Premier League
Burnley 0 – 2 Chelsea FT
Pedro Neto scored his fourth aim of the season in all competitions for Chelsea [Getty Images]
Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez delivered a cushty 2-0 win at Burnley to elevate Chelsea to second within the Premier League.
The opener got here when Neto met Jamie Gittens’ cross on the far put up, whereas Fernandez sealed victory with a late run into the field after a counter-attack involving Neto and substitute Marc Guiu.
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The Blues not often moved out of second gear through the 90 minutes and have been in a position to relaxation unused substitute Moises Caicedo, with matches towards Barcelona and Arsenal to come back.
Nonetheless, resting gamers appeared a bet early on as Burnley began brightly, with Jaidon Anthony having two early pictures blocked and Loum Tchaouna forcing a save from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez with a strike from the sting of the field.
Chelsea began slowly and examined Burnley keeper Martin Dubvravka with a tame long-range effort from Trevoh Chalobah.
However after Neto’s header put them forward they took management, withdrawing captain Reece James at half-time but rising more and more dominant.
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Neto struck a put up quickly after the interval, whereas substitute Malo Gusto noticed a shot saved amid additional makes an attempt from Joao Pedro, Gittens, Fernandez and Marc Cucurella.
Chelsea’s second-half show was largely about sport administration as they gave little away and dominated possession, ending with about 60%.
In-form striker Zian Flemming fired Burnley’s solely second-half likelihood over, half-hour after his aspect’s earlier effort, and substitutes Lyle Foster and Armando Broja couldn’t encourage a comeback.
After Chelsea made a number of adjustments of their very own, younger striker Guiu offered Fernandez with a cutback to show house the second aim.
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Burnley stay seventeenth within the desk and will drop into the relegation zone afterward Saturday, with Nottingham Forest and West Ham nonetheless to play.
Chelsea climbed to second, having performed a sport greater than their rivals.
Burnley evaluation: A scarcity of high quality in assault?
When this weekend is over Burnley will doubtless be among the many backside three groups within the league.
Wins over Sunderland, Leeds and Wolves confirmed they’re able to beating fellow promoted sides or relegation-threatened groups on their day, however questions stay about their underlying high quality, notably in each bins, given their different outcomes.
Burnley conceded late objectives towards Manchester United and Liverpool earlier within the season however have been properly overwhelmed on Saturday.
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Chelsea dominated after Burnley didn’t capitalise on a vibrant begin in entrance of their very own followers.
Anthony was too ponderous when offered with possibilities to shoot and noticed two efforts blocked, whereas crosses failed to seek out their mark and Flemming blazed his solely likelihood over.
It was a well-recognized story for Burnley, who performed properly at West Ham earlier than the worldwide break solely to succumb to set-piece objectives.
Flemming had been on a run of three objectives in 4 matches beforehand, however there seems to be a scarcity of firepower on the Lancashire membership.
That lack of high quality might in the end imply Burnley are relegated once more regardless of their finest efforts underneath supervisor Scott Parker.
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Burnley had just a few penalty shouts, together with on the place Trevoh Chalobah dealt with the ball in his personal field after goalkeeper Robert Sanchez appeared to play out a again move.
Parker stated of the weird incident: “To be sincere with you, on the time I did not even discover. So, the ref or anybody was not in communication. I’ve simply seen it again.
“Yeah, it does appear like a penalty. I keep in mind one final yr being given, Tyrone Mings, Villa, that was it. The ball’s reside. Keepers rolled it. You possibly can inform by his subsequent motion that the ball’s reside.
“So, should you’re actually trying on the element of it, spots the ball, performs to the centre half after which makes one other angle as a result of the ball’s in play.
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“I am not sitting right here being vital, however I suppose that’s the reason we bought VAR. However perhaps I do not know whether or not it went to it. I do not know whether or not they checked out it. It is one in every of them issues.”
Chelsea evaluation: Cucurella distinctive
Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella was excellent in each defensive and attacking moments, inspiring the breakthrough aim.
The Blues weren’t at their finest at Turf Moor, however his unlikely run right into a striker’s place helped Neto break the impasse.
Roaming from his common left-back position, Cucurella discovered himself in a quantity 9 place, introduced the ball down like a goal man and laid it off for Gittens to cross for Neto’s header.
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That intelligent motion proved not possible to trace, and a subsequent run into midfield created an opportunity for Liam Delap, which he squandered. Delap now has just one aim in 13 matches since becoming a member of Chelsea.
Cucurella repeated that very same motion right into a striker’s place twice within the second half, mounting an extra blocked shot and producing the same lay-off to a team-mate.
Maresca stated: “I feel additionally the primary aim towards Wolves, should you keep in mind, Cucu was contained in the field once we scored that aim, right now once more.
“It is a part of the sport plan. Once more, typically we use the full-back in that manner, typically differently, however the necessary factor is that they’re all conscious of what they should do.”
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There isn’t a doubt Cucurella was Chelsea’s star on the day, and he’s within the dialog alongside Cole Palmer and Caicedo as one of many membership’s perfect gamers.
What’s subsequent for these groups?
Burnley face a visit to Brentford within the league on 29 November.
Chelsea host Barcelona within the Champions League on Tuesday earlier than going through Premier League leaders Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on 30 November.