Match ends, Chelsea 3, Burnley 0.
ChelseaChelsea3BurnleyBurnley0
Chelsea continued their perfect start to the season with a comfortable victory over Burnley at Stamford Bridge.
The excellent Eden Hazard opened the scoring when he burst forward from halfway early in the first half before finishing low into the corner.
Willian then added a second just before the break with a clinical strike.
Scott Arfield shot wide for Burnley, but substitute Victor Moses wrapped up the win by sliding home a late finish.
Victory means Chelsea are currently top of the table, level with Manchester United on nine points from three games, but ahead on goals scored.
- Relive Chelsea win against Burnley
- 'Conte has Chelsea focused again'
- Hazard back to his best - Shearer
Hazard lights up Stamford Bridge
Two seasons ago, Hazard was arguably the best player in the Premier League as his 14 goals and nine assists helped Chelsea to win the title.
However, he was a shadow of his former self last season, failing to score in the Premier League until the end of April.
Under Antonio Conte, he appears to have rediscovered his best form. His goal against Burnley - the Belgium international's second in four games - was reminiscent of those he scored in 2014-15, charging at the defence before despatching a perfectly placed strike beyond Tom Heaton's dive.
The Clarets had no answer for Hazard, whose clever runs and tricky feet caused the visitors' defence, and in particular full-back Matt Lowton, problems throughout.
If Chelsea are to win the title this season, they will need the winger at his best. On his showing so far this season, that appears to be the case.
Wing play wins it for Chelsea
Conte has favoured either a 4-1-4-1 or a 4-2-4 formation since taking over at Chelsea and both require a lot of work from his wingers.
In order to be effective, they need to stay wide and both Hazard and Willian were hugely successful at doing this. Such a tactic forced Burnley to stretch their defence, so when either winger cut inside there was space for them to work with. The outcome was a goal apiece for Hazard and Willian.
When the two went off, their replacements - Pedro and Moses - picked up from where they left off, combining for Chelsea's third.
Burnley's brick wall crumbles
Burnley produced arguably the result of the season so far by beating Liverpool 2-0 in their previous Premier League game.
They had just 19% possession against the Reds but made the most of their limited time on the ball, while their disciplined two banks of four frustrated Jurgen Klopp's side throughout. That was not the case in this game.
Burnley failed to work the ball quickly to forwards Andre Gray and Sam Vokes, allowing Chelsea to regroup and cut off their attempts to counter. In the end, they never looked like getting anything from the game.
However, they will rarely face tougher tests than this one. They next face Hull City and with Premier League survival their target for this season, getting a result in that game will be a truer test of what they can achieve this season.
What they said
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte: "I am pleased to see the team play well and create a lot of chances. After 13 games where we have conceded at home, we didn't this time and that is very important. Now we must continue.
"I want Hazard to be decisive at the beginning and I am pleased because I saw this today. However we must continue with his work and the work of the whole team.
"I am pleased to work with these players but if we find a right solution, we want to improve this squad."
Burnley boss Sean Dyche: "They were far too good today. They are too strong in all areas. We want to take on the challenge and I think the lads got too sucked in with the result from last week.
"We did not use the ball at all. There were too many sloppy passes and you just cannot do that against teams like this one.
"They were never in trouble, but we have to learn from these games. This is not really our market, there is a big gap from where they are and where we are.
"We were not close to getting a result today."
Man of the match - Eden Hazard
The stats you need to know
- Antonio Conte is now unbeaten in his last 30 home league matches as a manager (W28 D2).
- Diego Costa has had a hand in a goal in each of his last five Premier League appearances (three goals, two assists).
- The Clarets conceded more goals in this game (3) than they had in their previous four away Premier League games (2).
- The Blues ended a run of 13 home Premier League games without a clean sheet, with their last before today in a 2-0 win over Norwich in November 2015.
- Victor Moses scored his first Premier League goal for Chelsea since November 2012.
- Burnley's first shot in this game was in the 43rd minute.
- The Clarets still have not won at Stamford Bridge since April 1971, losing six and drawing two games since then.
What next?
After the international break, Burnley entertain Hull on 10 September, while Chelsea travel to Swansea the following day.
Line-ups
Chelsea
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 13Courtois
- 2IvanovicBooked at 44mins
- 24Cahill
- 26Terry
- 28Azpilicueta
- 7Kanté
- 22WillianSubstituted forMosesat 77'minutes
- 8OscarBooked at 31mins
- 21Matic
- 10E HazardSubstituted forPedroat 81'minutes
- 19Diego CostaSubstituted forBatshuayiat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Begovic
- 4Fàbregas
- 11Pedro
- 14Loftus-Cheek
- 15Moses
- 23Batshuayi
- 34Aina
Burnley
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Heaton
- 2Lowton
- 5KeaneBooked at 50mins
- 6Mee
- 23Ward
- 21Boyd
- 8MarneySubstituted forTarkowskiat 72'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 16DefourSubstituted forO'Neillat 57'minutes
- 37ArfieldSubstituted forBerg Gudmundssonat 57'minutes
- 7Gray
- 9Vokes
Substitutes
- 11Kightly
- 17Robinson
- 19Jutkiewicz
- 25Berg Gudmundsson
- 26Tarkowski
- 27Darikwa
- 41O'Neill
- Referee:
- Mark Clattenburg
- Attendance:
- 41,607
Match Stats
Home TeamChelseaAway TeamBurnley
- Possession
- Home60%
- Away40%
- Shots
- Home22
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home10
- Away0
- Corners
- Home9
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home6
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Chelsea 3, Burnley 0.
Post update
Attempt saved. César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Pedro.
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Corner, Burnley. Conceded by César Azpilicueta.
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Foul by Pedro (Chelsea).
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Matthew Lowton (Burnley) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Booking
James Tarkowski (Burnley) is shown the yellow card.
Goal!
Goal! Chelsea 3, Burnley 0. Victor Moses (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Pedro with a cross.
Post update
Victor Moses (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Ben Mee (Burnley).
Post update
Attempt missed. Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by César Azpilicueta.
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Attempt blocked. Sam Vokes (Burnley) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Foul by John Terry (Chelsea).
Post update
Sam Vokes (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Offside, Burnley. Sam Vokes tries a through ball, but George Boyd is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Pedro replaces Eden Hazard.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Michy Batshuayi replaces Diego Costa.
Post update
Eden Hazard (Chelsea) wins a free kick.
Post update
Foul by James Tarkowski (Burnley).
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Victor Moses replaces Willian.
