In a week when domestic accidents troubled Chelsea, they had no such issues at Burnley. Without the injured Cole Palmer, who fractured a toe after colliding with a door at home, they avoided a slip here, escaping without even a fissure.
There was the occasional early threat of a bloody nose, but even not at full speed, Chelsea were able to halt Burnley’s industry. Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernández were the matchwinners but Chelsea did not make the most of dominating possession against a side that had two meek shots on target.
Burnley matched Chelsea for more than a third of the game, looking dangerous thanks to balls over the top their wingers latched on to, but Loum Tchaouna and Jaidon Anthony never made a clinical decision when they mattered. They either wanted too long on the ball or sent loose crosses to no one.
Chelsea were sloppy in the early stages, unable to keep possession. Their front three came alive when the ball reached the edge of the area, offering neat touches and clever runs, but without creating a chance of note. Moisés Caicedo’s absence from the starting XI, caused by a gruelling international break with Ecuador, caused problems in the Chelsea midfield and they struggled to settle into a rhythm.
