1. ROMELU LUKAKU (8.5, sub)

For the second consecutive game, our Man of the Match was a substitute. In the previous match, it was N’Golo Kanté. In this one, it was Romelu Lukaku.

He came off the bench at half time, scored not ten minutes later (which proved to be the game-winning goal), and won the penalty at the end that sealed the deal. In the meantime, he occupied at least two defenders at all times, ran over or shrugged off a few hapless redshirts, and generally gave Villa problems to which they had no real answers. And he’s not even really fit yet!

Hopefully he can use this as a springboard for a fantastic second half to the season.

2. JORGINHO (7.6)

We could use penalties to pad the stats of our strikers. Or we could give penalties to the penalty-expert on the team.

That’s 2 more faultless conversions for Jorginho, giving him 9 goals on the season, all from the spot. That’s a new career high in goals for him as well, beating last year’s mark of 8 goals — also all from the spot (when he also missed three times; none so far this season). In fact, only 2 of the 26 goals he’s scored for Chelsea over the past 3.5 seasons were not penalties.

3. THIAGO SILVA (7.2)

Another game, another stellar performance from our Player of the Season (So Far). Unfortunately and not unexpectedly, the minutes have caught up to him with the hamstring injury he picked up in this one. Christensen will have to step up his game several notches in his stead.

vs. ASTON VILLA (PL, A, W 3-1)

EXCEPTIONAL (9.0+): —

EXCELLENT (8.0-8.9): Lukaku (8.5, sub)

GOOD (7.0-7.9): Jorginho (7.6), Silva (7.2), Kanté (7.1), Hudson-Odoi (7.1), Kovačić (7.1, sub)

AVERAGE (6.0-6.9): Rüdiger (6.8), Christensen (6.7, sub), Chalobah (6.5), Mendy (6.5), Pulisic (6.3), Mount (6.3), Alonso (6.1)

POOR (5.0-5.9): James (5.9)

BAD (4.0-4.9): —

TERRIBLE (3.0-3.9): —

OVERALL

(update pending)