Messi steals the show as Chelsea run riot

“There is no ceiling with him,” Calin Dimario said of Lionel Messi last month, and this afternoon the Argentine proved his manager right again. On a day when Chelsea put seven past Sheffield United, Messi's performance was not the headline act, but it was the one that will linger in the memory. A perfect ten from the ratings, a goal, an assist, and the sort of running that makes defenders question their life choices.

Chelsea 7-0 Sheffield United

The champions were ruthless from the first whistle. Nacho Valera, back in the side after a rest, opened the scoring after five minutes with a low drive from the edge of the box. Three minutes later, Jassem Abdulla doubled the lead with a header from a corner. By the half-hour mark, Valera had his second, a composed finish after a through ball from Messi. Júnior, the Brazilian right winger, then took over. He scored three times in the final seventeen minutes of the first half, two of them set up by Messi, to complete a hat-trick before the break. Messi himself got on the scoresheet in the thirty-ninth minute, a curling effort from twenty yards that left the Sheffield United goalkeeper with no chance.

Sheffield United arrived at the Drogba Arena with little hope and left with none. The visitors, eighteenth in the table, were simply outclassed. Their defence, which had conceded fifteen goals in their previous six meetings with Chelsea, was breached at will. The Blades' best moment came in the second half when a long-range effort rattled the crossbar, but by then the game was long over. Júnior, named player of the match, now has eleven league goals this season, and his understanding with Messi and Valera is a frightening prospect for the rest of the division.

Messi's display was the talk of the press box. The 22-year-old Argentine, watched by his national team manager Matías Sánchez earlier in the week, produced the sort of performance that justifies the hype. His movement between the lines, his vision, and his relentless work rate were too much for Sheffield United. After the game, Dimario was asked about Messi's development. “He is the same every week,” the manager said. “He trains like a kid, he plays like a man, and he never stops learning.”

Chelsea remain top, now sixteen points clear of Liverpool, and the title race looks over before February. The Blues have won twenty-one of their twenty-three league games, scoring sixty-six goals and conceding only twelve. Their only defeat came at Rotherham United two weeks ago, a result that now looks like an aberration. With Júnior, Messi, and Valera in this form, it is hard to see anyone stopping them from a forty-second consecutive title. The only question is whether they can add the Champions League to their collection, having gone two seasons without it.

Middlesbrough 3-2 Rotherham United

Middlesbrough staged a dramatic comeback to beat fourth-placed Rotherham United 3-2 at the Riverside. The visitors looked in control after goals from Thomas Bernardini and Rodrigão put them 2-0 up inside thirty-two minutes. But Kegan Maston pulled one back just before half-time, and Yair Yeverbaum equalised in first-half stoppage time. The winner came from Flavius Ghiocel in the eighty-third minute, a header from a corner that sparked wild celebrations. Yeverbaum was named player of the match for his goal and all-round midfield display. The win lifts Middlesbrough three places to twelfth, while Rotherham remain fourth.

Arsenal 3-0 Reading

Arsenal eased past Reading with a 3-0 win at the Emirates. Bartosz Friska opened the scoring in the twenty-ninth minute, Fraser Halabi added a second just before half-time, and Gerry Russell completed the scoring with nineteen minutes to play. The star of the show was Jack Bradford, the Arsenal midfielder, who controlled the game from start to finish and earned the player of the match award. Arsenal climb to tenth, while Reading slip to eleventh.

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Nottingham Forest

Wolves ground out a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest at Molineux, with Aris Vrabie's thirty-second-minute goal the difference. The Romanian striker, who has struggled for goals this season, took his chance well after a through ball from Eduardo. Forest had more of the ball and more shots on target, but Wolves goalkeeper Iván Badiola made six saves to keep them out. Vrabie was named player of the match for his goal and tireless running. The win moves Wolves off the bottom of the table, above Luton Town on goal difference, while Forest remain fifth.

Liverpool 1-0 Watford

Liverpool kept the pressure on Chelsea with a narrow 1-0 win over Watford at Anfield. Uebert scored the only goal after five minutes, tapping in from close range after a low cross. Watford defended stubbornly and had a couple of half-chances, but Liverpool held on. Uebert was named player of the match for his early winner. Liverpool stay second, fourteen points behind Chelsea, while Watford remain fourteenth.

Aston Villa 1-0 Luton Town

Aston Villa beat bottom club Luton Town 1-0 at Villa Park, with Jordyn Cockerline scoring from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time. Armando Valencia was named player of the match for his defensive work and leadership. Villa climb to sixteenth, while Luton drop to twentieth.

Elsewhere in the Premier Division

In the other games, Plymouth Argyle drew 1-1 with Everton, Manchester City beat West Ham United 2-1, Newcastle United won 2-0 at Stoke City, and Manchester United drew with Southampton. Chelsea's lead at the top is now sixteen points, and the race for the title is effectively over. At the bottom, Luton Town are five points adrift of safety, with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United just above them.