Chelsea crush Burnley to go top

Chelsea 3 Burnley 0

A magnificent individual goal from Eden Hazard set Chelsea on their way to a comfortable victory which sent them top of the Premier League.

Hazard collected a pass from Nemanja Matic on the halfway line and took full advantage of open space to glide to the edge of the box, where he cut in on his right foot and clipped a low shot into the far corner.

Willian doubled the lead just before the break and Victor Moses wrapped it up late on, but the margin of victory could have been greater, but for saves by Burnley keeper Tom Heaton and a glaring miss by Blues skipper John Terry.

Cesc Fabregas remained an unused substitute for the second home game in a row, four days before the transfer window closes.

Hazard’s goal after just seven minutes set the tone for a dominant Chelsea display.

Ben Mee denied Hazard a second when he cleared off the line, and Heaton made saves from John Terry and Diego Costa, before Willian settled any anxiety when he drilled in an angled shot five minutes before half-time.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Chelsea unable to add further goals that would have reflected their superiority.

Costa cut a particularly frustrated figure as first he shot straight at Heaton after good work by Hazard and Nemanja Matic, and was then crowded out by the Burnley defence when fed by Oscar.

A Willian corner was met by Hazard on the edge of the box with a firm volley, saved by Heaton, and Terry somehow spooned the loose ball over the bar from close range.

Hazard, a constant threat in a mesmerising display, drilled a shot narrowly over and also brought another save from Heaton after a glorious cross-field pass by Willian.

And Moses scored his first Premier League goal for Chelsea since November 2012 when he slid in Pedro’s cross.