Chelsea vs Newcastle player ratings: Havertz’s goal separates the sides

Hakim Ziyech (Right winger): 8.5/10

Ziyech gets an 8.5 because he did a lot with very little. He was Chelsea’s most creative player by a mile. Yes, a mile. Ziyech created as many chances (3) as the rest of the team combined. He also was the first person to unlock the Newcastle defense, sending in a perfect cross to Havertz who headed it straight at the keeper. Ziyech’s tactical discipline was top of the line against the Magpies, often filling in as the right back in defensive actions and tracking runners. He coordinated the press from the front and the Moroccan was key in Chelsea recovering possession easily from Newcastle. Ziyech also won the most fouls for the Blues, often in areas where they were getting hounded, relieving Chelsea of pressure several times.

Kai Havertz (Center forward): 8/10

Havertz is now Chelsea’s second-highest league goalscorer. He missed a clear-cut chance early in the game and later made up for it with the most outrageous first touch and finish in the dying minutes of regulation time. He won three fouls for Chelsea and took more shots on target than anyone else on the pitch.

Timo Werner (Left winger): 5/10

Timo Werner was poor again and many complained about his technical ability . . . again. The fact that the Blues put themselves in positions to rely on Werner’s technical ability indicates more blame on Chelsea than on the German forward. Werner has never been Mr. Technique—not ever. Not even at RB Leipzig where he was a goal machine. Werner looks more and more like one of the forwards that will not be at the club come this summer.

Romelu Lukaku (Striker): 5/10

Romelu Lukaku played 27 minutes and he was just as poor as the man he replaced. The less said about him the better in the end.

Christian Pulisic (Left winger): 6/10

I mean, he completed all seven of his attempted passes and won two out of three contested duels. For a 12-minute cameo, he wasn’t horrendous, but he didn’t do much of anything worthwhile. There’s nothing to be expected from such a brief cameo, to be fair to the American.

All match statistics from SofaScore.

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