Striker Olivier Giroud guided a header past Tim Krul on the stroke of half-time after Christian Pulisic created space for the cross on the right. Chelsea put themselves in the driving seat to secure a Champions League spot with an unspectacular victory over relegated Norwich at Stamford Bridge.
The Chelsea pair almost combined again in the second half but Pulisic could not guide Giroud’s chipped ball past Krul. Victory strengthens Chelsea’s hold on the third place, where they sit four points above Leicester and Manchester United, who both play on Thursday.
Norwich, who were relegated following a 4-0 thrashing by West Ham on Saturday, failed to record a shot on target during the match. The first half was lacking in action as Norwich sat back and squeezed out any space available for Chelsea. The hosts just could not seem to get things clicking.
Following Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Sheffield United, Chelsea would have wanted to start brightly and they showed signs with Ruben Loftus-Cheek heading wide and Marcos Alonso firing a dangerous cross in from the left within five minutes.
But as the half wore on, Chelsea struggled to create any clear-cut opportunities – Giroud reacted to a third scuffed shot with a roar of frustration in the box after 40 minutes.
Pulisic had provided the best chance of the half – controlling Antonio Rudiger’s cross, turning sharply and firing it towards the roof of the net, forcing a save from Krul – before he eventually set-up Giroud’s header with a swinging cross from the right.
The goal should have been a catalyst for Chelsea to release the shackles but the fluidity never really materialised, despite them still being able to create further chances. Giroud and Pulisic were busy but not clinical, though it didn’t prove costly as Norwich never presented any real threat.
In the end, it was a comfortable victory for Chelsea despite a lack of ruthlessness. Manager Frank Lampard will hope that clinical edge returns for a significant run of matches – they face Manchester United in an FA Cup semi-final on Sunday, visit champions Liverpool in the league next Wednesday and then finish the top-flight campaign at home to sixth-placed Wolves four days later.
Source – BBC News
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