Chelsea returned to winning ways against already relegated Norwich City, but it was by no means a vintage display from Frank Lampard’s side.
The Blues came into the game with the opportunity to further extend their lead over Leicester City and Manchester United, and Olivier Giroud’s goal on the stroke of half-time ensured they took full advantage of the slip-ups of those two rivals.
A toothless performance against Sheffield United at the weekend had left Chelsea’s top-four hopes hanging by a thread but having seen their rivals fail to capitalise, they knew a win would put them back in pole position to secure Champions League football.
Turgid possession play epitomised a game of few chances and despite collecting all three points, Lampard will be acutely aware of the fact that his side cannot perform in such a manner going forward.
Christian Pulisic was far from his best, but ultimately it was his delicate cross to the back post that allowed Giroud to head home. The pair then tried in vain to make the game safe but were unable to find their rhythm.
Here’s how we rated the Chelsea players in the game.
