Tag: Chelsea

Chelsea thump Preston with quickfire goals in FA cup clash

Chelsea started their 2024 with quickfire 4-0 thriller against Championship side Preston in the FA cup on Saturday night. Mauricio Pochettino’s men had a rough start in the encounter, missing clear chances in the first half that could have given them an early lead. Young talent Cole Palmer missed at point blank against Preston goalkeeper, after a well dished up-through by Enzo Fernandez. Entering the second half, the Blues were more clinical, converting most of the chances created, although Armando Broja missed a crucial one-on-one.

Chelsea win Preston 4-0 at Stamford Bridge – Getty image The deadlock was eventually broken when Malo Gusto delivered a cross into the box, finding the head of Broja who stylishly sent it home, giving the host the lead just before the hour mark. Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling followed in quick succession, with Silva scoring a header from Palmer’s corner kick, and Sterling, a well delivered freekick into the top left corner of the visitor’s goal post. The party was completed by Fernandez, who redeemed himself by a simple tap-in, after a first-half gasp.

Chelsea open talks to hijack Todibo, amidst Tottenham’s interest

Jean-Clair Todibo – Getty image Chelsea have reportedly entered talks to sign OGC Nice 24-year-old Jean-Clair Todibo, who has been a target for Premier League rivals Tottenham. Todibo’s impressive to performances for Nice this season have attracted significant interest, with Tottenham having previously pursued the French centre-back. Jean-Clair Todibo – Getty image However, negotiations with Tottenham hit a brick wall as the club wanted a quick deal, but Nice preferred a more patient approach. Following Tottenham’s failed attempts to secure Todibo, Chelsea, despite substantial recent defensive investments, has now engaged in talks with Nice. Meanwhile, Manchester United, now under shared ownership with Nice through INEOS, remain interested in Todibo but are unlikely to make a move before the summer transfer window, according to reports.

Chelsea hijack interest open talks Todibo Tottenhams

Palmer’s brace hands Chelsea vital 3-2 win despite late drama

Chelsea secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Luton at Kenilworth Road in a crucial Premier League encounter to end 2023 on a positive note. The Blues took the lead early in the game when Cole Palmer capitalized on a defensive error from Luton, to put Chelsea ahead. Building on their lead, Chelsea extended their advantage with Noni Madueke’s powerful strike from the corner in the 37th minute. Palmer continued to impress, securing a brace with exceptional skill, humiliating the Luton defense to score Chelsea’s third goal. Palmer’s brace ensured Chelsea win Luton – Getty image However, Luton mounted a late surge, with former Chelsea player Ross Barkley converting from a corner to narrow the gap to 3-1. Elijah Adebayo followed, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to score the second for Luton. Despite Luton’s late revival, Chelsea held on to claim all three points in the game.

brace Chelsea Drama hands late Palmers vital win

Madueke rescues Chelsea from humiliating derby against Crystal Palace, after Jackson’s stinker

Noni Madueke rescued a 2-1 victory for Chelsea over Crystal Palace with a late penalty, after several missed opportunities by the Blues. Chelsea initially took the lead through Mykhailo Mudryk’s tap-in, but Palace quickly responded with a goal from Michael Olise. The turning point came when Madueke, who came on as a substitute, won and converted a penalty in the 90th minute, securing three crucial points for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. While Chelsea celebrated the win, forward Nicolas Jackson had a mixed performance, missing several opportunities that could have secured the game earlier. Madueke rescued Chelsea from Jackson’s stinker – Getty image The forward had a minute to forget when he missed a chance at point blank against Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson, and later had one disallowed for offside. Despite having only the goalkeeper to beat, Jackson’s attempt went wide, drawing jeers from the away fans at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea crystal Derby humiliating Jacksons Madueke palace rescues stinker

Chelsea enter race for Claudio Echeverri with potential Strasbourg loan

Chelsea are considering signing under-17 World Cup sensation Claudio Echeverri, with plans to loan him to BlueCo-owned RC Strasbourg. The potential move confirmed by Foot Mercato comes as a surprise, given that Manchester City are reportedly the frontrunners to sign the young Argentinian talent. Manchester City has been active in recruiting prospects from River Plate, recently signing 23-yewr-old Julián Álvarez. Other clubs, including Barcelona, Real Madrid, and PSG, are also reportedly interested in Echeverri.

Claudio Echeverri – Getty image Recall a release clause of €25 has been pegged as the player’s release clause, which has been widely consider too much for an upcoming talent. However, despite the disagreement in some quarters, Chelsea and other top European clubs are focused on his talent and what he can offer.

Chelsea Claudio Echeverri enter loan potential race Strasbourg

Nkunku scores debut goal as Chelsea slump to 2-1 defeat against Wolves

Chelsea marked their fourth consecutive away defeat in the Premier League as they suffered a 2-1 setback against Wolves on Christmas Eve. Gary O’Neil’s team secured the win with goals from Mario Lemina in the 51st minute and Matt Doherty in added time of the second half. Meanwhile, Christopher Nkunku also scored his first Premier League goal in added time for Chelsea, but it proved to be a mere consolation. The loss sees Chelsea currently placed tenth in the Premier League table, as they struggle to find consistent form in their away fixtures.

Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku – Getty image Despite their recent success in the Carabao Cup, with a penalty shootout win against Newcastle to reach the semi-finals, Chelsea’s league performances have been nothing but disappointing. The match at Molineux was characterized by missed opportunities for Chelsea, including a notable miss by Raheem Sterling in a promising attacking situation during the first half. Mauricio Pochettino’s side has been struggling to secure points in recent league fixtures, with their last league win dating back to November 6 in a 4-1 victory over Tottenham.

Chelsea Debut defeat goal Nkunku scores slump wolves

Liverpool to face Fulham, Chelsea drawn against Middlesbrough in Carabao Cup semi-finals

Liverpool have been drawn with Fulham in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, while Chelsea will face Middlesbrough in the other tie. Liverpool secured a commanding 5-1 victory over West Ham, to take their spot in the semi-finals, setting up the two-leg encounter with Fulham. On the other hand, Chelsea landed their ticket for the round, after winning in a penalty shootout against Newcastle on Tuesday, following Kieran Trippier’s mistake, and subsequent penalty miss. The last time Liverpool and Chelsea met in the Carabao Cup was in the 2022 final, which ended in a dramatic penalty shootout victory for Liverpool. Liverpool have been drawn with Fulham – Getty image The first leg of Liverpool’s semi-final will take place at Anfield on January 8, with the return leg at Craven Cottage. Liverpool will be aiming to win their 10th League Cup title this season, with last year’s winners Manchester United already eliminated from the competition. Likewise, Chelsea will be looking to challenge Liverpool for the trophy, while Fulham and Middlesbrough will be hoping to cause major upsets and secure a spot in the final. If Middlesbrough reach the final, they would be the first non-Premier League club to do so since Bradford City in 2011. Bradford City faced Swansea in the said final, with Swansea securing a 5-0 victory.

CARABAO Chelsea Cup drawn FACE Fulham Liverpool middlesbrough SemiFinals

Chelsea advances to Carabao Cup semi-finals with dramatic penalty win over Newcastle

Chelsea secured their spot in the Carabao Cup semi-finals after a thrilling victory over Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge. The Blues managed to overcome a late scare to claim the win, courtesy of substitute Mykhailo Mudryk. Newcastle appeared to have the upper hand in the game as they held a 1-0 lead, courtesy of a goal from Callum Wilson. However, a late error from Kieran Trippier presented Mykhailo Mudryk with an opportunity, and he capitalized on it to equalize, forcing the game into penalties.

Chelsea advances to Carabao Cup semi-finals – Getty image In the penalty shootout, Mauricio Pochettino’s team showed composure as they successfully converted all of their spot-kicks. On the other hand, Trippier and Matt Ritchie missed their penalties for Newcastle, resulting in Chelsea’s winning 4-2 on the spot-kicks. Chelsea will now wait for the draw for the semi-finals that has been already booked by two other teams – Fulham and middlesbrough

advances CARABAO Chelsea Cup dramatic newcastle Penalty SemiFinals win

Mourinho on Salah, De Bruyne exits from Chelsea

Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has opened up on the departures of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah during his tenure. In an interview on The Obi One Podcast with ex-Blues midfielder John Obi Mikel, Mourinho recalled reasons behind the exits of the two now legendary Premier League stars. “To be honest, they left because they wanted to leave. They left because they didn’t want to wait. “History proves that their option was good because they’ve had the careers they have and reached a high standard.

Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne – Getty image “But sometimes kids make decisions like that because they can’t wait, or they don’t have the patience to be calm and to wait for the right moment,” Mourinho explained. He went further to emphasize that the decisions were driven by the players’ eagerness to play regularly, which they lacked at Stamford Bridge at the time, giving the availability of more competitive stars. De Bruyne later left for Werder Bremen on loan before a permanent move, and Salah was loaned to Roma before a permanent switch to the Italian club. Clarifying his role in Salah’s departure, the Roma boss said, “When people say I let Salah go, I say exactly the opposite. I bought Salah. I was the one who said, buy that guy.” Regarding De Bruyne, he stated, “With Kevin, it was very similar. We went to pre-season in Asia, and Kevin was due to go on loan to a German side. I told the club no, I don’t want him out on loan, I want him with me.” While Mourinho acknowledges the players’ subsequent success, he reiterated that he did not force them out. “Probably other guys will say I pushed them out, but not them,” he concluded.

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Chelsea, Man City pursue Argentine wonderkid, amidst Barcelona’s interest

Chelsea and Manchester City have moved ahead of Barcelona in the race to sign 17-year-old Argentine wonderkid Claudio Echeverri. The talented teenager gained global attention after his standout performances at the U17 FIFA World Cup. Barcelona initially expressed strong interest, offering to pay by installment, the player’s €25 million release clause, due to financial fair play issues. However, Echeverri’s club River Plate, rejected the move, which might now see them lose out in the race for the player. 🚨🔵 Understand both Chelsea and Man City have made contact to be informed on Claudio Echeverri situation. 🔵🔴 Barcelona remain keen but structure of the deal makes it complicated with Financial Fair Play. 🇦🇷 Release clause: €25m, up to €30m in the final days of the market. pic.twitter.com/8b3WLvrJfJ — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 17, 2023 This financial limitation has opened the door for Premier League powerhouses, Manchester City and Chelsea, to make their moves. Reporter Fabrizio Romano confirmed that both English clubs have initiated contact regarding a potential transfer, putting them in the forefront of the race for Echeverri’s signature.

ARGENTINE Barcelonas Chelsea CITY interest Man Pursue Wonderkid