Before the glitz and the glamour came the grit and the grind for Chelsea as a big week started with a hard-fought victory over Burnley.
More illustrious opponents await in the form of Barcelona in the Champions League and Arsenal, who are now only three points ahead of them in the Premier League before Sunday’s North London derby, but ensuring this appetiser didn’t turn sour was crucial in Chelsea setting the right tone ahead of two huge home matches.
Their eighth victory in ten games came courtesy of **Pedro Neto**’s fourth goal of the campaign and **Enzo Fernandez**’s late second as the visitors overcame a slow start to wing convincingly.
This trip to Turf Moor had the potential to be the on-pitch equivalent of Cole Palmer stubbing his toe in a domestic accident but, instead, the stricken striker’s team-mates emerged without any bruising on the road.
A second successive early kick-off following an international break brought complaints from Enzo Maresca but also the ability to learn from recent experience.
However, despite making four alterations and keeping long-haul returnee Moises Caicedo on the bench, Chelsea were slow out of the blocks before finding their groove, similar to the game against Nottingham Forest last month.
Still, Andrey Santos was impressive, particularly out of possession, and filled Caicedo’s sizeable boots well. But it was hard not to conclude that Neto and Fernadez, along with Marc Cucurella, will be key to Chelsea’s fortunes this week and beyond.
Quality told when they scored their goals and both were further examples to which Scott Parker could point to regarding the fine details he speaks about that make this division a whole different ball game compared to the Championship.
His team were the more fluid at the start but failed to reacclimatise once behind and couldn’t hold on when Chelsea found a little more rhythm. Parker’s side tend to specialise in narrow defeats and remain outside the bottom three only on goal difference.
Story of the Game
The home team were far brighter at the outset. Parker, facing one of his former clubs, did not initially set his team up to defend deep and frustrate their visitors, instead they were positive in possession and used the wings to good effect.
Blocks from Santos, who was required more as a defensive presence than attacking one during Chelsea’s tepid start, and Tosin Adarabioyo were key in preventing Burnley from concluding their promising moves with efforts at goal.
When **Loum Tchaouna**walked onto a shot 25 yards out from goal, he could have made the hosts’ confident start tell on the scoreboard but could only direct his effort straight at Robert Sanchez in the Chelsea goal.
Chelsea’s dozy start might have been worse had referee Peter Bankes intervened when Sanchez rolled the ball to Trevor Chalobah only for the defender to put his hand on it and spot it for a goalkick. It certainly appeared as though the ‘keeper had already restarted play but no handball was given.
Signs of Chelsea waking up came with Liam Delap holding the ball up and spinning his marker before playing in Neto for a cross into the penalty area. Jamie Gittens was poised at the back post but in slid Kyle Walker, on his 400th Premier League start, to flick the ball behind.
When the two Chelsea attackers reversed roles eight minutes before half time, Burnley were punished.
Cucurella controlled an upfield ball and played in Gittens. The winger curled an inviting cross towards the far post where Neto escaped his marker and stooped to head back across Martin Dubravka.
Maresca decided to withdraw Reece James at half time and replaced his captain with Benoit Badiashile, but Chelsea were dominating now. Both Delap and Cucurella made runs into the area that required Burnley’s backline to intervene.
A second goal for the visitors seemed an inevitability and almost came after Santos nicked the ball away in centre-field and moved it quickly so Neto could drive an attempt that struck the base of the upright before being quickly cleared to safety.
Burnley tried to rally and their best chance of levelling came through Zian Flemming,, who had scored three goals in as many games. After bringing down a free-kick in the area, though, he lifted his effort over the crossbar.
Chelsea, who had substitute Malo Gusto denied by Dubravka, made the victory all the more convincing when an attack started by Sanchez ran through Neto and Marc Guiu before the substitute pulled the ball back for Fernandez to seal it.