Chelsea ace is now their best player over Palmer

Chelsea took another big step towards Champions League qualification last night, with Enzo Fernández’s second-half strike securing all three points over Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge.

Enzo Maresca’s men now occupy a place in the Premier League’s top four with just eight games to go, looking to end the league season on a high alongside a potential Europa Conference League title.

Whilst it wasn’t a vintage game, a triumph over your London rivals is always a good result, with points on the board being the crucial factor at this stage of the campaign.

The Blues welcomed back numerous key players during the victory, undoubtedly boosting their credentials of returning to the biggest competition in European football.

One of which managed to impress in West London last night, finally looking back to somewhat near his best after a tricky few weeks compared to his usual high standards.

Chelsea’s star performers against Tottenham

Midfielder Moises Caicedo enjoyed another superb display at the heart of the Chelsea side, with his British-record £115m fee now looking to be a bargain.

The 23-year-old featured for the entirety of the contest, winning four tackles and nine duels – with both of his subsequent figures the highest of any player on the pitch.

Attacker Cole Palmer was recalled to the starting eleven after missing the clash with Arsenal before the international break – finally ending his unheard-of drought within the final third.

The England international had gone eight games without a goal and an assist before setting up Fernandez, who landed the match’s winning goal in the 50th minute.

However, despite the performances of the aforementioned duo, one player is undoubtedly becoming the club’s most important player, with any hopes of landing Champions League qualification falling onto his shoulders.

The Chelsea player who’s becoming their most important player

There’s no denying that over the last couple of years, Palmer has constantly been the player to deliver the goods for Chelsea, often getting the side out of various tricky scenarios.

However, his recent drought is evidence that other players need to come forward to help Maresca achieve his ambitions of leading the club back to where they belong.

Argentine midfielder Fernandez has done exactly that over the last couple of months, notching 14 goal contributions since the start of November – undoubtedly the best run of his Blues career.

Questions were raised about his talents after the hierarchy forked out £106.8m for his signature in January 2023, but his showing last night was further evidence that he was worth the big money fee.

The 24-year-old took the armband with Reece James on the bench, with his performance just that of a captain, managing to complete 91% of the passes he attempted.

Fernandez also registered 61 touches and made nine passes into the final third – looking to have a positive impact on proceedings at any given opportunity.

Defensively, the former Benfica star was just as impressive, winning 100% of the tackles he entered, whilst making one interception and four recoveries, helping the side register another clean sheet.

His goal was the cherry on the cake of a phenomenal outing, with The Express’ Alex Turk handing him a 7/10 match rating to reinforce his positive display in West London.

He’s certainly stepped up his game under Maresca in the last couple of months, with the Italian now reaping the rewards of the faith he showed in the midfielder during his tricky start to the campaign.

Such showings could prove vital between now and the end of the season, with Fernandez potentially playing a crucial role in any success the club endures between now and the end of May.

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