Mykhaylo Mudryk's reaction to Enzo Maresca gesture speaks volumes as Chelsea thump Noah

Mykhaylo Mudryk dropped his shoulder, beat his man via some slick stepovers and dinked a cross towards the back post.

Marc Guiu's goal-bound effort was scrambled off the line but boss Enzo Maresca clearly admired what he'd just seen from his Ukrainian winger, who finally showed signs of coming to life.

With Chelsea already four goals to the good against Armenian minnows FC Noah inside just 21 minutes, this felt slightly like a night where impressive individual performances still might have counted for precious little.

The Blues were always expected to run riot against their Conference League opponents, though could have been at least 1-0 down inside the opening exchanges, and it would be hard for any player to gain much genuine credibility from exposing the enormous gulf in quality between the two sides.

That said, Mudryk - until that determined burst up the left flank to the byline - had looked like a passenger while on the opposite wing, teenage debutant Tyrique George was getting supporters off their seats with his penetrative runs, direct dribbles, link play and crosses.

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And if Mudryk had struggled throughout what was effectively an exhibition game in which Chelsea rattled in eight goals, then that really would have been a major concern.

But Maresca made a point of calling Mudryk's name from the touchline, clapping profusely before offering a bonus thumbs up in a bid to inject some confidence into Chelsea's £88.5million signing. And it worked.

Because just a matter of minutes later, Mudryk scored the goal of the game when he cut inside his marker and whipped an unstoppable shot into the top corner that left Noah goalkeeper Ognen Cancarevic grasping at thin air. He clearly thrived off the confidence Maresca's touchline gesture had given him.

Mudryk's celebration - in which he stood still and stared coldly towards the crowd - suggested this was the kind of strike that he knows is well within his capabilities, we just need to see it more often.

Those that tracked Mudryk's development closely during his time at Shakhtar Donetsk, included, will know the 23-year-old has the ability to grab a game by the scruff of the neck. It just hasn't happened so far in west London.

And competition for places under Maresca has become so fierce that the Italian is now fielding entirely different teams in the and Europe, respectively, to keep his players fresh.

That is where Mudryk has really suffered this season, when he needed to build on a strong finish to the 2023-24 campaign, as he needs a run of games.

Time is never promised in football however and there is little margin for error for Maresca in the race for the top-four this season as the race for qualification appears stronger than ever.

Mudryk will undoubtedly get his chance but he needs to start delivering consistent performances, not just the odd moment of brilliance that we all know he is capable of. That is what will define his Chelsea career and there is still time to turn things around.

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