The Dutch defender received 53 per cent of the votes on the Chelsea Official App to be named Blues Player of the Match at The Valley, edging out Jamie Gittens and Andrey Santos in a close race.

You can’t argue with the numbers though, as the statistics show his vital role in our comprehensive 5-1 victory over Charlton in the FA Cup third round.

Setting the tone

Having come on during the first half of the midweek Premier League fixture at Fulham in midweek, following the red card for Marc Cucurella, Hato replaced the suspended Spaniard at left-back from the start at Charlton.

He wasted no time stamping his authority on the game either. It was clear right away that he would be filling the role taken on by Cucurella many times this season, coming narrow to bolster our midfield and push forward on the underlap in possession, before slotting back in on the left side of our defence off the ball.

The first 15 minutes at The Valley demonstrated the impact he would have in that role. At that early point in the game, the teenager had won four duels, twice as many as any other player on the pitch to that point.

Crucial timing

Hato’s contribution to our attack was drilled home – literally – when he opened the scoring with a brilliant half-volley into the top corner deep into first-half stoppage time. It was a vital goal, ensuring the Blues went into the half-time break with the lead and disrupting the home side’s game plan.

The importance of that lead was underlined by the fact Chelsea are now unbeaten in the last 23 FA Cup matches when we have been ahead at the break, a run dating back to January 2015.

It was his first Chelsea goal on his 12th appearance for the club across all competitions since joining from Ajax in the summer. That makes Hato the first Dutchman to score for the Blues in the FA Cup since Arjen Robben in 2006, and, at 19 years and 309 days, the youngest player of any nationality to do so since Callum Hudson-Odoi in 2020.

Box-to-box

It was a true all-round performance from Hato, as he showed his talent at both ends of the pitch, on and off the ball.

Hato’s three defensive blocks was the most by a Chelsea player and, of our back four, only Benoit Badiashile recovered possession more than his four times. Going forward, Jorrel’s two shots on target and two successful dribbles were both the third-best of any player on the pitch, and more than both Charlton strikers combined.