Chelsea knuckled down after a difficult day off the pitch to claim a 3-1 win over Norwich City on it, with Mason Mount and Kai Havertz both getting a goal and an assist each.
Chelsea started the game well and got off the mark inside three minutes. Mount floated in a corner for Trevoh Chalobah, who headed it home.
The Blues kept the pressure up, with Tim Krul having to make a save against Havertz shortly after the goal and then again a few minutes later.
Despite Krul’s best efforts to keep the score down, Chelsea went 2-0 up seconds after when Mount found the net. Havertz had played him in, before Mount shimmied and struck home powerfully.
Mount and Havertz linked up for the former to take aim with a volley, but it went over.
A Mount corner then led to a header from Andreas Christensen, who couldn’t convert it on target.
After another development from a set piece, Mateo Kovacic struck the post with an effort from outside the box.
A wake-up call of sorts came for Chelsea when they conceded possession in their own box, but Kenny McLean couldn’t keep his interception in.
Both sides made changes at half-time. One thing that didn’t change, though, was that Chelsea began the second half on top. Krul had to use his legs to prevent an effort from Mount breaching his goal-line.
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Chelsea lead cut in half – before two-goal cushion restored
Norwich were given a way back into it though when they won a penalty (via VAR) due to Chalobah handling the ball in the box. Teemu Pukki made no mistake from the spot to halve the deficit.
It gave the hosts some impetus. They gave Chelsea another nervous moment – partially of the visitors’ own doing – when Pierre Lees-Melou pinched an Edouard Mendy pass but curled the resulting shot over.
Chelsea tried to ease their nerves with a counter attack after another Norwich chance, culminating in a Mount cross almost being met by Havertz or Timo Werner.
Havertz ended Norwich’s hopes of a comeback when making it 3-1 on the verge of stoppage time. N’Golo Kante made his way into the box before setting up the German, who finished.
Thus, Chelsea restored their two-goal cushion in time for the full-time whistle. They remain third in the Premier League and Norwich bottom.
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