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Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace: Frank Lampard's side move up to second with sixth straight win


Tammy Abraham is the second youngest player to reach double figures in Premier League goals for Chelsea, after Arjen Robben

Chelsea recorded a sixth consecutive Premier League win for the first time since their title-winning season of 2016-17 as they moved up to second in the table.

The Blues’ victory over Crystal Palace means they are now five points behind leaders Liverpool.

Frank Lampard’s side moved above Manchester City, who play leaders Liverpool on Sunday, and could be leapfrogged by Leicester City, who host Arsenal at 17:30 GMT on Saturday.

Tammy Abraham’s 10th league goal of the season and Christian Pulisic’s header ensured the win against a resolute Palace side who barely got out of their own half during the first period.

And after dominating a goalless opening half, Chelsea finally made the breakthrough when Mateo Kovacic and Willian combined to release Abraham – with the forward stroking a right-foot effort into the bottom right corner from 10 yards.

James Tomkins missed a glorious opportunity to equalise for the Eagles, heading Luka Milivojevic’s right-wing delivery wide from six yards.

But Chelsea more than merited their win, with Pulisic wrapping up the points with a close-range header after Michy Batshuayi’s deflected shot fell into his path.

Palace’s defeat, their third in four games, leaves them ninth in the table.

Youthful Chelsea overwhelm Palace

While Chelsea may no longer have Eden Hazard, there still appears to have been a notable evolution in their attacking play since Lampard was installed as manager.

His team may enjoy less possession and play fewer passes (per game) than under former boss Maurizio Sarri but they look considerably more dynamic.

Fikayo Tomori, 21, Mason Mount, 20 and Abraham, 22, have all come into the team, while Christian Pulisic, 21, and 19-year-old Reece James, making his first Premier League start, ensured Lampard’s starting side was the club’s youngest ever in Premier League terms.

Mount and Kovacic both had shots blocked inside the first minute and Willian’s 25-yard free-kick narrowly flew wide of the top corner shortly after.

The most impressive aspect of Chelsea’s performance was the patience and perseverance they showed after going into the interval at 0-0.

Lampard, who was named Premier League manager of the month for October has provided his side with a clear identity, and they never wavered from their free-flowing style.

And that was supplemented by the finishing power of Abraham and Pulisic who are both in rich form in front of goal.

Abraham opened his body out wonderfully before guiding the ball past Palace keeper Vicente Guaita, as he moved level with Jamie Vardy at the top of the division’s goalscoring charts.

American Pulisic, who was inventive throughout, capped an impressive performance with his fifth goal in his last three games.

Palace unable to offer attacking threat

Palace boss Roy Hodgson deployed a tried and tested 4-5-1 formation on his 300th outing as a Premier League manager.

And his team initially displayed the same manner of determined defending that helped them to a win at Manchester United in August and a recent point at Arsenal.

Guaita superbly smothered Pulisic’s early close-range effort, while Gary Cahill brilliantly blocked Willian’s strike from six yards out, just before the break.

Former England defender Cahill, 33, who spent seven years at Chelsea before joining Palace in the summer, barely put a foot wrong on his return to Stamford Bridge.

But unlike in their successes at Old Trafford and the Emirates, Palace were unable to offer any attacking threat going forward.

Jordan Ayew, who contributed one of Palace’s two goals in each of those matches did not touch the ball in the Chelsea penalty area.

And Wilfried Zaha was well shackled by James, spending most of his afternoon running toward his own goal as Palace mustered just one effort on target.

Man of the match – Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea)

The Croatia midfielder broke up play brilliantly and made Chelsea tick in the centre of the park – making more passes (95) than any other player

Azpilicueta’s run halted – the stats

  • Chelsea have won six consecutive Premier League games for the first time since May 2017 under Antonio Conte, in their last title-winning season.
  • This was Crystal Palace’s 100th Premier League London derby (W23 D23 L54), with only Fulham posting a lower points-per-game rate in such games (0.84) than the Eagles (0.92).
  • Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is the seventh English manager to win six consecutive Premier League matches, and the first since Alan Pardew in April 2012 with Newcastle United.
  • With an average age of 24 years and 88 days, Chelsea named their youngest ever starting XI in the Premier League, and the youngest of any team in the competition this season.
  • Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson oversaw his 300th Premier League game as manager, becoming the 15th boss to hit that milestone.
  • César Azpilicueta’s run of 73 consecutive starts in the Premier League for Chelsea ended, with the Spaniard failing to start for the first time since November 2017 against Swansea.
  • Crystal Palace failed to attempt a single shot in the first half of a Premier League match for the first time since March 2014 away to Swansea City.
  • Tammy Abraham is the second youngest player to reach double figures for Premier League goals for Chelsea, after Arjen Robben (21y 342d).
  • Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic is the fourth American to score in three consecutive Premier League games, after Clint Dempsey (three times), Joe-Max Moore and Roy Wegerle.

What’s next?

Chelsea travel to Manchester City in their next Premier League match on Saturday, 23 November (17:30 GMT). Crystal Palace welcome league leaders Liverpool to Selhurst Park for their next Premier League fixture on that day (15:00).





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