Mykhailo Mudryk claims he hit cross-shot on purpose to score against Arsenal

It took Mykhailo Mudryk nine months to score his first goal for Chelsea. It took him just one more start to score the second, which arrived just after half time yesterday, against Arsenal. In between, he also grabbed his first goal for Ukraine, so clearly things are happening for him at the moment.

And when things are happening, things are happening, such as mis-hitting a cross towards Raheem Sterling only for it to end up chipping Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, who had cheated a bit too far off his line in anticipation of the cross.

But, as they say, you make your own luck, and Mudryk revealed afterwards that the goal was in fact no accident.

“It was something in the middle, between a cross and a shot. Before the game, our goalkeeper coach told me to look at their keeper because sometimes he is trying to read things and he can just lose the goal, so I can chip him. So it was something I knew and I kept it in my head. I went for something between the cross and the shot and it was a good decision.”

-Mykhailo Mudryk; source: Chelsea FC

I mean that sounds a bit fanciful, but the level of detail with Toni Jiménez (who’s undoubtedly well familiar with his compatriot David Raya) thrown in there, too, should give Misha the benefit of the doubt. Either way, they all count the same!

Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images

Chelsea would unfortunately give up the two-goal lead late on, leading to much disappointment and anger and sadness, but there was plenty of good to take from the first 77 minutes, including Mudryk’s performance — which included his first-half header that hit defender William Saliba’s outstretched arm, leading to our first goal from the penalty spot.

But Mauricio Pochettino also believes that there’s a lot more to come from the 22-year-old, who was the first player taken off.

“He is playing well but also he needs to improve still. For me he is not at his best. I think we needed to change and to put a bit more of pressure [with] Nicolas Jackson up front. After that situation, we created a few chances and I think the game was closer to 3-0 than 2-1.”

-Mauricio Pochettino; source: Football.London

Well, there’s probably, hopefully a lot more to come from everybody in a Blue shirt yesterday.