The most compelling thing about this game was the battle for Chelsea’s identity. There was the sensible, humble, hard-running version that occasionally resembled a Mauricio Pochettino team, an impression formed by the pressing that smothered Fulham before Cole Palmer cleared the path to victory with a burst of creativity at the end of a dreadful first half.
This is surely the way forward for Chelsea if the gamble on hungry young players is going to work. This was their third consecutive win in the league, a run that has taken them to three points off sixth (from one game more than West Ham), but it was hardly glamorous. If momentum is building, perspective is needed. Away from the flicks and tricks of Palmer, who was once again the most captivating attacker on the pitch, there was plenty to concern Pochettino as he watched his side attempt to recover from their embarrassment at Middlesbrough in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.
