Chelsea extend winning run with win over Burnley

First half goals from Eden Hazard and Willian eased Chelsea to a 3-0 win over Burnley at Stamford Bridge.

Belgian playmaker Hazard grabbed his second goal in three matches as Chelsea pummelled the Clarets at Stamford Bridge.

Burnley may have beaten Liverpool with 19 per cent possession of the ball last weekend, but Antonio Conte’s rampant side never looked remotely like falling for the counter-punch.

In fact the only surprise was that they only scored three as Hazard and Diego Costa could probably have bagged a hat-trick apiece.

As it was, they had to settle for Hazard’s fine ninth-minute opener, Willian’s first of the campaign shortly before half-time and a late strike from Victor Moses to make it three wins out of three.

Hazard got the ball rolling when he collected Nemanja Matic’s pass inside his own half and galloped unchallenged down the left towards the Burnley penalty area.

The Belgian skipped inside Clarets defender Michael Keane before curling his shot past keeper Tom Heaton and inside the far post from 20 yards.

Hazard almost had a second five minutes later when he turned Matic’s cross goalwards but Ben Mee cleared his effort off the line.

Costa was having a quiet first half but he could have doubled the lead when Oscar cut the ball back in the area, but the Spaniard’s first-time shot was straight at Heaton.

Instead Costa turned provider five minutes before half-time, knocking a square ball to Willian who instead of playing the one-two, simply stepped past Matt Lowton and lashed an angled drive past Heaton.

Burnley did not managed a single effort on goal in the first half and Dean Marney’s shot at the beginning of the second was barely worthy of the name as it flew high over the crossbar.

Hazard was still enjoying himself at the other end, though, and his darting run and ball into the box was touched on by Matic to Costa, who once again fired too close to Heaton.

The busy Burnley keeper got down well to keep out a Hazard volley from the edge of the area, with John Terry skying the rebound.

Hazard fizzed another effort inches over the top before wriggling clear and forcing Heaton into another save, with Costa this time unable to snaffle the loose ball.

With Hazard and Costa given the last few minutes off it was left to substitute Moses to put the gloss on the scoreline in the dying moments when he arrived at the far post to tuck in Pedro’s cross.