Chelsea yet again stepped up their game in the second half, scoring four goals in the final 45 minutes of the game as they cruised through their Premier League fixture against neighbours Crystal Palace. The game at the Stamford Bridge ended 4-0 for the hosts, with their last two goals coming from the penalty spot in the final 15 minutes of the game.
Ben Chilwell, who was making his Premier League debut for the Chelsea, opened the scoring in the 50th minute as he latched onto a loose ball and drilled in a first-time finish from six yards out. He later provided an inviting cross in the 66th minute which was met by Kurt Zouma with a towering header.
Later, two penalties were converted by Jorginho in a space of four minutes to complete an emphatic win for the hosts. It was not all about the attack for Frank Lampard's men as they were solid defensively as well. Chelsea robbed Palace's players of the ball and made sure that the Eagles had zero shots on target.
Chelsea dominated every aspect of the game and despite a slow first half, came up strong after their 3-3 draw against West Bromwich last time around. With that being said, let's take a look at the player ratings for Chelsea.
Chelsea Player ratings
Edouard Mendy: 6.5/10
Chelsea defenders did a great job of keeping Crystal Palace's two biggest threats in Wilfred Zaha and Jordan Ayew off the ball for the majority of the game, and that meant that Edouard Mendy had little to do in his Premier League debut.
He showed his reach and reflexes on a couple of occasions and his performance might just prove enough for him to retain his place against Southampton later this month.
Cesar Azpilicueta - 7/10
The club captain returned to the side after losing his spot to Reece James in recent games, but showed resilience against a threatening Crystal Palace attack. He stayed back on the right flank, which allowed Ben Chilwell to move into dangerous positions and contribute in the attack. A solid, routine, no-nonsense display from the veteran defender
Thiago Silva - 7.5/10
The Brazilian defender put in a much-improved shift than his last performance for Chelsea against West Brom, and was quite busy at the back. He made four clearances and two interceptions, but his biggest contribution has to be the crucial block off Zaha's strike in the second half.
Kurt Zouma - 8/10
The French defender had a brilliant outing as he scored his second goal in his third Premier League appearance this season. Zouma was oozing confidence on the pitch, and looked comfortable putting in the tackles. He was rarely caught off guard and did not make a single wrong move in the game. Overall, a top-notch performance from him, except for the headed chances missed just minutes before his goal.
Ben Chilwell - 8.5/10
Ben Chilwell had a dream debut in the Premier League for Chelsea. His experience in the league was visible from his confidence on the ball on the left flank. He almost played as a winger throughout the game and delivered five accurate crosses in the game. His advanced position also allowed Timo Werner to move into a more central position.
He displayed great instincts going forward, and that helped him break the deadlock five minutes into the second half as he latched onto a loose ball. Later, he displayed great vision to pick out Zouma in the box and got his first assist of the season as well.
Jorginho - 8/10
The midfielder was heavily involved in the buildup for Chelsea throughout the game and attempted more lobbed passes than anyone else in the game. He also took up a fair share of defensive responsibilities in the game as well, and provided cover for Chilwell. Despite missing a penalty this season, he kept his calm and dispatched two penalties into the back of the net in a space of four minutes and got Chelsea four goals ahead of Crystal Palace.
N'Golo Kante - 7/10
The Frenchman had a much better game this time around and made no fuss about his role on the pitch, providing a lot of energy in the midfield and put in another tireless display as he moved from box-to-box. A pretty routine display from the Chelsea midfielder, but did nothing notable to effect the outcome of the game.
Kai Havertz - 7/10
The young German midfielder was probably the best attacking player on the pitch tonight for Chelsea. He started in his preferred No.10 role tonight, and was involved in all attacking moves going through the center.
He also won three aerial duels and attempted two tackles, thus putting in a fair defensive shift as well. He did well to earn the second penalty by drawing the foul from Sakho.
Callum Hudson-Odoi - 6.5/10
The winger did his best to create a lot of chances from the right flank, but his lack of experience and indecisiveness meant he ended up squandering a lot of chances to break free on the counter. He was, too often, looking backwards in the final third, and despite providing a lot of width on the wing failed to make anything out of it.
Timo Werner - 6/10
The forward was started on the left flank behind Tammy Abraham tonight, and had a disappointing display again. He often found himself moving in central positions and failed to link up with his teammates. Chilwell did the most of the work on the left flank, and Werner's involvement since forcing Guaita into action in the 19th minute declined gradually.
Tammy Abraham - 6/10
The striker did not have a lot of chances, and that's mostly because Crystal Palace's centre-back duo of Sakho and Kouyate effectively neutralised his threat. He had to rely on his movement to make inroads into the Palace, box and finally played a role in Chelsea's goal as he earned the first penalty, which led to the Chelsea's third goal of the night.
Substitutes
Mateo Kovacic - N/A
Came on in the 83rd minute. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
Christian Pulisic - N/A
Came on in the 83rd minute. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
Also See: Premier League results, Premier League standings