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The only downside from Chelsea’s emphatic victory over Burnley on Saturday was the chants of Roman Abramovic's name during the tributes to victims of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Apart that moment, everything else was near-perfect for the Blues. A strong second-half performance saw them come away from Turf Moor with four unanswered goals and all three points.
Thomas Tuchel’s side were coming off defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final and an unconvincing win against Luton Town in the FA Cup. However, they turned on the style against Burnley after a quiet first half.
A double from Kai Havertz was interspersed with strikes from Reece James and Christian Pulisic as Chelsea ran out comfortable 4-0 winners.
Chelsea blitz Clarets
This was by far Chelsea’s best performance since their 5-1 thrashing of Chesterfield in the FA Cup at the start of January.
The Blues may have been a bit sloppy in the first half, but they gave Burnley no chance at all. Sean Dyche’s side were not afforded time and space to make use of their aerial threat as they ended the game with just one shot on target. Chelsea, meanwhile, were stingy in defence and ruthless up front, with Pulisic, Havertz and Mason Mount wreaking havoc in the final third.
The returning James was unplayable on the right flank, using his pace to trouble Burnley’s defence for much of the game. It was a complete performance from Chelsea, and they could’ve even won by a bigger margin.
Blues back in Premier League title race?
The Blues’ poor run of form between December and January has seen them fall off the pace in the Premier League title race. They trail Liverpool by seven points, with the Reds three points behind league leaders Manchester City.
However, the Blues cannot be ruled out of the title race just yet. Their chances of winning the league may currently be slim. However, they kept those hopes alive with their emphatic victory against Burnley.
“On the one hand, it was difficult because the pitch was so dry. We had a lot of ball possession, but it was difficult to accelerate the game. The ball was somehow always stuck between our legs, and once you pass it, it’s already one second too late, and the spaces are already closed,” Tuchel said, as quoted by Chelseafc.com.
The Blues manager continued:
“We had a bit of a switch in tactics to give Kante more space and to have two strikers on the pitch. The team did very well; we kept on believing and had a fantastic second half and a brilliant result.
Tuchel added:
“When you arrive at Turf Moor, you know what’s waiting – physicality, direct play, headers, fighting for second balls, crosses, set-pieces. We stepped up, and it shows for me a lot of character, which is why I’m very proud.”
The Blues currently occupy third place and trail leaders Manchester City by 13 points, with a game in hand. While they look to mount an unlikely title challenge, they need to be wary of fourth-placed Arsenal, who trail the Blues by five points, albeit with a game in hand.
