Chelsea laboured to a 1-0 FA Cup success over Barnsley away from home to set up a quarter-final with Sheffield United.
A single goal from Tammy Abraham was the difference between the sides, with Chelsea struggling for penetration against their Championship opponents.
Indeed, they managed only a single shot on target against a team they had more than 70% possession against.
Nevertheless, the much-changed side progressed and will not play in the last eight on the weekend of 20th March.
Barnsley 0-1 Chelsea: Player Ratings, Match Stats, Player Stats
Here’s how they fared at Oakwell.
✔️ GOOD PERFORMANCE
Tammy Abraham: 7.4
Of all Chelsea’s starting XI, Tammy Abraham saw the ball only more than Marcos Alonso, who was taken off at half-time.
His performance, though, was not about volume, it was about two defining moments.
The first was being at the right place at the right time to tap into an empty net after a surging run from Reece James. The second was about being at the right place at the right time to stretch every sinew in his neck to head over a goal-bound Barnsley effort.
Completing just 58% of his passes, this was not a classy display, but it was a decisive one.
Reece James: 7.6
Introduced at half-time to bring a spark that the team was lacking, James amply delivered.
It was his athletic run and cool head that allowed him to fashion the only goal of the game, while he completed 93% of his passes, including eight in the final third.
He was a useful outlet and though he played only 45 minutes critical for the success of his team.
❌ BAD PERFORMANCE
Hakim Ziyech: 5.2
After failing to fire in the 0-0 draw against Wolves in Thomas Tuchel’s first match as Chelsea boss, the Morocco international has done his prospects of game time in the weeks ahead little good with his display against Barnsley.
He did get four crosses into the box but did not complete a single dribble and had only one touch in the box. Moreover, he did not have any kind of shot and completed just 65% of his passes.
⭐ STAR MAN
Kurt Zouma: 7.7
It is fitting, given the flow of the tie, that a Chelsea defender finished with the highest rating. Although the Blues had much of the ball, they finished the match with their backs to the wall.
As the ball came into the box, Zouma was a magnet for it. He won all six of his headers and completed six clearances. Moreover, he completed two interceptions and made one recovery.
No player saw more of the ball than the centre-back, who touched it 125 times.
Barnsley 0-1 Chelsea: Player Ratings, Match Stats, Player Stats
