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Mauricio Pochettino praised Chelsea\u2019s response to back-to-back Premier League defeats as they recovered to beat Sheffield United 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n
The hosts fought back from a dour first-half showing \u2013 and off the back of losses to Manchester United and Everton \u2013 to hit two quick-fire goals in the second period through Nicolas Jackson and the influential Cole Palmer.<\/p>\n
The first was well worked between Palmer and Raheem Sterling, the summer signing from Manchester City working the ball wide and continuing his run into the box to tap home Sterling\u2019s low cross.<\/p>\n
And Palmer was the architect minutes later as Jackson made it two, lifting the ball into the box for Sterling and Conor Gallagher to attack, and as it was spilled by Blades goalkeeper Wes Foderingham, Palmer was there to knock it back to Jackson for 2-0.<\/p>\n
It had been a maddening first half for home supporters to endure, with a single effort on target to show from their side despite racking up 80 per cent possession against the league\u2019s bottom club.<\/p>\n
It took Palmer\u2019s intervention after 54 minutes, playing a clever ball to Sterling who shot past his man with a burst of acceleration, starting and finishing the move that finally broke the Blades down after a turgid opening.<\/p>\n
His creative involvement for the second was a further reminder of the 21-year-old\u2019s capacity to turn a game single-handedly as yet another scoreless outing loomed for Pochettino\u2019s side.<\/p>\n
Afterwards the manager pointed to a change of position in the second half \u2013 swapping with Sterling to take up a more central role \u2013 as the key.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we talked a lot during the week after Everton about needing drastic change,\u201d said Pochettino. \u201cIt was important to confirm that we are in a good way. The team in the first half was frustrated because we couldn\u2019t find a way past the low block of Sheffield United.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe didn\u2019t show the capacity to be flexible and it was easy for them to identify our position and to block us and make us put the ball in positions that were easy for them to stop.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe second half we were much better, we fixed things. The team started to find better possibilities to play,\u00a0to link much better. Cole from the right, going into the space, started to link better with team-mates and be the player that we want to use \u2013 a playmaker.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pochettino left midfielder Enzo Fernandez on the bench, with Gallagher instead taking up a position in central midfield alongside Moises Caicedo.<\/p>\n
The manager confirmed the World Cup winner is likely to return for Tuesday\u2019s Carabao Cup quarter-final at home to Newcastle.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou only can play 11,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a big competition, sometimes you need one profile or another and you choose the players. The combination between Caicedo and Gallagher, using Cole like a number 10, that was the possibility for the best combination for today.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m happy because three points are important and Tuesday we have an important game against Newcastle. To arrive in that game with a good feeling is really important, to have the confidence that we can go through.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blades boss Chris Wilder reflected on a game in which his players gave travelling supporters much to be proud of.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t like when one player goes off to clap supporters on their own, if we\u2019re going to do it we go together,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s important to me and it was important that they quickly got that message because for a big period, we were in the game and we were fighting our way against an outstanding manager and some top individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n