Chelsea vs AC Milan Debrief: Reece runs the show as Blues hit Champions League century - chelsea fc

Our statistical analysis of Chelsea’s 3-0 win over AC Milan highlights the influence our two wing-backs had on the outcome and puts the result in historical context… Reece James was last night’s outstanding performer, and proof of that goes beyond his UEFA Man of the Match award and emphatic victory in our Twitter poll. The stats support a sublime performance, one in which he became the youngest Chelsea player to score and assist in the same Champions League game. No player spent more time on the ball for us than James (6.3 per cent), and his 100 touches was the highest figure of anyone on the pitch. He also completed the most passes of anyone in blue (51), supplied two key passes, including the assist for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s goal, and registered two successful dribbles. He contributed defensively, too, winning three tackles, a joint-high figure for Chelsea players, and helped keep the visitors' danger man Rafael Leao quiet.James’s 11th goal for us was his third in the Champions League, and just like those memorable strikes against Ajax and Juventus, it was a thunderous finish in front of the Matthew Harding Stand, sealing an important European victory and crowning a magnificent individual showing.Wing-backs prove influential James had a telling impact with his all-round display, but he was aided by Graham Potter’s decision to use a 3-4-2-1 shape against Milan’s 4-2-3-1. Potter has mixed up his formations since arriving and did so again last night having opted for a back four at Selhurst Park. It worked to excellent effect as our width stretched Milan, with regular overloads down the flanks helping us get in behind them. Although James grabbed the headlines, credit must go to Ben Chilwell for his involvement on what was just his second 90 minutes since his serious ligament injury almost a year ago now.