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Chelsea booked their place in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday, claiming a penalty shootout win over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea came into the game fresh off the back of a dominating 3-0 Premier League victory over Tottenham Hotspur and were looking to keep the juggernaut rolling.
The visitors also picked up a morale-boosting win in their previous outing when they claimed a 3-0 victory over Everton in the Premier League.
Following an uneventful first half, Timo Werner finally found the target for Chelsea when he connected with a pin-point cross from Reece James to clinch the opener.
However, Cameron Archer came up clutch for Aston Villa as he produced an even better header at the other end of the pitch to force a share of the spoils and force penalties.
However, after Ashley Young smashed the crossbar and Kepa made a bold save to deny Marvelous Nakamba, Reece James stepped up with the final kick of the shootout to hand Chelsea a 4-3 win.
Chelsea player ratings
Kepa Arrizabalaga: 7/10
Chelsea's second-choice goalkeeper put in an assured performance between the sticks as he made several saves to keep the Blues in the game. He made a superb one-on-one save when Archer was through on goal early in the second half, but there was nothing he could do about the youngster’s header. The Spaniard also made a vital penalty shootout save to put Chelsea in the next round of the cup.
Reece James: 8/10
The Chelsea full-back returned to the fold for the first time domestically since picking up a straight red against Liverpool. He put in an industrious performance at both ends of the pitch. He was on deck to win several key battles defensively while also galloping forward to join his attack. He whipped-in a pin-point cross leading to Werner’s opener before converting his penalty to win the shootout.
Trevor Chalobah: 6.5/10
The defender put in a solid performance at the heart of the Chelsea defense. Although he was beaten on a few occasions by the Villa frontmen, he did well in recovering immediately. He was neat and accurate with his passes, finishing with over 95% accuracy.
Malang Sarr: 6.5/10
The Chelsea defender picked up an early booking for a reckless tackle, but did well to keep his cool throughout the game. He was physically solid and finished the game with two tackles, one interception and one clearance.
Callum Hudson-Odoi: 6/10
The Englishman was a threat as he stretched the Aston Villa defense out wide and was often in acres of space down the right. But he failed to make any impactful contributions at the attacking end of the pitch. He was solid defensively, though, winning seven ground duels, making four clearances and two interceptions.
Ben Chilwell: 6/10
The Englishman started impressively as he pushed the Aston Villa full-back out wide, but he gradually fizzled out of the game. He was easily skinned down the left and failed to complete any of his five cross attempts. The Englishman failed to convert his penalty during the shootout.
Saul: 5/10
The newly-signed midfielder continues to struggle at the center of the park. However, he showed several flashes of brilliance before coming off in the 76th minute as Tuchel opted for more firepower in attack.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek: 7/10
A superb midfield performance from the Chelsea academy product. He dazzled at the center of the park for most of the game, winning duels while also showing quick feet and linking up with his teammates. He kept the play ticking in midfield and showed he possesses the skill set to play a role for the Blues this season.
N’Golo Kante: 6/10
The French midfielder, who was a surprise inclusion in the starting XI, struggled to get going at the center of the park and impose himself in the game. He came off the pitch at half-time with Mason Mount taking his place.
Hakim Ziyech: 6/10
The Moroccan international had a frustrating evening as tried his best to influence the game at the attacking end of the pitch but often came up short. He lacked the sting and decisiveness needed in attack and was hooked off for Ross Barkley in the 76th minute.
Timo Werner: 7/10
The German international finally found the back of the net for Chelsea when he connected with Reece James’ cross to head home the opener. However, he failed to double the lead just moments later as he was through on goal, but could only fire his shot wide off the target.
Player ratings for Chelsea substitutes
Mason Mount: 6/10
The England international injected fresh life and energy into the game after his introduction. He should have done better midway through the second half when he worked out a shooting chance inside the Villa box but dragged his low shot wide off the post.
Romelu Lukaku: 5/10
He came on in the 76th minute but failed to make an impactful contribution as he was starved of services for most of his time on the pitch.
Ross Barkley: 5/10
He replaced Ziyech in the 76th minute, but failed to make an impact at the center of the park.
