Chelsea’s six best results of a topsy turvy 2020: From Liverpool to Leeds
25 June: Chelsea 2-1 Manchester City
Understandably, Liverpool will probably look back on this more favorably as the point they were crowned champions of England, all thanks to Chelsea overcoming Manchester City on home turf. Every Liverpudlian eye will have been fixated on the two shades of Blue going toe-to-toe in the capital, desperate to find out whether they could pop the champagne sooner rather than later.
And corks will have been flying when Christian Pulisic raced clear from the halfway line, latching on to a sloppy pass from Benjamin Mendy. Captain America had been super since the restart and the end result never seemed in doubt, evading the Frenchman’s attempt at redemption and then curling into the corner of Ederson’s far post.
Kevin De Bruyne did momentarily hush the parties on Merseyside with a delightful free-kick that arched past the helpless Kepa to give City a glimmer of hope of mounting an improbable title comeback. They were walking on seriously thin ice after Pulisic rounded Ederson, only to be foiled by a heroic goal-line clearance from Kyle Walker. That thin sheet finally shattered when Tammy Abraham’s bundled attempt towards goal was pushed away by the arm of Fernandinho, caught by the video assistance. City’s captain was dismissed, and his fellow Brazilian Willian converted the penalty that delivered the trophy back to Liverpool.
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19 July: Manchester United 1-3 Chelsea
A meeting with Manchester United had become a common theme during Lampard’s maiden campaign as the Blues boss, this FA Cup semi-final clash becoming the fourth fixture between the clubs in 2019/20. Chelsea had lost the previous three and was aiming to make amends in an empty Wembley stadium.
The seats may have been deserted, but there was nothing absent about the Blues as they cruised into the final, United barely laying a paw on their opponents until it was too late. Chelsea was aggressive in their approach and merciless in their execution. Giroud stole in front of a vacant Victor Lindelof for the opener, his seventh post-lockdown, setting a tempo of total control for Lampard’s side.
One became two mere seconds after the restart, Chelsea dispossessing deep in United’s territory but still with some distance from David De Gea’s goal. This mattered little, as Mount’s speculative strike squirmed under the Spaniards grasp, a picture of despair etched across the face of United’s no.1. Chelsea’s endeavor warranted a slice of luck, and they were presented with more good fortune via Harry Maguire’s inadvertent touch into his own goal to compound United’s misery, and ensure Chelsea’s victory.
Bruno Fernandes did pull back a consolation from the penalty spot five minutes from the end, yet nothing could take the shine off Chelsea’s glossy production.