Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic earned a spot in Garth Crooks’ BBC Team of the Week thanks to his contribution towards the Tottenham Hotspur triumph.
Crooks could have selected several of Thomas Tuchel’s squad to make the XI, such was the manner of their 3-0 victory over Spurs.
Thiago Silva was included, thanks to his man of the match display, which was topped off by scoring the opener.
N’Golo Kante’s introduction at half-time changed the motion of the tide, all in Chelsea’s favour.
Marcos Alonso was a constant threat, whilst Antonio Rudiger had a typically rock-like performance.
Compliments for Kova
Yet, Crooks fell upon Kovacic to make up the other slot allotted to the Blues.
“This lad has been outstanding all season for Chelsea,” said the former Tottenham forward.
“Quietly getting on with things and allowing the stars of the show to take the glory.
“However, make no mistake, Mateo Kovacic is at the heart of Chelsea’s success these days.”
If someone were to summarise Kovacic’s campaign so far, Crooks has probably come up with the perfect conclusion.
Never one to steal the headlines or take centre-stage, the Croatian simply gets on with the task at hand, no fuss required.
He rolls out the red carpet for his celebrity teammates to stroll down and capture the paparazzi’s cameras.
An ever-reliable presence in the midfield, Kovacic is now one of Tuchel’s most important sergeants.
It seems only now some section of the Chelsea fanbase – and pundits alike – are starting to truly appreciate the 27-year-old’s quality.
With Kante and Jorginho entering into their 30s, the former Real Madrid man could be the heartbeat of Stamford Bridge for at least another half-decade.
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