Liquid Sports

Chelsea player ratings vs Barrow: Christopher Nkunku stakes his claim with clinical hat-trick and Joao Felix shimmers as Blues demolish League Two minnows in Carabao Cup

The Frenchman has been behind Nicolas Jackson in the pecking of late, but he was in fine form at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday

Christopher Nkunku staked his claim for a starting spot with a hat-trick against Barrow in a sparkling showing alongside Joao Felix for Chelsea. Enzo Maresca made 11 changes to his team but any fears of an upset were over after just 15 minutes of the contest at Stamford Bridge. Joao Felix cleverly set up Christopher Nkunku for the opener with a lofted pass, before the striker flicked home a Malo Gusto cross to give Barrow a mountain to climb.

Chelsea’s third arrived before the half-hour mark to effectively end the game as a contest. Felix’s free-kick flew over the wall, hit the post and went in on off the back of helpless Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman.

The Blues then simply picked up where they left off after the break. Nkunku and Mykhailo Mudryk combined to tee up Pedro Neto for his first Chelsea goal and the Blues’ fourth of the night.

Nkunku’s hat-trick then arrived when he robbed a dawdling Farman and slotted the ball home to seal a comprehensive win and a place in the next round for Maresca’s men.

Here’s this weekend Chelsea’s prediction.