Chelsea beat backside membership Norwich as Mason Mount scored one and made one other on the day his membership’s long-term future was thrown into uncertainty.
Travelling followers at Carrow Road chanted the title of Roman Abramovich hours after it was introduced Chelsea’s Russian proprietor had been sanctioned by the UK authorities.
On the pitch, Chelsea’s gamers responded to some of the dramatic days within the membership’s 117-year historical past by storming right into a 2-0 lead contained in the opening quarter-hour on their strategy to a fourth successive league win.
Trevoh Chalobah opened the scoring within the third minute after assembly Mason Mount’s nook earlier than Kai Havertz arrange England’s Mount for his eighth objective of the season.
Norwich had been a lot better after half-time and Teemu Pukki gave his aspect hope from the penalty spot after Chalobah dealt with, however Havertz sealed the factors with a late third for Chelsea.
While the win strengthened Chelsea’s grip on third spot, Norwich are 5 factors from security with simply 10 video games left.
Business as typical on the pitch
While Chelsea’s future off the pitch is precarious proper now, it was just about enterprise as typical on it.
Captain Cesar Azpilicueta spoke earlier than the sport about “this not being a standard day” whereas boss Thomas Tuchel talked about “lots of noise” across the membership.
Within hours of the announcement that Abramovich had been sanctioned, Chelsea’ fundamental shirt sponsors – cell community supplier Three – suspended their take care of the membership.
Nevertheless, the Blues wore their typical equipment with the sponsors brand because the timing of Three’s suspension made it inconceivable to get a recent equipment with no brand to Norfolk.
There had been ‘Champions of Europe’ banners within the away finish though the Abramovich chants had been greeted with some boos from the house followers.
Yet any issues Tuchel might need had concerning the day’s worrying off-field developments seeping onto the pitch had been shortly dispelled as Chelsea raced right into a 2-0 lead.
Chalobah obtained between Grant Hanley and Christoph Zimmermann to place the guests forward earlier than Mount lashed house the second excessive into the roof of the web.
Andreas Christensen – out of contract on the finish of the season and in a state of short-term limbo following as we speak’s announcement that Chelsea are unable to supply new offers – went shut with a header.
Mateo Kovacic grazed the woodwork from 20 yards and Mount was denied a second objective by Tim Krul earlier than Havertz sealed Chelsea’s tenth Premier League away win with a high-quality ninetieth minute end after a lay-off by N’Golo Kante.
Another hard-luck story
With the flag of Ukraine flying at Carrow Road, Norwich produced a spirited second-half efficiency earlier than Havertz’s fifth objective in his final six appearances killed off their hopes of salvaging a degree.
This was one other hard-luck story in a season of hard-luck tales for Dean Smith’s aspect.
Having obtained to half-time having conceded solely two objectives, they got here out combating within the second half however had been unable to keep away from a nineteenth top-flight defeat of the season.
Smith will nonetheless consider his aspect can keep away from a quick-fire return to the Championship.
Norwich nonetheless need to entertain fellow strugglers Burnley however time is working out of the Canaries.
They have 10 matches left together with video games in opposition to West Ham (house), Tottenham (house) and Manchester United (away), who’re all chasing European locations.
Player of the match
MountMason Mount
Norwich City
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Squad quantity46Player titleRowe
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Squad quantity17Player titleRashica
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Squad quantity22Player titlePukki
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Squad quantity1Player titleKrul
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Squad quantity7Player titleRupp
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Squad quantity2Player titleAarons
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Squad quantity21Player titleWilliams
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Squad quantity5Player titleHanley
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Squad quantity23Player titleMcLean
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Squad quantity24Player titleSargent
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Squad quantity6Player titleZimmermann
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Squad quantity16Player titleNormann
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Squad quantity20Player titleLees-Melou
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Squad quantity15Player titleKabak
Chelsea
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Squad quantity19Player titleMount
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Squad quantity29Player titleHavertz
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Squad quantity7Player titleKanté
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Squad quantity6Player titleThiago Silva
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Squad quantity14Player titleChalobah
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Squad quantity16Player titleMendy
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Squad quantity8Player titleKovacic
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Squad quantity28Player titleAzpilicueta
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Squad quantity11Player titleWerner
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Squad quantity4Player titleChristensen
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Squad quantity5Player titleJorginho
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Squad quantity17Player titleSaúl
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Squad quantity9Player titleLukaku
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Squad quantity12Player titleLoftus-Cheek
Line-ups
Norwich
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Krul
- 2Aarons
- 6ZimmermannSubstituted forRuppat 45′minutes
- 5Hanley
- 15Kabak
- 21Williams
- 20Lees-Melou
- 16NormannSubstituted forRashicaat 45′minutes
- 23McLean
- 24SargentSubstituted forRoweat 84′minutes
- 22Pukki
Substitutes
- 4Gibson
- 7Rupp
- 10Dowell
- 11Placheta
- 17Rashica
- 19Sørensen
- 28Gunn
- 30Giannoulis
- 46Rowe
Chelsea
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 16MendyBooked at 68mins
- 14ChalobahBooked at 80mins
- 6Thiago Silva
- 4Christensen
- 28AzpilicuetaSubstituted forLoftus-Cheekat 45′minutes
- 5Jorginho
- 8KovacicSubstituted forKantéat 85′minutes
- 17Saúl
- 19Mount
- 11WernerSubstituted forLukakuat 86′minutes
- 29Havertz
Substitutes
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 2Rüdiger
- 7Kanté
- 9Lukaku
- 12Loftus-Cheek
- 22Ziyech
- 23Kenedy
- 31Sarr
- 68Vale
Live Text
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Match ends, Norwich City 1, Chelsea 3.
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Second Half ends, Norwich City 1, Chelsea 3.
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Hand ball by Jorginho (Chelsea).
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Goal! Norwich City 1, Chelsea 3. Kai Havertz (Chelsea) left footed shot from the centre of the field to the highest left nook. Assisted by N’Golo Kanté.
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Offside, Norwich City. Max Aarons tries a by ball, however Milot Rashica is caught offside.
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Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Grant Hanley.
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Attempt blocked. Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea) proper footed shot from the centre of the field is blocked. Assisted by Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
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Substitution, Chelsea. Romelu Lukaku replaces Timo Werner.
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Substitution, Chelsea. N’Golo Kanté replaces Mateo Kovacic.
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Foul by Kai Havertz (Chelsea).
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Ozan Kabak (Norwich City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Substitution, Norwich City. Jonathan Rowe replaces Joshua Sargent.
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Attempt missed. Pierre Lees-Melou (Norwich City) left footed shot from exterior the field is just too excessive.
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Offside, Norwich City. Brandon Williams tries a by ball, however Grant Hanley is caught offside.
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Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea) is proven the yellow card for a foul foul.
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Foul by Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea).
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Milot Rashica (Norwich City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea).
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Brandon Williams (Norwich City) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
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Foul by Mason Mount (Chelsea).
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