EPL Day 10: Pulisic HATTRICK inspire Chelsea on a seventh win in a row to keep pace on THIRD; Burnley 2 - 4 Chelsea

Six goals were recorded at the Turf Moor with four going in favor of Chelsea.

Christian Pulisic was the difference on a night where Burnley had a few chances but were thoroughly outplayed in both boxes, even if Chelsea made hard work of it in the end as they wrapped up their seventh win in a row to keep pace with third-placed Leicester.

 

 

There were changes for Burnley, one enforced and the other tactical. Chris Wood failed his fitness test and wasn’t in the squad, leaving Ashley Barnes to take his place after coming back from an injury of his own.

Jeff Hendrick moved across midfield to play on the right, in what looked like a narrow four, with Robbie Brady dropped to the bench and Jack Cork back in the starting XI.

 

 

Christian Pulisic got a first league start since August in Chelsea's one change from the win in Ajax on Wednesday night with Callum Hudson-Odoi benched, while Ross Barkley was the other absentee from beating Newcastle last weekend. Mateo Kovacic kept his place from their trip to the Netherlands.

There was plenty of possession from Chelsea around the yard of Burnley who were well organized to let a slip. Both Chelsea full-backs were involved in the attacking play, on occasion when those players looked up to play the ball into the box with only Abraham in there so they ended up recycling the ball, played it safe and across the face of Burnley.

 

 

Pulisic repaid the manager’s faith for handing him a start in the 21-minute. Lowton sliped 40 yards out and the American was straight onto it. He kept the ball when Tarkowski tried to hold him up just inside the box. 

Pulisic kept on going away from goal and later played it back across the defender and into the far corner for a fine debut strike.

 

 

Burnley came close when the ball was delivered to the back post. He headed back across goal but Barnes was off-balance as it reached him and pounced it away from goal.

The home side missed a hit from goal 15-minutes to full time. The Clarets had a free-kick 40 yards out, pinged it to the back post where Mee headed it across goal towards Barnes. Totally unmarked, he glanced it wide from no distance at all. 

 

 

Pulisic added a second to wrap up the first half of the game.

Tarkowski's poor pass into midfield was picked off by Willian who found Pulisic, he run at the home defence who were scared to get anywhere near him, and his shot took a big deflection off Mee's slide into the net.

 

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Pulisic completed his hat trick in the 56-minute from a header. A Chelsea corner went back out to Mount who whipped it back into the near post, where Pulisic nodded it in off the back of his head for his third of the night.

 

 

 

 

 

Willian made it 4-0 two minutes later after Abraham found him before beating Pope at his near post.

James replaced Alonso and Barnes was hooked for Vydra for Burnley.

 

 

Rodriguez banged in a stunner four minutes to time from 30 yards out. He did indeed beat Kepa with a brilliant dipping effort.

Burnley once again hit sleeping Chelsea with a second through McNeil. He got into space 20 yards out and went for goal, his effort deceived Kepa with a big touch off Tomori.