Harvey Vale (Lukaku, 84’) – N/R, Will have been pleased to get on the pitch, but things could have been so much better as some through balls aimed in his direction were cut out well. Had drifted offside when the ball did reach him.
PA
MIDDLESBROUGH RATINGS: Joe Lumley - 6, Should have done more to save Hakem Ziyech’s shot but wasn’t given much of a chance by Mason Mount’s pass to Romelu Lukaku. Did well to deny Timo Werner’s header.
PA
Anfernee Dijksteel - 7, Couldn’t keep up with Lukaku for the opener but made a superb intervention to deny the Belgian later in the half. Did brilliantly to step up and dispossess Christian Pulisic to create a chance for Duncan Watmore, then made an impressive block to stop Mount’s cross.
PA
Dael Fry - 5, Made a mess of Mount’s early cross and could have done more to make life difficult for Lukaku when the Belgian scored the opener. Did well to stop Lukaku reaching Ziyech’s cross later in the half.
AFP
Paddy McNair - 5, Along with Neil Taylor, he struggled to deal with Chelsea’s threat down the right and Mount got away from him for the opener. Was forced off injured soon after half time.
PA
Isaiah Jones - 7, Showed a lot of good energy and quality in his play whether going forward or defending. This was shown with a good recovery run to deny Christian Pulisic and helped to create overloads. Played a great one-two to get behind but saw his cross stopped by Mendy.
Getty
Matt Crooks - 6, Got into some great areas and impacted the game, but struggled to make the final pass at times. Did well to break forward before Folarin Balogun fired over.
Reuters
Jonny Howson - 6, Got through a lot of good work in the middle and was integral to a period in the first half where Middlesbrough were momentarily on top. Hit a shot comfortably over the crossbar.
AFP
Marcus Tavernier - 6, Showed plenty of energy and did a lot of good work for the team. Hit a dangerous free-kick that Lukaku headed over.
Reuters
Neil Taylor - 4, Struggled to deal with Chelsea’s threat down the right and was easily beaten by Ziyech for the Blues’ second. Didn’t offer much going forward.
Getty
Folarin Balogun - 4, Anonymous for most of the first half and couldn’t react quickly enough to get his header on target when a chance did come. Hit a terrible shot after a good move.
AP
Aaron Connolly - 4, Made a great run behind Thiago Silva that didn’t eventually lead to anything but struggled to impact the game much outside of that.
AP
SUBS: Sol Bamba (Fry, HT) - 7, His first tackle was a good one to stop Lukaku breaking through. He then made a big header to stop a cross reaching the Belgian and did well to block Werner’s shot.
AFP
Lee Peltier (McNair, 53’) - 6, Did well to block Mount’s shot and was solid, though he was second to the ball a few times.
Reuters
Marc Bola (Taylor, 58’) - 6, Got into a good position to cross but slipped at the vital moment. Impressed with a lot of his play and even brought out a nice drag back.
Getty
Josh Coburn (Balogun, 74’) – N/R, Put himself about brilliantly to make things uncomfortable for Chelsea. Did fantastically to get behind the Chelsea defence before hitting a cross that tested Mendy.
Getty
CHELSEA RATINGS: Edouard Mendy - 7, Confident whenever called upon and remained aware throughout the game.
AP
Cesar Azpilicueta - 8, Looked comfortable when he had the ball in tight areas and defended well throughout the game. Did brilliantly to dispossess Watmore when it appeared the substitute might break through.
Action Images
Thiago Silva - 8, Key to breaking Middlesbrough’s press for the opener and defended confidently throughout. Had a header that trickled past the Middlesbrough post.
Getty
Antonio Rudiger - 7, Mishit his volley in the opposition box but was his typically solid self in defence and gave very little away.
AP
Malang Sarr - 7, Did well to deal with Middlesbrough’s overloads on his side in the first half and played a great pass to Mateo Kovacic to get the team going for the second goal. He looked stretched at times in the second period.
Reuters
Mateo Kovacic - 8, Put in an impressive display in midfield and was wonderfully intricate at times. He played an integral part in the move for the Blues’ second goal.
PA
Ruben Loftus-Cheek - 7, Recovered after slipping on the edge of his own box but didn’t learn and lost the ball a matter of minutes later, being incredibly lucky that Middlesbrough couldn’t capitalise. Didn’t let that derail him and put in a confident performance, especially in the second half.
PA
Mason Mount - 8, Made a great run and pass for the opener, then played the ball to Ziyech for the second in a display that had Taylor and McNair struggling to keep up with him. Did brilliantly to create the opening for Timo Werner’s chance.
AFP
Hakim Ziyech - 8, Had a great weight of pass for Mount in the buildup to the opener, then cut inside Taylor and fired into the far corner for their second. Looked very confident throughout.
AP
Romelu Lukaku - 7, Applied the finishing touch for the opener having hardly seen the ball beforehand and was unlucky to see his shot cleared off the line by Dijksteel. Did well to head Tavernier’s free-kick at the other end.
Action Images
Christian Pulisic - 4, Largely cut a frustrated figure in the first half, as was encapsulated when he slipped towards the end. Conceded possession on the edge of his own box having been anonymous in the second period but was lucky to see Watmore sky his effort. Was brought off soon after.
AFP
SUBS: Timo Werner (Pulisic, 69’) - 6, Was unlucky to see his header saved then had a shot blocked by Bamba. Was positive in his play. AFP
N’Golo Kante (Kovacic, 69’) - 6, Moved the ball well and made a good burst up the pitch.
PA
Kenedy (Ziyech, 82’) – N/R, Almost played through Harvey Vale but his pass was cut out. AP
Harvey Vale (Lukaku, 84’) – N/R, Will have been pleased to get on the pitch, but things could have been so much better as some through balls aimed in his direction were cut out well. Had drifted offside when the ball did reach him.
PA
MIDDLESBROUGH RATINGS: Joe Lumley - 6, Should have done more to save Hakem Ziyech’s shot but wasn’t given much of a chance by Mason Mount’s pass to Romelu Lukaku. Did well to deny Timo Werner’s header.
PA
Anfernee Dijksteel - 7, Couldn’t keep up with Lukaku for the opener but made a superb intervention to deny the Belgian later in the half. Did brilliantly to step up and dispossess Christian Pulisic to create a chance for Duncan Watmore, then made an impressive block to stop Mount’s cross.
PA
Dael Fry - 5, Made a mess of Mount’s early cross and could have done more to make life difficult for Lukaku when the Belgian scored the opener. Did well to stop Lukaku reaching Ziyech’s cross later in the half.
AFP
Paddy McNair - 5, Along with Neil Taylor, he struggled to deal with Chelsea’s threat down the right and Mount got away from him for the opener. Was forced off injured soon after half time.
PA
Isaiah Jones - 7, Showed a lot of good energy and quality in his play whether going forward or defending. This was shown with a good recovery run to deny Christian Pulisic and helped to create overloads. Played a great one-two to get behind but saw his cross stopped by Mendy.
Getty
Matt Crooks - 6, Got into some great areas and impacted the game, but struggled to make the final pass at times. Did well to break forward before Folarin Balogun fired over.
Reuters
Jonny Howson - 6, Got through a lot of good work in the middle and was integral to a period in the first half where Middlesbrough were momentarily on top. Hit a shot comfortably over the crossbar.
AFP
Marcus Tavernier - 6, Showed plenty of energy and did a lot of good work for the team. Hit a dangerous free-kick that Lukaku headed over.
Reuters
Neil Taylor - 4, Struggled to deal with Chelsea’s threat down the right and was easily beaten by Ziyech for the Blues’ second. Didn’t offer much going forward.
Getty
Folarin Balogun - 4, Anonymous for most of the first half and couldn’t react quickly enough to get his header on target when a chance did come. Hit a terrible shot after a good move.
AP
Aaron Connolly - 4, Made a great run behind Thiago Silva that didn’t eventually lead to anything but struggled to impact the game much outside of that.
AP
SUBS: Sol Bamba (Fry, HT) - 7, His first tackle was a good one to stop Lukaku breaking through. He then made a big header to stop a cross reaching the Belgian and did well to block Werner’s shot.
AFP
Lee Peltier (McNair, 53’) - 6, Did well to block Mount’s shot and was solid, though he was second to the ball a few times.
Reuters
Marc Bola (Taylor, 58’) - 6, Got into a good position to cross but slipped at the vital moment. Impressed with a lot of his play and even brought out a nice drag back.
Getty
Josh Coburn (Balogun, 74’) – N/R, Put himself about brilliantly to make things uncomfortable for Chelsea. Did fantastically to get behind the Chelsea defence before hitting a cross that tested Mendy.
Getty
CHELSEA RATINGS: Edouard Mendy - 7, Confident whenever called upon and remained aware throughout the game.
AP
Cesar Azpilicueta - 8, Looked comfortable when he had the ball in tight areas and defended well throughout the game. Did brilliantly to dispossess Watmore when it appeared the substitute might break through.
Action Images
Thiago Silva - 8, Key to breaking Middlesbrough’s press for the opener and defended confidently throughout. Had a header that trickled past the Middlesbrough post.
Getty
Antonio Rudiger - 7, Mishit his volley in the opposition box but was his typically solid self in defence and gave very little away.
AP
Malang Sarr - 7, Did well to deal with Middlesbrough’s overloads on his side in the first half and played a great pass to Mateo Kovacic to get the team going for the second goal. He looked stretched at times in the second period.
Reuters
Mateo Kovacic - 8, Put in an impressive display in midfield and was wonderfully intricate at times. He played an integral part in the move for the Blues’ second goal.
PA
Ruben Loftus-Cheek - 7, Recovered after slipping on the edge of his own box but didn’t learn and lost the ball a matter of minutes later, being incredibly lucky that Middlesbrough couldn’t capitalise. Didn’t let that derail him and put in a confident performance, especially in the second half.
PA
Mason Mount - 8, Made a great run and pass for the opener, then played the ball to Ziyech for the second in a display that had Taylor and McNair struggling to keep up with him. Did brilliantly to create the opening for Timo Werner’s chance.
AFP
Hakim Ziyech - 8, Had a great weight of pass for Mount in the buildup to the opener, then cut inside Taylor and fired into the far corner for their second. Looked very confident throughout.
AP
Romelu Lukaku - 7, Applied the finishing touch for the opener having hardly seen the ball beforehand and was unlucky to see his shot cleared off the line by Dijksteel. Did well to head Tavernier’s free-kick at the other end.
Action Images
Christian Pulisic - 4, Largely cut a frustrated figure in the first half, as was encapsulated when he slipped towards the end. Conceded possession on the edge of his own box having been anonymous in the second period but was lucky to see Watmore sky his effort. Was brought off soon after.
AFP
SUBS: Timo Werner (Pulisic, 69’) - 6, Was unlucky to see his header saved then had a shot blocked by Bamba. Was positive in his play. AFP
N’Golo Kante (Kovacic, 69’) - 6, Moved the ball well and made a good burst up the pitch.
PA
Kenedy (Ziyech, 82’) – N/R, Almost played through Harvey Vale but his pass was cut out. AP
Harvey Vale (Lukaku, 84’) – N/R, Will have been pleased to get on the pitch, but things could have been so much better as some through balls aimed in his direction were cut out well. Had drifted offside when the ball did reach him.
PA
