In-form Chelsea shred Sheffield

 

Chelsea’s summer splurge is beginning to bear fruits as they came back to secure a 4-1 win over Sheffield United to move up third in the Premier League.

Despite a £220 million transfer splurge, the Blues did not hit the ground running as they won just two of their opening six league games of the season.

However, they have now won four in a row in all competitions with three of the new signings, Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva and Timo Werner on the scoresheet on Saturday, while another Hakim Ziyech won man-of–the-match for two assists and all-round devastating attacking play.

Sheffield United remain rooted to the foot of the table without a win this season and just like in defeat at Liverpool two weeks ago, they failed to build on a dream start from David McGoldrick’s opener.

A cleverly-worked corner caught Chelsea off guard as George Baldock’s cross was turned goalward by Sander Berge and McGoldrick flicked the ball past Edouard Mendy.

That was the first goal Mendy had conceded in the Premier League and ended Chelsea’s run of five straight clean sheets as Lampard has focused on ending the dreadful defensive record that blighted his first season in charge.

Tammy Abraham turned home Mateo Kovacic’s cut-back for his fourth goal of the season to restore parity on 23 minutes and Chelsea never looked back.

Werner smashed against the crossbar after Aaron Ramsdale could only parry a dangerous Ziyech free-kick.

However, Chris Wilder’s men did not learn their lesson as from another Ziyech set-piece, Chilwell bundled the ball in off his hip.

The hosts had to wait until 13 minutes from time for the third with Ziyech’s wicked free-kick picking out Silva to flick home his first Chelsea goal.

Werner was then put through on goal from Ziyech’s defence-splitting pass, but the German hit the woodwork for the second time when his lob over Ramsdale came back off the post.

Moments later, Werner was not to be denied an eighth goal since his move from RB Leipzig when he hammered the ball past Ramsdale after being teed up by N’Golo Kante.