LIVE BLOG

FULL TIME: Chelsea win!

90+1min: Jorginho loses the ball in midfield, but Zouma prevents Pukki from creating any danger.

90min: 3 minutes added on.

89min: CHO wins a free kick just outside the left corner of the penalty area. Krul’s equal to Willian’s effort.

88min: Willian and James combine well on the right, and the latter puts a delicious cross across the six-yard box. But no one there again.

86min: Abraham on for Giroud.

85min: Great play from CHO on the left, finding Barkley who plays square to James who finds Willian on the right. He puts in a nice cross for Giroud, but he can’t direct his effort on target at the near post.

84min: James whips in a great cross, but Norwich get a head to it.

83min: Good press from CHO and Azpi, but can only win a goal kick. Good press from James on the other side wins Chelse a free kick in Norwich’s half.

80min: Chelsea respond with Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi, replacing Alonso and Pulisic.

78min: Norwich adding more danger with Pukki and Idah, replacing Drmic and Hernandez. Stiepermann also on for Tettey.

77min: Another deep cross from Azpi, which almost strands Krul in no man’s land, but the goalkeeper recovers in time to spread himself and stop Alonso’s header from going in. Another good chance.

75min: Giroud’s turn to chip through for Pulisic, who runs onto to it and fashions a left-footed effort on target from a tight angle. Krul’s able to save, just. Good effort.

74min: Barkley holds the ball well, then finds Pulisic who trying a chip through for Giroud, but it doesn’t quite come off.

72min: Deep Azpi cross finds Giroud, but he can’t direct his header on target while trying to shrug off the attentions of a defender.

71min: Cantwell off for Buendia for the visitors.

70min: Cantwell blocks an Alonso pass and is allowed to run half the pitch, before giving the ball to Hernandez, who’s crowded out. Kovačić then blocks a cross to clear the danger.

67min: RLC’s reward is to be replaced by Barkley. Drink break!

66min: RLC switches to Alonso, he plays a 1-2 with Pulisic, then pulls it back towards the top of the box. It runs all the way to Azpilicueta, who goes for a curling left-footed effort, which isn’t quite accurate enough.

62min: Kovačić next to go into the book, for wiping out Cantwell. Meanwhile, Lewis hammers a shot towards goal, which is deflected over by Azpilicueta. Zouma clears the corner.

60min: Norwich swing in the free kick from the right, Chelsea get a head to it and Alonso can complete the clearance. The clearance almost turns into a chance as Krul clears high rather than wide, but Giroud can’t bring the ball under control and his cushioned header finds a yellow shirt instead.

59min: Zouma and Jorginho contrive to create danger for themselves before Zouma can hack clear for a Norwich throw at midway. Zouma’s next action is to take out a Norwich player on the right touchline, earning himself a yellow.

58min: Cantwell closed down well, loses the ball, then gets a yellow for trodding on RLC’s ankle.

56min: Willian chips towards the far post, but every Chelsea runner had gone near post or middle and Norwich can run the ball clear.

55min: Another turnover as Alonso’s pass doesn’t connect with Jorginho and Norwich counter again. A Rüdiger slide tackle and an Azpi block prevents any further danger, but it’s been a sloppy few minutes from Chelsea.

54min: Jorginho turns the ball over at midfield and Norwich can counter with numbers. Desperate defending from Azpi clears the danger.

52min: Willian takes the corner again, Chelsea’s seventh. Giroud gets a powerful head to it, but he directs the ball well wide of the goal.

51min: Kepa gets a rare touch as he collects a harmless cross from Drmic. Bowls out for Pulisic, who turns at midfield and is taken out. No card as the referee plays advantage, which Chelsea eventually turn into a shot from Willian, which deflects over the bar for a corner.

49min: Good press from Chelsea and Giroud specifically forces Krul to hit his goal kick out of bounds. Pattern of the second half so far exactly like the first half: attack vs. defense.

47min: Corner for Chelsea. Willian takes, Rüdiger heads. Well wide.

SECOND HALF: No changes for either side. Time to finish the job.

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HALF-TIME: Chelsea dominant, though not necessarily threatening with just a couple decent chances and one good save from Krul. Giroud’s goal most welcome then one the stroke of half-time.

45+3min: GOOOAAALLLLL!!!! GIROOOOUDDDD!!! After Alonso’s cross is headed clear, it’s Pulisic’s turn from the left, and his cross is perfect to find Giroud for a point-blank header. Great movement by the striker. 1-0, CHELSEA!!!

45+2min: Willian turns inside but the pass through the middle is blocked. Chelsea recover quickly to stop a potential Norwich counter.

45min: Willian can’t get past Lewis and settles for a cross, which is too close to Krul, who catches it at the near post.

44min: Willian picks up a knock on his right ankle in fouling Hernandez.

43min: A bit of slick passing on the left doesn’t lead to anything as Giroud’s layoff doesn’t find Jorginho.

41min: A loose ball in the area is won by Giroud, but he doesn’t have much space to turn or generate power for his left-footed shot, which Krul gathers safely and easily.

39min: Kovačić switches to Willian in deep left channel. The layoff goes to Alonso, who hammers one towards the top corner. The deflection off Cantwell wins Chelsea a corner, which Willian takes, but no one can get a head on it. Pulisic called for a foul in the tussle for the second ball on the far touchline.

38min: Another corner for Chelsea, after Alonso’s cross is blocked. Willian takes, Norwich clear.

37min: Willian’s corner finds Zouma, who somehow heads wide of the post with half the net to hit. Should’ve scored.

36min: Rüdiger with a deep cross, which finds Pulisic. He takes a great touch, turns on his right leg, and snaps a shot goalward with his left. Krul with a nice save.

35min: Alonso’s latest foray forward results in a corner, which Willian takes. Azpi flicks on at the near post, but the angle is against RLC at the far, and he tries to head back across. Norwich clear.

34min: Alonso in behind again, puts in another good cross. Giroud flicks it at the near post with his heel, but an arriving Willian can’t quite get to it. The ball rolls back to Giroud, who tries to find RLC at the top of the area, but it doesn’t quite come off and Norwich can clear.

32min: Klose able to walk off under his own power after getting checked out by the physio, and seems okay to continue, for now.

30min: Pulisic tries to wriggle through the middle, but can’t find enough space. He collides with Klose after losing the ball and his footing, and the Norwich defender is down writhing in pain, holding his right knee.

29min: Similar play from Azpilicueta from the other side, but Giroud shanks his effort well wide from the good cutback.

27min: Zouma steps up and finds Alonso, who cuts back from the byline to find Pulisic in the area. Pulisic’s first-time left-footed doesn’t quite tuck inside the near post, finding side netting instead. Good chance.

26min: Willian wins the ball in midfield and looks to charge forward, but RLC turns back instead, playing Jorginho, who plays further safely backwards.

24min: Cantwell draws another foul in midfield. Drink break!

22min: Cantwell plays around Alonso and has space to run into, but Jorginho’s across the put in a tackle/foul. Escapes a yellow card, even.

20min: Jorginho chips forward for Giroud, who’s surrounded by three. One of them wins the header, but it’s backwards and Giroud has a chance to poke one towards goal. There isn’t much power in it and Krul catches easily. Almost lucky.

18min: Rüdiger chips in for Alonso, who wins the first header but Norwich win the second. The ball then hits Kovačić on the arm to give Norwich the chance to clear their lines.

16min: Jorginho tries to chip in for Pulisic, who comes off worse in trying to win the ball ahead of the defender’s clearing foot. Pulisic stays down for a minute as Alonso hammers a shot over, but is then able to get up and continue.

15min: Norwich venture forward and launch a couple crosses, but Chelsea defend well enough, Azpi heading well clear.

14min: Nice combinations by Chelsea on the right side again, but the move eventually breaks down as Giroud’s layoff only finds a yellow shirt.

12min: Azpi involved again, playing a 1-2 with Willian, but the return ball is just a bit too strong and runs over the line before Azpi can get the cross in.

11min: Latest Azpi cross is cleared just ahead of an arriving Giroud at the near post.

10min: Jorginho loses the ball but RLC’s there to help win it back. Gets studded on for his troubles as both he and the Norwich player slide in for the ball. Looks okay to continue.

9min: Willian tries to find an Azpilicueta underlap, but Norwich cut it out and can counter. Willian tracks back to help win the ball back.

6min: RLC’s cross is blocked for a corner, which Willian takes. Norwich head clear at the near post.

5min: Zouma switches to Alonso, who plays a nice 1-2 with Pulisic and puts in fantastic cross, but no one’s there to tap it home.

3min: Pulisic loses the ball, but then wins it back for Willian, who turns upfield and gets Chelsea into the final third. Azpi eventually crosses from the right, finding RLC at the near post, but he can’t quite guide his sharp angle header on target, finding side netting only.

2min: Couple early forays forward by the visitors, but Zouma shepherds a Cantwell pass out of bounds with relative ease.

KICK-OFF: Norwich get us underway, and maintain a bit of possession.

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Chelsea are in third, one point ahead of both Leicester City and Manchester United. Fifth place is no longer good enough to qualify for Europe. Destiny is in our hands.

Norwich City are already relegated. This should be a no-contest. Should be...

So it’s probably going to be nervy and scary and weird and emotional.

Loftus-Cheek starts as both sides make 4-5 changes from the weekend.

Here we go!

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Chelsea starting lineup (4-2-3-1):
Arrizabalaga | Alonso, Zouma, Rüdiger, Azpilicueta (c) | Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, Kovačić | Pulisic, Giroud, Willian

Substitutes from: Caballero, Christensen, James, Tomori, Barkley, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Pedro, Abraham

Norwich City starting lineup (4-2-3-1)
Krul | Lewis, Klose, Godfrey, Aarons | McLean, Tettey (c) | Hernandez, Cantwell, Rupp | Drmic

Substitutes from: McGovern, Vrancic, Buendia, Stiepermann, Trybull, Pukki, Idah, Thomas, Martin

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Date / Time: Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 20.15 BST; 3:15pm EDT; 12:45am IST (next day)
Venue: Stamford Bridge, SW6
Referee: Jonathan Moss (on pitch); Martin Atkinson (VAR)

On TV: Sky Sports Main Event (UK); NBCSN (USA); Star Sports Select HD1 (India); Canal+ Sport 2, SuperSport 1, SuperSport 3 (NGA); elsewhere
Streaming: Sky Go (UK); NBC Sports Live, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo (USA); Hotstar (India); DStv Now (NGA)

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Be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes!