Kian Best N/A
(Hughes, 74') Intercepted a through pass into the path of Washington late in the game; Duane Holmes (Whiteman, 90') - N/A; Ryan Ledson (McCann, 90') - N/A. Getty Images
Djordje Petrovic 6/10
CHELSEA RATINGS: Forced into routine saves by Osmajic and Keane in the first half. Was a spectator for most of the second half. Reuters
Alfie Gilchrist 7/10
Enjoyed an impressive outing on the right side of defence on his full debut. Dealt well with everything thrown at him and didn't look out of place. Reuters
Axel Disasi 6/10
Had a shaky first half, with misplaced passes and rash decisions, but improved in the second. Made an important acrobatic clearance in the 74th minute. Reuters
Levi Colwill 7/10
Playing in his preferred left centre-back position, Colwill enjoyed a good outing and looked assured on the ball. PA
Malo Gusto 8/10
A candidate for the man-of-the-match award, he was solid in defence and exciting going forward in the second half. Whipped in a lovely cross for Broja to open the scoring. Getty Images
Moises Caicedo 7/10
Sat deep, helped break up the few attacks the visitors mustered and helped kickstart attacks. Stayed close to Keane and stopped him from hitting what could have been a dangerous effort in the 23rd minShow more
Enzo Fernandez 8/10
Hit a lovely dinked pass over the visitors' defence for Palmer to run onto in the 21st minute. Made it 4-0 with a simple tap-in at the back post. AFP
Cole Palmer 7/10
Got his finish all wrong when he tried to dink the ball past the onrushing Woodman in the 21st minute. Whipped in an inviting cross for Silva to head in for the Blues' second goal. Getty Images
Raheem Sterling 8/10
Stung the palms of Woodman with a fierce effort in the 19th minute. Made it 3-0 with a free kick into the top corner. AFP
Mykhailo Mudryk 6/10
Endured a frustrating first half and struggled to beat his man or send in productive crosses. Sent in a dangerous cross that almost resulted in a goal on the hour mark. Reuters
Armando Broja 8/10
Denied by a Hughes block in the 30th minute. Opened the scoring with a beautiful glancing header past Woodman in the 58th minute. Went close to making it two with a header that went just wide minutes Show more
Thiago Silva 8/10
SUBS: (Gilchrist, 61') Scored the second goal with a close-range header at the near post in minutes after coming on. Helped solidify the Blues' defence. Getty Images
Noni Madueke 7/10
(Mudryk, 61') Had a go from the edge of the penalty area in the 79th minute, but he failed to keep his effort on target. Tested Woodman with a left-footed effort in the 90th minute. PA
Conor Gallagher N/A
(Palmer, 76') Looked lively after coming on and helped the home side push more in attack. Getty Images
Deivid Washington N/A
(Broja, 76') Displayed pure striker’s instinct by trying to redirect Madueke’s mishit effort on goal with his first touch after coming on. Reuters
Michael Golding N/A
(Fernandez, 89') Went close to scoring a debut goal but failed to anticipate the ball falling into his path. Reuters
Freddie Woodman 6/10
PRESTON RATINGS: Produced a good save to deny Sterling in the 19th minute and did enough to thwart Palmer twice soon after. Forced into a diving save by Gusto in the 80th minute. Couldn’t do a great dShow more
Jordan Storey 5/10
Wasn’t too convincing with his tackle on Sterling in the build-up to Chelsea's fourth goal. Put his body on the line to deny Madueke a goal in the 96th minute. AP
Andrew Hughes 5/10
A terrible pass out from the back into the path of Sterling almost cost the visitors in the 17th minute. Made an important block to deny Broja half an hour into the game. Made a goal-line clearance toShow more
Liam Lindsay 4/10
Got caught flatfooted for Broja’s goal in the second half. Failed to stay close to Broja and allowed him to go close with another header minutes later. AP
Brad Potts 6/10
Did well to pinch the ball off Mudryk and halt a Chelsea counterattack in the ninth minute. Enjoyed a good first-half performance against Mudryk but struggled in the second. Reuters
Liam Millar 5/10
Stood up to the task of dealing with Sterling and made a good tackle to stop him in the 13th minute. Had a good chance to run at Gilchrist after the half-hour mark, but he failed to make the most of hShow more
Alistair McCann 6/10
Tracked back well to dispossess Sterling at the edge of the penalty area early in the game. Intercepted what looked like a dangerous cross from Sterling in the 53rd minute. Reuters
Ben Whiteman 6/10
Put in a vital tackle to stop Sterling from testing Woodman in the 62nd minute. Made a last-ditch challenge to stop Madueke in the 64th minute. AFP
Will Keane - 6/10
Had the game’s first shot on target with a weak effort in the 18th minute. Caused problems for the home side’s backline with his aerial dominance. AFP
Milutin Osmajic 5/10
Had a chance to play Keane through on goal during the first half, but he chose to have a go at goal himself. Well marshalled by the Blues backline in the second half. Getty Images
Alan Browne 4/10
The least impactful of the visitors' frontline, he did a lot of running but failed to influence the proceedings. PA
Emil Riis Jakobsen 5/10
SUBS: (Osmajic, 64') Worked hard by tracking back and tucking in to help in midfield after coming on. Failed to make an impact going forward. Getty Images
Ched Evans 4/10
(Keane, 64') At fault for the home side’s second goal as he was beaten to the ball at the near post by Silva. Struggled to get involved after coming on. APKian Best N/A
(Hughes, 74') Intercepted a through pass into the path of Washington late in the game; Duane Holmes (Whiteman, 90') - N/A; Ryan Ledson (McCann, 90') - N/A. Getty ImagesDjordje Petrovic 6/10
CHELSEA RATINGS: Forced into routine saves by Osmajic and Keane in the first half. Was a spectator for most of the second half. ReutersAlfie Gilchrist 7/10
Enjoyed an impressive outing on the right side of defence on his full debut. Dealt well with everything thrown at him and didn't look out of place. ReutersAxel Disasi 6/10
Had a shaky first half, with misplaced passes and rash decisions, but improved in the second. Made an important acrobatic clearance in the 74th minute. ReutersLevi Colwill 7/10
Playing in his preferred left centre-back position, Colwill enjoyed a good outing and looked assured on the ball. PAMalo Gusto 8/10
A candidate for the man-of-the-match award, he was solid in defence and exciting going forward in the second half. Whipped in a lovely cross for Broja to open the scoring. Getty ImagesMoises Caicedo 7/10
Sat deep, helped break up the few attacks the visitors mustered and helped kickstart attacks. Stayed close to Keane and stopped him from hitting what could have been a dangerous effort in the 23rd minShow moreEnzo Fernandez 8/10
Hit a lovely dinked pass over the visitors' defence for Palmer to run onto in the 21st minute. Made it 4-0 with a simple tap-in at the back post. AFPCole Palmer 7/10
Got his finish all wrong when he tried to dink the ball past the onrushing Woodman in the 21st minute. Whipped in an inviting cross for Silva to head in for the Blues' second goal. Getty ImagesRaheem Sterling 8/10
Stung the palms of Woodman with a fierce effort in the 19th minute. Made it 3-0 with a free kick into the top corner. AFPMykhailo Mudryk 6/10
Endured a frustrating first half and struggled to beat his man or send in productive crosses. Sent in a dangerous cross that almost resulted in a goal on the hour mark. ReutersArmando Broja 8/10
Denied by a Hughes block in the 30th minute. Opened the scoring with a beautiful glancing header past Woodman in the 58th minute. Went close to making it two with a header that went just wide minutes Show moreThiago Silva 8/10
SUBS: (Gilchrist, 61') Scored the second goal with a close-range header at the near post in minutes after coming on. Helped solidify the Blues' defence. Getty ImagesNoni Madueke 7/10
(Mudryk, 61') Had a go from the edge of the penalty area in the 79th minute, but he failed to keep his effort on target. Tested Woodman with a left-footed effort in the 90th minute. PAConor Gallagher N/A
(Palmer, 76') Looked lively after coming on and helped the home side push more in attack. Getty ImagesDeivid Washington N/A
(Broja, 76') Displayed pure striker’s instinct by trying to redirect Madueke’s mishit effort on goal with his first touch after coming on. ReutersMichael Golding N/A
(Fernandez, 89') Went close to scoring a debut goal but failed to anticipate the ball falling into his path. ReutersFreddie Woodman 6/10
PRESTON RATINGS: Produced a good save to deny Sterling in the 19th minute and did enough to thwart Palmer twice soon after. Forced into a diving save by Gusto in the 80th minute. Couldn’t do a great dShow moreJordan Storey 5/10
Wasn’t too convincing with his tackle on Sterling in the build-up to Chelsea's fourth goal. Put his body on the line to deny Madueke a goal in the 96th minute. APAndrew Hughes 5/10
A terrible pass out from the back into the path of Sterling almost cost the visitors in the 17th minute. Made an important block to deny Broja half an hour into the game. Made a goal-line clearance toShow moreLiam Lindsay 4/10
Got caught flatfooted for Broja’s goal in the second half. Failed to stay close to Broja and allowed him to go close with another header minutes later. APBrad Potts 6/10
Did well to pinch the ball off Mudryk and halt a Chelsea counterattack in the ninth minute. Enjoyed a good first-half performance against Mudryk but struggled in the second. ReutersLiam Millar 5/10
Stood up to the task of dealing with Sterling and made a good tackle to stop him in the 13th minute. Had a good chance to run at Gilchrist after the half-hour mark, but he failed to make the most of hShow moreAlistair McCann 6/10
Tracked back well to dispossess Sterling at the edge of the penalty area early in the game. Intercepted what looked like a dangerous cross from Sterling in the 53rd minute. ReutersBen Whiteman 6/10
Put in a vital tackle to stop Sterling from testing Woodman in the 62nd minute. Made a last-ditch challenge to stop Madueke in the 64th minute. AFPWill Keane - 6/10
Had the game’s first shot on target with a weak effort in the 18th minute. Caused problems for the home side’s backline with his aerial dominance. AFPMilutin Osmajic 5/10
Had a chance to play Keane through on goal during the first half, but he chose to have a go at goal himself. Well marshalled by the Blues backline in the second half. Getty ImagesAlan Browne 4/10
The least impactful of the visitors' frontline, he did a lot of running but failed to influence the proceedings. PAEmil Riis Jakobsen 5/10
SUBS: (Osmajic, 64') Worked hard by tracking back and tucking in to help in midfield after coming on. Failed to make an impact going forward. Getty ImagesChed Evans 4/10
(Keane, 64') At fault for the home side’s second goal as he was beaten to the ball at the near post by Silva. Struggled to get involved after coming on. APKian Best N/A
(Hughes, 74') Intercepted a through pass into the path of Washington late in the game; Duane Holmes (Whiteman, 90') - N/A; Ryan Ledson (McCann, 90') - N/A. Getty ImagesChelsea v Preston player ratings: Broja 8, Palmer 7; Keane 6, Browne 4
Blues advance to the FA Cup fourth-round with a 4-0 win at Stamford Bridge
Olakunle Afolabi
January 07, 2024