Tammy Abraham nets brilliant team goal and tees up Christian Pulisic strike before Blues cling on for away win
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CHELSEA held out for their seventh straight away win – equalling the club record.
Frank Lampard’s young side appeared to be coasting at 2-0 – it could have been four – before Gerard Deulofeu set up a nervy finish with an 80th-minute penalty.
That was awarded by VAR after Jorghino was ruled to have tripped Deulofeu.
Even keeper Ben Foster went close for Watford with a 97th-minute header that was saved by Kepa but Chelsea survived to go third and keep the home side anchored to the bottom.
Chelsea started the game 16 places above Watford – and didn’t take long to show why.
Jorghino, standing on halfway, set up Tammy Abraham with one of the passes of the season, finding the striker on the edge of the box with a ball that took Watford’s three centre-backs totally by surprise.
Abraham had read the situation perfectly and popped up behind the bewildered trio to fire right-footed past unprotected home keeper Foster – his ninth league goal of the season.
The first period was Chelsea’s half in every way, and it took Watford 38 minutes to get their first corner.
It was so close to being 2-0 when Mason Mount was allowed a free run across the edge of the box and beat Foster with a thunderous right-footer that almost broke the crossbar.
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Chelsea doubled their lead in the 55th minute. Willian, always making things happen in midfield, drove forward and passed to Abraham wide on the right.
The striker’s low cross had the home defence all over the place and Christian Pulisic pounced to ram in a right-footer from close range.
And despite Watford pulling a goal back to set up a frantic finale, the Blues deservedly held on.
