Well, that was probably a bit tougher than it should've been.
Nevertheless, Chelsea beat bitter rivals Leeds United in the FA Cup last night, are through to the quarter-finals and have bounced back from their disappointing trip to Wembley.
Mauricio Pochettino's side were undoubtedly up against it at points during the 90 minutes, but the result feels like a fair reflection of the match.
While several players in Blue putting in lacklustre performances, a certain few can be pleased with their showing, including match-winner Conor Gallagher.
Conor Gallagher's performance in numbers
The Blues' hardworking all-action midfielder was named on the bench going into last night's clash, and following his multiple missed chances against Liverpool on Sunday, it was a position some players might've welcomed.
However, with the game locked at 2-2 and Leeds looking dangerous, Pochettino turned to the Englishman and brought him on in place of the underwhelming Noni Madueke in the 61st minute.
The 24-year-old didn't have the luxury of time to bed into the game, but while he misplaced a few passes and through balls early on, it took little time for him to get up to speed with the action.
It was 29 minutes into his cameo, in the 90th minute of the game, that he made the single most important contribution – he scored the winner.
This impact led to the Standard's Dan Kilpatrick awarding the Epsom-born dynamo an 8/10 on the night and claiming that he spared 'Chelsea another 30 minutes of extra-time and potentially their blushes.'
While his strike was undeniably his most tangible impact on the game, Gallagher also came off the pitch with some impressive personal statistics.
Minutes
29'
Goal
1
Shots on Target
1
Touches
17
Accurate Passes
13/14 (93%)
Long Balls (Accurate)
2 (1)
Dribbles (Successful)
1 (1)
Fouls
1
Lost Possession
1
For example, he maintained a passing accuracy of 93%, succeeded in his one dribble, committed a single foul and lost possession just once.
Ultimately, the Blue's "heart", as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, won the game for his side, but there was another midfield ace who was arguably just as, if not more impressive last night.
Enzo Fernández's performance in numbers
Yes, Argentinian World Cup winner Enzo Fernández was arguably the best Chelsea player on the pitch against Leeds.
The 23-year-old started the game in the middle of the park alongside Moises Caicedo and played the full 94 minutes, contributing in the attacking and defensive phases of play.
It was his driving run and brilliantly placed pass that allowed Gallagher to score the winner in the first place, and while the Standard's Kilpatrick was impressed with his performance, crediting him for being 'tidy in possession', his rating of just 7/10 feels harsh given his influence on proceedings.
That said, he also criticised Fernández for getting 'carelessly booked', meaning he'll miss the quarter-final, which is a fair complaint.
However, the young "phenomenon", as Kulig dubbed him, put up some seriously impressive individual numbers on the night, numbers that make the case for him being the man of the match.
For example, in his 94 minutes, he took 67 touches, maintained a passing accuracy of 94%, played two key passes, was successful in four of his five long balls, had one shot on target, won nine of his 14 duels, lost possession just six times, made two clearances, two interceptions, and five tackles.
Ultimately, Gallagher deserves a lot of credit for his match-winning contribution.
Mykhailo Mudryk to Arsenal takes twist as Chelsea stance revealed
The Ukrainian was subject to intense interest from the Gunners last year.
ByEmilio GalantiniFeb 28, 2024
However, he might not have even been in the position to win the game were it not for Fernández's tireless efforts throughout the 90.