Chelsea's Moroccan midfielder Hakim Ziyech jumps to head the ball during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge in London on November 7, 2020. (Photo by Mike Hewitt / POOL / AFP)
Chelsea moved to within a point of the Premier League summit with a 4-1 win over Sheffield United on Saturday as Frank Lampard’s big-spending Blues’ fine form continued.
After an underwhelming start to the campaign, Chelsea’s £220 million ($289 million) investment in the transfer window is beginning to bear fruit as a fourth consecutive win in all competitions moved them up to third in the table.
Three of the new signings, Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva and Timo Werner scored, while another, Hakim Ziyech, won man-of–the-match for two assists.
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 had initially been one of the casualties of the backing Lampard was given in the transfer market, but has won his place in the side in recent weeks with Werner moving out to the left.
The England international 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.
Ramsdale turned another Chilwell effort behind before half-time, but it seemed only a matter of time until Chelsea killed the game off as they dominated the second-half.
The hosts had to wait until 13 minutes from time for the third with Ziyech’s wicked free-kick delivery again creating havoc.
This time the Moroccan picked out Silva to flick home his first Chelsea goal.
Moments later, Werner was 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.
The German international was not to be denied an eighth goal since his move from RB Leipzig on 80 minutes when he hammered the ball past Ramsdale.
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