Chelsea were denied a late winner against Aston Villa after Axel Disasi's stoppage-time effort was chalked off after a VAR review.
However, Mauricio Pochettino's side still managed to leave Villa Park with a point after Conor Gallagher's magnificent strike from the edge of the box cancelled out an own goal by Marc Cucurella and a fine effort from Morgan Rogers.
The point leaves the Blues six points off Manchester United who occupy sixth place in the Premier League, with the club having a game in hand on Erik ten Hag's side, who could only muster a 1-1 draw against Burnley yesterday.
Pochettino's side have stuttered in recent weeks, picking up just one win in their last four league outings, but yesterday's result was evidence of a hard-fought display against a side chasing Champions League football next season.
One player in particular starred for the Blues, despite featuring out of position. He's also been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge, but the club would be making a huge mistake in allowing him to leave after his excellent display last night.
Trevoh Chalobah's stats against Aston Villa
After Malo Gusto's recent injury coupled with Alfie Gilchrist's poor performance against Arsenal – notably done by Leandro Trossard for the Gunners' open – centre-back Trevoh Chalobah was the next player to fill the void left by the Frenchman.
The 24-year-old started in an unnatural right-back role, but excelled for large spells, showcasing his talents to the Blues boss ahead of the summer transfer window.
Chalobah achieved a tally of 115 touches, as per Sofascore, the second most of any Chelsea player, trailing centre-back Benoit Badiashile by just six.
The Blues academy graduate also managed to complete 88 passes at a completion rate of 92%, as the defender enjoyed a brilliant outing in possession for Poch's side.
However, his excellent display didn't stop there, with Chalobah providing a just as impressive performance out of possession, as he won six tackles, the most of any Blues player during the draw.
Minutes played
90
Touches
115
Pass completion
88/96 (92%)
Tackles
6
Clearances
2
Duels won
9/13 (69%)
The "reliable" ace as dubbed by Dr Raj Chohan, also managed to win 69% of his 13 duels, whilst making two clearances as he helped restrict Unai Emery's side to just a two-goal lead despite their early dominance at Villa Park.
Chalobah certainly staked his claim for a regular first-team spot last night, demonstrating his fantastic versatility – a key asset for Poch's side, especially after their recent injury troubles.
The latest on Chalobah's Chelsea future
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Chalobah is still expected to depart Stamford Bridge this summer, as the Blues target to stay within FFP constraints ahead of the end of the current financial year.
However, the club must refrain from any sale of the 24-year-old, with the defender more than capable of being a valuable member of the current first-team squad, as demonstrated last night.
Poch's side set the record on Saturday evening for the most goals conceded in a season by a Chelsea side in the Premier League, but the academy graduate should not be a player who is sacrificed as a result of their poor defensive record.
In recent times, the club have sold young defensive talents too soon, with the likes of Fikayo Tomori and Marc Guehi both leaving Stamford Bridge before excelling at various other sides – even featuring for the England national side.
Although they need to raise funds in the summer, Pochettino and Todd Boehly must avoid allowing a third young English centre-back to leave, with Chalobah having the ability to be a key player in the club's revival in the years ahead.
Chelsea could immediately bench 4/10 ace who lost the ball every 7 minutes
Chelsea recovered from two goals down to salvage a point against Aston Villa on Saturday evening
ByRoss KilvingtonApr 28, 2024
