Premier League – Ross Barkley inspires Chelsea to 3-0 win over Watford
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Chelsea 3-0 Watford: Olivier Giroud, Willian and Ross Barkley on target as Blues return to winning ways
Ross Barkley set up the opening goal before scoring himself late in the game as Chelsea eased past relegation-threatened Watford in a 3-0 win to consolidate fourth place in the Premier League on Saturday.
The England midfielder played in Olivier Giroud to score in the 28th minute and put Chelsea ahead at a virtually empty Stamford Bridge.
Willian converted a penalty in the 43rd minute after Christian Pulisic was fouled to make it 2-0, before Barkley finished off a flowing team move involving Pulisic and Cesar Azpilicueta with a rasping finish high into the net in second-half stoppage time.
Report and highlights as Chelsea leapfrog Manchester United back into fourth place
Chelsea bounced back from a surprising loss at West Ham in midweek with a third win in four matches since the return of the league after a three-month suspension because of the coronavirus outbreak.
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Frank Lampard’s Chelsea stayed a point behind third-place Leicester and two clear of fifth-place Manchester United in the race for Champions League qualification.
Fifth place will be enough to qualify for the Champions League this season if second-place Manchester City fails with its appeal to overturn a two-year European ban imposed by UEFA. The result of the appeal is imminent.
Watford stayed one point and one place clear of the relegation zone with five games remaining, and is yet to win since the restart.
Chelsea brushed off their midweek setback to return to winning ways with a routine 3-0 victory over Watford at Stamford Bridge.
Frank Lampard had called for a response from his players following his side’s 3-2 defeat to West Ham, and after Manchester United temporarily moved above them into the top four with a comprehensive victory over Bournemouth on Saturday, Chelsea had to win.
Olivier Giroud was one of four changes to the side by Lampard, and he marked his return with the opener, finding the bottom corner with a left-foot shot (28) to break the deadlock. The Blues doubled their lead two minutes before the break as Willian converted from the spot following a foul by Etienne Capoue on Christian Pulisic.
At times, Chelsea controlled the second period like a training game, but Ross Barkley added extra gloss to the scoreline as he met Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross to slam home a smart finish at the near post (90+2).
The result means Chelsea leapfrog United by two points back into fourth spot while Watford remain precariously placed, one position and a solitary point above the relegation zone ahead of 18th-placed Aston Villa, who visit Liverpool on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
Tap on players to view stats
| Chelsea4-3-3 | 3 | – | 0 | Watford4-5-1 |
26B. Foster6A. Mariappa29E. Capoue28C. Azpilicueta9T. Deeney18O. Giroud10Willian21F. FemeníaFar4C. Dawson27C. Kabasele8R. Barkley14N. Chalobah15K. Zouma19W. Hughes1K. Arrizabalaga7N. Kanté16A. Doucouré4A. Christensen22C. Pulisic19M. Mount24R. James23I. Sarr
| Substitutes | |
|---|---|
| 9T. Abraham47B. Gilmour13W. Caballero12R. Loftus-Cheek5Jorginho11Pedro3M. Alonso20C. Hudson-Odoi2A. Rüdiger | 37R. Pereyra1H. daSilvaGomes17J. Junqueirade Jesus18A. Gray15C. Cathcart10D. Welbeck8T. Cleverley11A. Masina25J. Holebas |
Player ratings
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga (7), James (7), Christensen (7), Zouma (7), Azpilicueta (7), Barkley (8), Kante (7), Mount (8), Willian (7), Giroud (7), Pulisic (8).
Subs: Abraham (n/a), Loftus-Cheek (n/a), Hudson-Odoi (n/a), Gilmour (n/a).
Watford: Foster (6), Mariappa (5), Kabasele (6), Dawson (6), Femenia (6), Chalobah (7), Capoue (5), Sarr (5), Doucoure (6), Hughes (6), Deeney (5).
Subs: Cleverley (6), Welbeck (6), Masina (5), Pereyra (n/a).
Man of the match: Mason Mount.
The Blues almost seized upon the game’s first gilt-edged chance after 19 minutes, with Watford regimented but struggling for creativity, as Giroud was found by Pulisic inside the area but his low shot was saved by the feet of Ben Foster.
But the Frenchman handed the hosts a 1-0 lead with his fourth Premier League goal of the season in the 28th minute, angling home after a smart ball from Ross Barkley.
Team news
Frank Lampard made four changes as Kurt Zouma, Reece James and Olivier Giroud came in for Antonio Rudiger, Marcos Alonso and Tammy Abraham, while Mason Mount started with Mateo Kovacic injured.
Christian Kabasele, Adrian Mariappa and Nathaniel Chalobah all started forWatford, while Andre Gray returned to the bench.
Watford haven’t won away at Chelsea in any competition since May 1986, and they were facing down the barrel of another defeat two minutes before half-time when Pulisic was taken down in the box by Capoue.
Willian was allowed to bury another spot-kick, just as he had in Wednesday’s loss, meaning the Brazilian has now scored more goals (9) and had more goal involvements (14 – 9 goals, 5 assists) in the Premier League this season than any other campaign in the competition.
