MYKHAILO MUDRYK scored a freak goal for Chelsea against Arsenal – the club he nearly joined – but could yet face repercussions from Ukraine team-mate Oleksandr Zinchenko.
The Ukrainian, 22, arrived at Stamford Bridge in January after Chelsea hijacked him from under the nose of their London rivals.
APMykhailo Mudryk remarkably lobbed Arsenal keeper David Raya[/caption]
PAMudryk almost joined Arsenal before the Blues ripped him away from their London rivals[/caption]
Mudryk looked set to sign for Arsenal until late in the window when the Blues steamed in to splash some more cash and pluck him from Shakhtar Donetsk.
It had been a torrid nine months for the forward as he failed to hit the back of the net for his new club.
Earlier this month he ended that goal drought, netting in a 2-0 win over Fulham.
But his best moment yet in a Chelsea shirt came on Saturday evening against Arsenal.
Receiving the ball on the left, Mudryk looked to be floating in a cross towards the back post.
Instead, he lobbed the ball over David Raya and into the far corner.
Mudryk celebrated the remarkable goal by standing with his arms aloft in front of the adoring Chelsea fans.
But he had been warned prior to the game by Ukraine captain and Arsenal defender Zinchenko that he would be punished in a graphic manner if he was to score in the derby.
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Oleksandr Zinchenko made the jovial warning to Mudryk during the international break
After Mudryk’s goal for Ukraine during the international break, Zinchenko hilariously said: “I told [Mykhailo] Mudryk ‘If you score on Saturday, I’ll rip your balls off’.”
But the threat backfired as Zinchenko was booked in the first half, before Mikel Arteta replaced him with Takehiro Tomiyasu at the break.
Mudryk’s strike gave Chelsea a 2-0 lead after Cole Palmer had put the hosts in front from the penalty spot.
There was confusion over who was going to take the spot kick when Raheem Sterling attempted to wrestle the ball away from Palmer.
But the England U21 international kept hold of it and sent Raya the wrong way to put Mauricio Pochettino‘s men in front.
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