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Chelsea midfielder Jorginho has praised teammate Kai Havertz for his quality, calling him an "amazing player and guy."
The Italian assisted Havertz's 89th-minute winner for the Blues against Newcastle United on Sunday (13 March). With the game veering towards a goalless stalemate, Jorginho found the German inside the box with a peach of a pass. Havertz took a touch to control the ball before firing it past Martin Dubravka in goal from close range.
Speaking after the match, Jorginho praised the 22-year-old, saying (as quoted by the club's official website):
‘‘Kai is an amazing player and guy, who can make the difference for us. We believe in him because you can see the quality he has and the potential that is there. He is a key player for this team and can make the difference like we saw.’’
The Italian midfielder also praised the Blues' mentality to grab a win in the dying embers of the match. Jorginho stated:
‘‘I thought we believed until the end and that is our group, it is our mentality. That is what we have been showing all the time now, we keep focussed, work hard and fight and push until the end. We deserved the win. It was a great result, atmosphere and great for the fans.’’
Havertz's late winner sees Chelsea extend unbeaten league run to 5 matches
Despite all the uncertainty surrounding Chelsea's future off the pitch, the win against Newcastle temporarily seemed to make the fans forget it all. Stamford Bridge erupted when Havertz slotted home with even Thomas Tuchel reacting animatedly on the touchline.
The win marked the Blues' fifth consecutive win in the Premier League, which saw them tighten their grip on third place in the standings. They have picked up 59 points from 28 matches and are eight clear of fourth-placed Arsenal, who have two matches in hand.
It was also the second instance in a month where Tuchel's troops settled a match with a late goal. Hakim Ziyech also scored an 89th-minute winner away to Crystal Palace on 19 February.
Chelsea will now turn their attention to the UEFA Champions League. They take on LOSC Lille in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie on Wednesday (16 March). The Blues hold a 2-0 advantage heading into the match in France.
Following that fixture, they travel to Middlesbrough for the quarterfinals of the FA Cup on 19 March.
