Omari Hutchinson scored against his former club to guide Liam Delap-inspired Ipswich Town to a surprise 2-0 victory against Chelsea.
Chelsea would have travelled to Portman Road with high hopes of returning to winning ways after taking just one point from their previous two outings.
However, the Blues still appeared shellshocked from conceding a late goal in their Boxing Day defeat against Fulham, as Delap required just 12 minutes to score from the penalty spot after Filip Jorgensen gave away a penalty on his second Premier League appearance.
Enzo Maresca's troops threatened to flex their muscles, with Cole Palmer striking the upright shortly before Joao Felix saw a goal ruled out for offside.
Ipswich refused to take a backwards step following those nervy moments, offering enough attacking intent to double their advantage in the 53rd minute, with Hutchinson scoring against his former club after being teed up by the dangerous Delap.
The former Manchester City forward helped clinch a crucial victory, moving Ipswich up to 18th place and to within one point of safety, while fourth-placed Chelsea will finish the year with a three-point buffer to Newcastle United in fifth position.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
Chelsea may have come into the game off the back of two poor results, but there was an expectation that they would have more than enough quality to dispatch a struggling Ipswich side that had lost five of their opening nine home league games this season.
However, inspired by the unstoppable Delap, Ipswich produced arguably their best performance of the season, remaining resolute in defence while offering enough of a goal threat to punish Chelsea in the pivotal moments.
Ipswich more than deserved the three points, while Maresca may be slightly concerned by an underwhelming display and another disappointing result.
Then again, Chelsea's recent blip perhaps demonstrates why the former Leicester City boss was keen to play down his team's title credentials.
IPSWICH TOWN VS. CHELSEA HIGHLIGHTS
12th min: Ipswich 1-0 Chelsea (Liam Delap)
Win the penalty. Score the penalty. 🙌#IPSCHE pic.twitter.com/J8A434grlu
— IPSWICH TOWN (@IpswichTown) December 30, 2024
Penalty to the Tractor Boys. The referee points to the spot, ruling that there was enough contact between Jorgensen and Delap. VAR confirms the on-field decision, giving Delap the opportunity to send a precise spot kick out of Jorgensen's reach.
53th min: Ipswich 2-0 Chelsea (Omari Hutchinson)
🤌#IPSCHE pic.twitter.com/Hs2SerEigR
— IPSWICH TOWN (@IpswichTown) December 30, 2024
Ipswich punishes Axel Disasi for a costly error. The Chelsea defender gives away possession to the grateful Delap, who drives towards the Chelsea box before checking back to feed the ball to Hutchison. The Ipswich winger neatly works the space to fire a low strike past Jorgensen to score against his former employers.
MAN OF THE MATCH - LIAM DELAP
Delap showcased all the attributes of a top-quality number nine, demonstrating why he is attracting interest from major Premier League clubs like Chelsea.
The 21-year-old kept his composure to open the scoring, before he provided the all-important assist for Hutchinson to double Ipswich's advantage in the second period.
Away from his play in front of goal, Delap used his strength and nous to win fouls, hold the ball up and offer an outlet throughout the contest.
IPSWICH TOWN VS. CHELSEA MATCH STATS
Possession: Ipswich 24%-76% Chelsea
Shots: Ipswich 9-20 Chelsea
Shots on target: Ipswich 6-5 Chelsea
Corners: Ipswich 4-7 Chelsea
Fouls: Ipswich 0-2 Chelsea
BEST STATS
Most G/A by U21 player this PL season:
— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) December 30, 2024
8 — Liam Delap
7 — Jhon Durán pic.twitter.com/iIJmuiFNUP
Ipswich beat Chelsea for the first time since 1993. pic.twitter.com/mOpkHXtfAR
— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) December 30, 2024
WHAT NEXT?
After claiming three precious points, Kieran McKenna's side will look to claim back-to-back victories in Sunday's away clash against Fulham.
As for Chelsea, they will attempt to end a three-game winless run when they make the short trip to Selhurst Park for Saturday's Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace.
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