Chelsea claimed a third consecutive victory under Thomas Tuchel as they beat Sheffield United 2-1 in an incident-packed contest at Bramall Lane to climb to fifth in the Premier League.
Mason Mount set Chelsea on their way with a clinical finish from Timo Werner's cutback shortly before half-time, but the Blades were level within nine minutes of the restart when Antonio Rudiger's bizarre own goal gifted the hosts an equaliser - the first goal conceded of Tuchel's tenure.
Having denied Sheffield United a first-half penalty, VAR took centre stage as Chelsea restored their lead four minutes later, with goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale's foul on Werner penalised after referee Kevin Friend consulted the pitchside monitor, allowing Jorginho to convert from the spot for the second game running.
Rudiger atoned for his earlier error with a string of crucial defensive interventions that saw out the Chelsea win and condemned the battling Blades - who remain rooted to the foot of the table, 12 points from safety - to an 18th defeat of the season.
Sheffield United nearly got off to the perfect start inside 30 seconds when OIi McBurnie released striker partner Oliver Burke through on goal, but the Blades forward opted for a near-post finish instead of going for goal and lashed a shot into the side-netting.
Chelsea burst into life on six minutes when Mateo Kovacic played Werner through on goal but having lifted a shot over the on-rushing Ramsdale, the covering Chris Basham prevented the ball from crossing the goal line.
Sheffield United promising start yielded a penalty on 10 minutes when Ben Chilwell was penalised for a rash lunge on Basham, but a VAR review found the Blades defender offside in the build-up, and Chelsea were reprieved.
Chilwell headed over while under pressure and Kean Bryan brilliantly blocked Mount's goalbound shot as Chelsea upped the intensity as half-time approached, and they found the breakthrough with two minutes to spare.
Werner brilliantly drove into space down the left after playing a one-two before cutting the ball back to the edge of the box where Mount dispatched into the bottom corner.
The Chelsea lead lasted just minutes into the second half as the Blues conceded for the first time under their new manager. Edouard Mendy raced off his line to gather McBurnie's wayward pass but was beaten to it by Rudiger, who watched on in horror as his back pass nestled in the bottom corner of his own net. Full report here
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