Pundit Gary Neville has now claimed that he was a massive fan of what he saw from one Chelsea player in the second half of their win tonight agaisnt Newcastle.
He said during his coverage of the game for Sky Sports that the bravery in attack of Mykhailo Mudruk was what led to their third goal and a key moment in finishing off their opponents tonight.
The Blues returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a 3-2 victory over Eddie Howe’s men at Stamford Bridge.
A cute Nicolas Jackson finish helped them on their way, before second half goals from Cole Palmer and Mudryk helped them get over the line.
The Blues held out what was a nervy final few moments to pick up all three points to great relief of the Chelsea fans inside Stamford Bridge.
It seems one of the substitutions Mauricio Pochettino made in the second half was the difference between the two sides, when he elected to replace an ineffective Raheem Sterling.
Neville praises Mudryk
He brought on the Ukranian, who has really struggled for regular minutes this season despite glimpses of him proving his quality.
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He showed his electric pace and brilliance on the ball that led to the deciding goal, and Neville was quick to praise him for his part in it.
He said: “Well, he’s been lively since he came on, Mudryk for Raheem Sterling. He was positive, he was brave, he took it off Conor Gallagher. It was initially Jackson down that the left hand side. He plays it into Gallagher, he doesn’t even know Mudryk’s there, he just gets disposed by his own player.
“But Mudryk, he can just sneak it through the legs of Schar, the big Newcastle centre-back, and he has that composure to take it round the goalkeeper. Sometimes he’s not the best in the final moment, but this was really good.
“It looks like he’s taken this game away from Newcastle, and a much needed three points for Chelsea.”
It is surely time now for the 23-year-old to be handed a start, with him seeming to play some of his best football in this newly-found central role behind the striker.
