Chelsea beat west London rivals Fulham 2-0 to win the Premier League Summer Series in Maryland, United States.
First half goals from summer signing Christopher Nkunku and Thiago SIlva were enough to secure the Blues’ third pre-season win.
Veteran defender Silva opened the scoring inside 20 minutes, rising high from a corner to find the back of the net with a powerful header.
Nkunku doubled Chelsea‘s lead before the break, pouncing quick to a rebound after Carney Chukwuemeka’s effort was saved.
Mail Sport’s ADRIAN KAJUMBA was there to bring you some talking points.
Chelsea beat west London rivals Fulham 2-0 to win the Premier League Summer Series
Veteran defender Thiago Silva (centre) and new signing Christopher Nkunku scored the goals
The search for a new goalkeeper could be over
Goalkeeper looked like a position that would need addressing this summer at Chelsea and a move for Brighton’s Robert Sanchez is now being seriously explored and progress tentatively made.
The price of some of the options Chelsea have looked at has previously been an obstacle especially. It was the case earlier in the summer when a previous enquiry was made for Sanchez. But developments have seen a possible Sanchez switch return to the agenda.
He already had one big fan at Stamford Bridge in his former Brighton mentor Ben Roberts who now heads up Chelsea’s goalkeeping department. New head coach Mauricio Pochettino has also given a move for Sanchez his blessing.
Sanchez lost his place as Brighton’s no1 to Jason Steele towards the end of last season and seen Dutchman Bart Verbruggen join this summer.
And with relations not improving between him and manager Robert De Zerbi Sanchez has been training with Brighton’s under-18s rather than the first team.
Brighton’s Robert Sanchez is now being seriously explored and progress tentatively made.
Sanchez lost his place as Brighton’s no1 to Jason Steele towards the end of last season
A move to Chelsea, who have also agreed a deal for Monaco centre-back Axel Disasi, is one that would seemingly work out for all parties.
With Sanchez’s current plight looking like an untenable situation, Brighton’s asking price could well drop a little to one more favourable for Chelsea.
A sale would allow Brighton to secure a fee for a player totally out of their first team picture while Chelsea would land a Premier League proven goalkeeper, restoring their options following the departure of Edouard Mendy.
Sanchez is being viewed initially as competition for Kepa Arrizabalaga but has the potential to improve further and could also replace his fellow Spaniard as Chelsea’s first choice.
BATTLE FOR CAPTAINCY
Following the departure of previous club captain Cesar Azpilicueta a vacancy has opened up for the next Chelsea skipper. Both Ben Chilwell and Reece James have put their hands up for the job during the tour while Thiago Silva and Kepa Arrizabalaga have worn the armband in the past.
There was perhaps a hint of who the frontrunners are when Chelsea went up to lift the Premier League Summer Series Cup when Silva and James held the trophy aloft.
Head coach Pochettino was not giving too much away, only saying: ‘In the first half it was Thiago and the second half was Reece. Both captains today [so] they lift the trophy. Of course they have the option to be captain, yes.’
Thiago Silva and Reece James are in running for the Chelsea captaincy alongside Ben Chilwell
FOOTBALL CULTURE IN THE US
This Premier League Summer Series has been a prime opportunity to spread the word about England’s top division to different fans. Very different fans in fact.
In one of the games, despite the need for them in the searing States heat, water breaks were booed by supporters unimpressed by the brief halting of proceedings.
Meanwhile at FedEx field where Aston Villa faced Brentford before Chelsea met Fulham, it was noticeable how many fans of clubs who were not involved in the two games were present and unashamedly wearing their colours.
Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Wolves and Everton were among the clubs well represented along with overseas sides and international teams with rival fans happily mingling together. Showing support for the Premier League and English football felt as important as anything.
A number of fans who don’t support the teams in the Premier league Summer Series attended both matches on Sunday
PROMISING SIGNS UNDER POCHETTINO
Chelsea won the inaugural Premier League Summer Series thanks to victory against Fulham, rounding off this successful section of their tour of America.
The game against Borussia Dortmund in Chicago is due to be their final one before the real stuff starts and, given they have yet to field a side all together that looks like it could run out for their opening day fixture against Liverpool, it could be argued one more game might not be enough.
From America so far, though, a far better Stateside trip than last summer’s unhappy trip, there has been plenty to encourage beyond the silverware. Chelsea have played well, got good results, which always helps along the way, and shown promising signs of what Mauricio Pochettino is trying to do tactically.
The positions that some of his players such as Ben Chilwell, Malo Gusto and Christopher Nkunku have been taking up point to some of the tweaks the new head coach is trying to implement and signs that Chelsea will be a far better drilled side than they were last season.
There have been promising signs of what Pochettino is trying to do tactically in pre-season
JACKSON AND NKUNKU IMPRESS
The big-name striker it seemed Chelsea need has not yet arrived but their two main attacking signings of the summer have delivered so far. Nicolas Jackson has two goals in four games in the US, while Christopher Nkunku has three in four – more than decent returns.
Jackson has all the tools to become an impressive No.9 and Nkunku, who netted against Fulham after impressive footwork in the build-up from Carney Chukwuemeka, an excellent sidekick if Chelsea opt to proceed with what they have.
He is more versatile than Jackson and has been an interesting watch. He might not always be the most involved in games but has displayed a knack for being in the right place at the right time and being efficient when chances arrive.
That will be no bad thing at all if he can keep that up and given Chelsea’s struggles for a reliable taker of chances in recent times, not least last season.
Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson (pictured) could make a good pairing next season
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