Keepers on top

Despite Chelsea and Leeds United sharing 22 chances between them at Elland Road, the goalkeepers came out on top as both Edouard Mendy and Illan Meslier made important saves to ensure a share of the points.

The home custodian made twice as many as Mendy, with Kai Havertz fashioning a game-high four efforts on goal, but it was perhaps the visiting keeper with the most eye-catching interventions, including a flying first-half save to tip Tyler Roberts’s effort onto the crossbar and then a great reaction stop to deny Raphinha.

Mendy’s impressive first season with the Blues continues in extraordinary fashion with some incredible statistics. This latest shutout takes him to 19 clean sheets in 31 games for the club and he now has the enviable record of having kept more clean sheets than goals conceded (18).

In the dozen games since Thomas Tuchel took charge, we have conceded just twice (at Sheffield United and Southampton) and kept 10 clean sheets.

All-action N’Golo

N’Golo Kante ran the show for Tuchel’s men in midfield, literally and figuratively. He covered more distance than any other Chelsea player (11.3km), making three tackles, four clearances and three interceptions along the way.

While the defence and goalkeeper will take the plaudits for another shutout, the Frenchman’s unrivalled work-rate all across the pitch has undoubtedly been a catalyst for our recent defensive superiority.

Yet Kante’s game is so multi-dimensional that he offers plenty in attack as well as defence. No player on the pitch had more touches (107), passes (69) or completed more take-ons (5) than our number seven, while only Hakim Ziyech created as many chances for the Blues (three each).

Tuchel’s tweaks hand Pulisic a chance

Tuchel made six alterations from the side that lined up against Everton five days previously, underlining his willingness to use the full extent of his squad during this most challenging and congested of campaigns.

Since the German’s first league game against Wolves at the end of January, he has made more changes to the starting line-up than any other team (39).

The most surprising aspect of our tactical approach was the use of Christian Pulisic at right wing-back, a position in which he occasionally played under Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund. The American was, however, the most advanced of all our attacking players, highlighting the freedom he had to push forward down the right flank and cause problems to Ezgjan Alioski, the Leeds left-back.

Only Havertz had more shots on goal than the 22-year-old, whose pass completion of 88 per cent was also one of the highest on the field. Unfortunately, Meslier proved a match to all our offensive endeavours as we failed to score for the second time in four league matches.

Other stats of interest

Chelsea had 15 shots to seven for Leeds. Eight of our efforts were on target, five were blocked and two wayward. The Whites had four shots on target, as many as any team have mustered against Tuchel’s Blues.

Kante’s impact in the game is illustrated by his game-high eight per cent of possession, followed by Andreas Christensen (7.3 per cent) and Cesar Azpilicueta (6.7 per cent).

Azpilicueta won three aerial duels, followed by Toni Rudiger and Mason Mount with two each. The defensive duo also made 11 clearances between them. Ben Chilwell won more tackles (4) and made more interceptions (5) than any Chelsea player on the pitch.

Tuchel has started life at Stamford Bridge with 12 unbeaten matches, the joint-best start of any manager in our history.