For the second match in a row, Edouard Mendy kept a clean sheet for Chelsea.
They have been rare to come by for the Blues under Frank Lampard, and the 0-0 draw against Sevilla was his first goalless stalemate at head coach.
With the frailties of Kepa Arrizabalaga, having stability in defence is a massive boost for Lampard, Chelsea and their fans.
There’s no doubt that having Thiago Silva back in the starting XI also went a long way to securing a crucial Champions League point.
But with Mendy in goal, there felt like a real confidence throughout the side emanating from the back.
Lots had been known about Mendy’s ability in the air, with the Senegal international standing at 6ft 6in.
The performance against the Spanish side also showed off his shotstopping ability, with one save in particular standing out.
With a header from close range, the ball deflected off Kurt Zouma, but Mendy changed his body well and clawed the ball away from goal.
He made another stop later in the match, getting down low with a more comfortable take to deny the La Liga side.
While his handling might not have been much of a surprise, it is the work with his feet which was the most impressive during the match.
One of the areas of Kepa’s game which has come under real scrutiny has been his distribution, with the mistake against Liverpool and then the failure to clear against Southampton.
But Mendy appeared to be in complete control during the match on Tuesday night, working the ball from side to side.
He was confident enough to regular clip passes to Ben Chilwell on the left or Reece James on the right, or even finding the pass into the midfield.
There were times that his passes to Kurt Zouma put the defender under a little bit of pressure, with the Frenchman not the most comfortable on the ball out of Lampard’s defenders.
However, Mendy was also willing to pump a pass long as well, with Lampard making it clear he wanted more game management from the Blues players.
Mendy looked assured throughout the game with the ball at his feet and in his hands, showing confidence to the back four.
It’s no surprise, therefore, that Lampard made it clear he is the number one going forward.
“I think the way he has played in the three games since being here, he has played very well,” Lampard said.
“Made a good save today, two clean sheets. So at the minute, yes. I said when he came in it was good for competition. We knew his qualities and he is showing them already.
“So as it stands, yes it is. But that always remains something that is up for grabs, so that is why you have competition at clubs. The way he is playing I am very happy.”
And for Chelsea fans, seeing the way he performed would have given them a lot of confidence in him for the future.
