Chelsea secured their tenth win of the campaign and perhaps their biggest one so far, as the Blues outclassed defending champions Manchester City 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
The Londoners had a rough start to the game, but a late first-half goal from N’Golo Kante and a second-half header from David Luiz helped them put an end City’s unbeaten run in the league.
Here are the Chelsea players rated in their exceptional win over the defending champions.
Kepa Arrizabalaga (7/10): He was rarely tested as Manchester City failed to create clear-cut opportunities despite retaining heaps of possession. But, it was undoubtedly an improving display from the Spaniard, who notably made a key save at the end to deny Gabriel Jesus after he had initially opened up the path for the Brazilian forward with a bad pass.
Cesar Azpilicueta (9/10): Arguably the most active defender on the night, Cesar Azpilicueta’s diligent defending was one of the key reasons behind Chelsea’s solidity at the back. Indeed, the Spaniard made a host of excellent tackles throughout the game and kept fighting on till the final whistle.
Antonio Rudiger (8/10): Following a scrappy first-half, Rudiger appeared much more robust in the second half. His dogged defending allowed David Luiz to become more expressive in the build-up and the German also notched up seven clearances.
David Luiz (8.5/10): An excellent performance from the Brazilian, whose stunning long ball in the dying embers of the first-half, initiated Chelsea’s opener. Aside from his passing, David Luiz appeared fairly solid in defending, making a couple of key tackles and winning five aerial duels.
Marcos Alonso (7.5/10): Spent most of the time trying to fend off the threat provided by Riyad Mahrez on the far side. And although he did succeed in keeping the Algerian away from the penalty box, it also minimised Alonso’s offensive contribution.
N’Golo Kante (8/10): Had a tough start to the game as he found it difficult to cope with an aggressive Manchester City midfield setup in the first half. However, the 45th-minute opener boosted his confidence as the Frenchman looked much better after the restart.
Jorginho (7.5/10): Appeared raw throughout the first-half, often being dispossessed by the marauding Manchester City midfielders. But, an improved second-half performance helped Chelsea assert their dominance in the middle, ultimately helping them secure a rather comfortable win over the defending champions.
Mateo Kovacic (6.5/10): Unlike his midfield partners, both of whom managed to produce a better display after the restart, Kovacic never really managed to get a grip on the proceedings and was rightfully subbed off in the 65th minute.
Pedro (8.5/10): The former Barcelona star was profoundly influential today, notably providing a stunning cross-field through pass to Eden Hazard for Chelsea’s first goal of the evening. Aside from that, Pedro looked very hungry and pressed well throughout the game.
Eden Hazard (9.5/10): Stole the show with yet another vintage performance. The Belgian superstar breached the Man City defence quite often in the second half where he made a host of dribbles and incisive runs into the box. He was responsible for providing both the assists and was by far the most impressive performer of the evening.
Willian (7.5/10): Though not as influential as Hazard, Willian also made a few dangerous runs in behind the Manchester City backline. However, some poor deliveries and occasional lapses of concentration didn’t help.
Substitutes
Ross Barkley (7.5/10): Came on for Mateo Kovacic in the second half and provided a creative spark in midfield, which was lacking in the first half. But, it was his excellent shielding of the ball, which further infuriated the already frustrated bunch of Man City players.
Ruben-Loftus Cheek (NA): Replaced Willian in the 75th minute but failed to make any significant impact on proceedings.
Olivier Giroud (NA): A last-minute substitute for Eden Hazard.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored