Chelsea battle past Sheff Utd to relieve pressure on Pochettino
Having fallen to a dismal defeat to Everton last weekend, Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino admitted he was "really disappointed" by his side’s recent performances – a run that’s seen them lose three of their last four PL matches.
A home fixture against rock-bottom Sheffield United looked like an ideal opportunity for the Blues to find some much-needed form ahead of the festive period, and it was the hosts who dominated possession in a one-sided opening 20 minutes.
Despite seeing plenty of the ball, clear-cut chances came at a premium for Chelsea, and the Blades came close to a shock opener against the run of play when Cameron Archer curled an effort narrowly wide of the target.
Grateful for that reprieve in a disjointed first-half display, the Blues emerged after the restart on the front foot and were soon rewarded with an opener. Raheem Sterling showed excellent vision to pick out an unmarked Palmer eight yards from goal, and the midfielder swept a clinical finish beyond Wes Foderingham for his sixth PL strike of the season.
That goal spurred the hosts to life, and a second goal swiftly followed just seven minutes later, with Palmer turning provider for Nicolas Jackson, who capitalised on confusion in the visitors’ defence to tap home from close range.
Faced with a two-goal deficit, Sheffield United came close to pulling one back through James McAtee's free-kick, but Chelsea eased through the closing stages to earn back-to-back home PL wins for the first time under Pochettino.
The Blades, meanwhile, will be desperate to bounce back against Aston Villa next weekend after a fourth league defeat in five matches.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
