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#3 Romelu Lukaku
Chelsea No. 9 Romelu Lukaku has not had the best of seasons. Not only has been inconsistent in front of goal, but he has also been involved in off-field controversies.
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The Belgian's explosive Sky Italia interview has driven a wedge between him and the Stamford Bridge faithful, one that’s difficult to dislodge.
To get the supporters back in his corner, he must prove his worth and we believe his display against Al-Hilal was a good first step in that direction.
No, Lukaku was not the best player on the pitch for the west London outfit, but it was his goal that won the game for them. Before ultimately finding the back of the net in the 32nd minute from close range, he squandered quite a few half-chances.
After scoring his second goal in eight games, he transformed into a different beast altogether. He was a lot more involved in the build-up and pressed whole-heartedly.
His second-half display was nothing to write home about, but overall, it was a pretty decent performance from the former Inter Milan sharpshooter.
#2 Hakim Ziyech
Hakim Ziyech operated on the right side of the pitch against Al-Hilal, wreaking havoc with his sultry passing and clever movement.
The Moroccan international was involved in every intelligent piece of play and effortlessly brought his teammates into the fray.
His combinational play with Lukaku was eye-catching, and we believe we’ll see more of it in the coming weeks.
Full of confidence, Ziyech took on the hosts’ defense head-on, leaving them in the dust with his close control and effortless trickery. He attempted (7) and completed (5) the most number of dribbles on Wednesday, which goes on to show how comfortable he’s become under Tuchel.
The winger also completed three key passes and won 10 ground duels. A brilliant display by the most in-form Chelsea player right now.
#1 Kepa Arrizabalaga
Former Athletic Bilbao keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has been playing second fiddle to Edouard Mendy for a while now. However, that’s largely due to the Senegalese stopper’s brilliance, not Kepa’s inability to deliver in big matches.
With Mendy rested following his triumphant return from AFCON 2022, the Spaniard got the chance to impress in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup. Fortunately for the west London outfit, he brought his ‘A Game.’
The 27-year-old keeper was not the busiest in the first half, but he stepped up when he was called into action in the second 45.
Just past the hour mark, Kepa made two brilliant saves that practically secured the first for his side. In the 63rd minute, he kept Moussa Marega from wheeling away in celebration after he was played through on goal by Matheus Pereira.
Five minutes later, he made a diving save to deny Odion Ighalo’s curling effort. If the shot-stopper continues to make such match-winning saves, Tuchel will soon have a pleasant selection dilemma on his hands.
