Chelsea: Brilliant Blades batter toothless Blues

Chelsea took on Sheffield aiming to pull further clear of the Blues’ nearest challengers. Unfortunately, they failed in their quest.

Just five days after leapfrogging Leicester and moving into third place, Chelsea is now in danger of slipping out of the top four for the first time since October. The Blues served up arguably their worst performance of the season at Bramall Lane and were beaten resoundingly.

Frank Lampard made one alteration to the team that started at Selhurst Park last time out with Tammy Abraham replacing the in-form Olivier Giroud. Chelsea began the game in typical fashion dictating possession albeit posing no real threat to Dean Henderson’s goal. The home side hassled its visitors, preventing them from finding their rhythm and delivered sucker punches of its own.

The Blades took the lead when David McGoldrick reacted fastest to Kepa Arrizabalaga’s initial save on Oliver McBurnie’s effort to tap home his maiden league goal of the season from close range. Just past the half-hour mark, the lead was doubled. Good work down the left-hand side resulted in Enda Stevens delivering a perfect cross for McBurnie to head home.

As on so many occasions this season, Chelsea found itself in a difficult situation and needed to respond. However, the trend of continuous possession without penetration continued and Sheffield made it to halftime with their cushion intact.

Frank Lampard responded with a change in both personnel and system after the break, but all to no avail. McGoldrick struck again to put the final nail in the coffin 25 minutes from time after pouncing yet again inside the Chelsea box, this time from Antonio Rudiger’s half-hearted clearance.

The result leaves the Blues with their destiny no longer in their hands. With games against Liverpool and Wolves still to come, they now face an uphill task to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League, especially if Manchester City’s UEFA ban is overturned by CAS.