LONDON — Kai Havertz’s goal in the second half gave Chelsea a key 1-0 win over Crystal Palace to end their run of four games without a victory.
The win lifts the pressure a little on coach Graham Potter, while Chelsea also used the occasion to unveil new €70m signing Mykhailo Mudryk at half-time.
Both teams had carved out decent opportunities in the first half but failed to score until Havertz found the breakthrough in the 65th minute with a close-range header off a well-worked corner. For Crystal Palace, the defeat was their fourth in five games in all competitions.
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Rapid reaction
1. Chelsea blunt in attack, but is Mudryk the answer?
After a first half in which Chelsea prodded away at Crystal Palace‘s defence and failed to find a cutting edge, the attention at Stamford Bridge shifted away momentarily from the match at hand. At half-time their latest big-money signing (potentially €100m with add-ons) was presented to the crowd as Mudryk stood in the centre circle, draped in the Ukraine flag.
The whole signing has been a curious process — from the gazumping of Arsenal, to Chelsea adding his name to their official Instagram bio, to pleading to their fans to give Mudryk a nice welcome before he’d even been confirmed — but parading him at half-time of a match was an odd move and felt a little like a diversionary tactic.
Chelsea’s fans were far more concerned with what they’d witnessed from the players in the first half. Up until that point, the attack had showed glimpses but ultimately failed to get the breakthrough. Left-back Lewis Hall flashed one shot wide, while Havertz had the best chance as he headed over from close range after a delightful ball over the top from the outstanding Hakim Ziyech, who was Chelsea’s chief creative force.
With Armando Broja, Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic and the banned Joao Felix all absent (as well as Pierre Emerick Aubameyang benched) it has been on Havertz to lead the line. He has come in for criticism recently but eventually found the net from a well-worked corner routine in the 65th minute. Then came a reminder of his profligacy in the 80th minute as he flashed a header wide when he should’ve scored.
Chelsea must solve this wastefulness up front and will look to their new faces. Felix has two more matches on his ban, while David Datro Fofana is more a signing for the future, so the focus switches to Mudryk. January signings sometimes take time to bed in (though Benoit Badiashile’s debut went well) and while Mudryk’s talent is unquestioned, this will be a step up for him. At a time where Chelsea are looking to find quick fixes to their on-field struggles, the pressure is on him to deliver from the outset.
