LONDON: Chelsea settled their stuttering start to the season with a 4-0 win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday as Ben Chilwell marked his league debut for the Blues by scoring the opening goal and creating another for Kurt Zouma.
Jorginho sealed the win with two late penalties in a second-half demolition of Palace who had stifled Chelsea in a goalless first half.
Chilwell punished the visitors for their first defensive error, scoring from close range in the 50th minute after Mamadou Sakho fluffed a clearance and allowed Cesar Azpilicueta to cross.
Chelsea doubled their lead in the 66th minute when Palace failed to clear a corner and Zouma headed home after a cross by Chilwell.
Jorginho made sure of the win when he converted two penalties in the space of five minutes late in the game.
Chelsea coach Frank Lampard sounded as happy with his team’s first clean sheet of the season as the four goals they scored and he lauded the impact of Chilwell.
“I thought Ben Chilwell was fantastic in his contribution in all senses,” Lampard said. “He gets his goal, he gets an assist and he was always ready to join in… He looked like he’d played for us for a long time.”
Lampard made six changes to the team that salvaged a 3-3 draw after being 3-0 behind at West Bromwich Albion last weekend, four of them at the back as he gave league debuts to left back Chilwell and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Chilwell, who moved from Leicester City in August, showed his pace down the wings and fired crosses into the Palace box all match.
“It was a brilliant team performance, and I’m obviously very happy with my personal performance,” Chilwell told BT Sport. “The gaffer said at halftime we need to be more creative in the final third, and in the second half we showed that.”
Mendy, signed from Rennes of France to replace out-of-form Kepa Arrizabalaga, had a quieter afternoon.
He had to wait 63 minutes before having to make his first save against a Palace side intent on thwarting their hosts until they went behind.
Chelsea‘s defence, which leaked six goals in their first three league games of the new season, looked stronger with former Paris St Germain centre half Thiago Silva in commanding form alongside Zouma.
Lampard was asked about reports that Bayern Munich had renewed their interest in Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi and wanted to sign him before the transfer deadline on Monday.
“There is no definitive answer but by Monday, we will have one,” he said. “At the minute, I want Callum part of my squad.”
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Written by Sandeep Sen
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