bournemouth
Wolves 0 – 2 Arsenal
Up Blues!