Chelsea FC thumped Newcastle United to progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup, thanks to a 3-0 victory with the goals coming from the boots of Michy Batshuayi and Marcos Alonso. Batshuayi’s brace was followed by a Marcos Alonso special(free kick), which sealed their ticket to the fifth round. The Magpies started off brightly and pressed well, won the ball back higher up the pitch and made sure Caballero was the busier of the two.
But after Chelsea got the first goal against the run of play, they settled into the game and had control from thereon in.
Chelsea player ratings –
Willy Caballero: 8.5/10
Made two stunning saves from Shelvey’s shots. A well deserved clean sheet.
Gary Cahill: 7/10
A bit nervy at times but regained composure after Chelsea’s goal.
Andreas Christensen: 7.5/10
His acrobatic interceptions were praiseworthy and he was very tidy in set-piece situations.
Antonio Rudiger: 8/10
Got forward smartly and his pace helped his side both offensively and defensively. Almost created a moment of magic when he shifted the ball to his left foot and almost curled it in.
Marcos Alonso: 8.5/10
Undoubtedly the best free-kick taker in England. His final ball got better as the game went on and was a constant threat up front.
Danny Drinkwater : 4/10
Very slow on the ball, struggled whenever Newcastle pressed Chelsea hard and gave away possession many a time. His shots were wayward too.
N’Golo Kante: 6/10
Was surprisingly caught on his heels at times and not as sharp with his tackling. He put up an improved show in the second half.
Davide Zappacosta: 8/10
Always looked to get forward, showed his excellent dribbling skills and cut inside, drifted away and found the best of deliveries.
Eden Hazard: 8.5/10
Twisting and turning, always looked to take on defenders. His set pieces, especially corners were exceptional.
Pedro: 8/10
Caused havoc down the left and played a huge part in the first goal. A bright performance by the Spaniard.
Michy Batshuayi: 9.5/10
Showed so much desire to hold the ball and make a run to seek a return pass. Both his goals were well taken and his penalty box presence throughout the game was fabulous.
Substitutes –
Ethan Ampadu : 8/10
How much more versatile can a 17-year-old get? His ball to Pedro was a peach.
Ross Barkley: 8/10
Decent man marking, created four chances and almost had two assists. A superb display.
Callum Hudson-Odoi: NA
Looked very confident and seems to be a real prospect, from whatever we saw from him.
