Chelsea boosted their bid to finish in the Premier League’s top four as Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic starred in a 4-1 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Thomas Tuchel’s side blew Palace away with a swaggering first half display inspired by Germany forward Havertz.
Chelsea are up to fourth place and sit two points clear of fifth placed Liverpool.
West Ham, also two points behind the Blues, would reclaim fourth if they beat Leicester on Sunday.
Havertz has endured a difficult time since his close-season move from Bayer Leverkusen, but he gave a rare glimpse of his quality with the opening goal in south London.
The 21-year-old turned provider to set up Pulisic for the second goal before Kurt Zouma put Chelsea three up after 30 minutes.
Christian Benteke got one back for Palace in the second half, but Pulisic netted again as Chelsea cruised to their first win in three league games.
Tuchel suffered his first defeat in 15 matches since replacing the sacked Frank Lampard when West Bromwich Albion claimed a 5-2 win at Stamford Bridge last weekend.
That stunning setback was followed by a training ground bust-up between Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger and reserve keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
But Chelsea had eased fears of a late-season collapse with a composed 2-0 win against Porto in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.
This was another confident step in Chelsea’s revival under Tuchel, who faces a big week as the Blues take on Porto in the second leg on Tuesday before playing Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday.
Tuchel recalled Pulisic, Zouma and Callum Hudson-Odoi, with the misfiring Timo Werner among those to miss out.
“On form and on work rate. We used Timo Werner lots and are close to overuse,” Tuchel said of his decision to rest the struggling German forward.
Thanks in large part to Havertz, who started in the central striker’s role Werner has failed to fill, Chelsea tore Palace to shreds in a blistering start.
