Chelsea 2-0 Burnley: Thomas Tuchel records first win as boss

César Azpilicueta’s goal is his first for Chelsea since January last year.

Thomas Tuchel celebrated his first win as Chelsea coach against relegated Burnley thanks to goals from Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso.

Captain Azpilicueta – the oldest player in the team – harassed Callum Hudson-Odoi before the break of the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, who escaped from Nick Pope.

Spanish defender Alonso, a colleague of Aspilicueta, eventually added to his tally by expertly handling a cross from Christian Pulisio and then scoring at the far post for Pope.

The impressive Hudson-Odoi was unlucky not to score between two shots that were deflected off the post by Burnley defender Eric Peters.

This is Chelsea’s second consecutive win under Tuchel, whose first game was a 0-0 draw with the Wolves in midweek, while Burnley failed to produce a single penalty.

The only downside for Tuchel is that Timo Werner didn’t score in his twelfth championship game. Chelsea moved up three places in the league table to seventh, while Burnley remained 15th.

Old faces welcome the new Tuchel era

No Tuchel player has stayed at Chelsea longer than Azpilicueta, who came over from Marseille in 2012, and Alonso, who joined from Fiorentina four years later.

Oddly enough, Azpilicueta’s goal should mark the Tuchel era, as he is the only player in the current Chelsea squad to have played alongside and under his predecessor Frank Lampard.

Azpilicueta’s goal was reminiscent of Lampard’s habit of popping up in the penalty area at just the right moment. He crowned a successful action by passing Hudson-Odoi and shooting into the roof of the net.

For Azpilicueta, it was his first goal in over a year. While Alonso’s inclusion wasn’t really surprising given his penchant for scoring goals, his replacement in Tuchel’s squad was a revelation given that he hadn’t played for over four months.

In place of Ben Chilwell, Alonso put in a handsome performance by going in front of Pulisic with his chest in the middle, who hit his knee once more before firing an impressive volley.

Marcos Alonso’s late goal was Chelsea’s 20th of the season. Goal in the Premier League since his departure in 2016.

In the end, the score was more accurate: Chelsea dominated, 19 shots for Burnley and Hudson-Odoi was a danger all game.

Chelsea are still three places and four points clear of the Champions League, but this performance – against Burnley, who are in top form – will give Tuchel the confidence to close the gap.

Thomas Tuchel praised Chelsea’s impressive performance.

Burnley could not repeat the heroics of Anfield

Most of the first half was reminiscent of Burnley’s unforgettable win over Liverpool, where it let the hosts down for long periods and gave up a late goal.

Prior to Azpilicueta’s switch, Pope had barely been in action, aside from a few routine attempts from an increasingly desperate Werner.

But once Burnley were behind, they had no answer. The replacement of top scorer Chris Wood after just an hour didn’t help either.

James Tarkowski’s save from a corner kick was the sum of their efforts, and even that missed the mark as Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy remained a mere spectator.

Two successive victories – at Anfield and at home against Aston Villa – have moved Burnley eight points clear of the relegation zone.

A lengthy absence from Wood will worry coach Sean Dyche, however, as his side remain second in the league with 13 goals and are in 11th place. The team has not conceded a goal in 20 games.

They owe it to England’s Pope to keep the defeat limited by stopping Rhys James, Werner and Pulisic in the second half and not allowing Ben Mee to turn a Hudson-Odoi cross into his own net.

Azpilicueta – Chelsea’s Lucky Charms – Statistics

• Chelsea recorded four wins in a row in all competitions against Burnley for the first time since December 1982.
• Burnley have conceded just two goals in seven of their last nine Premier League away games.
• Thomas Tuchel is the first Chelsea coach since Rafael Benitez in 2012 not to concede a goal in his first two Premier League games.
• Burnley’s first shot didn’t come until the 94th minute. Minute – the longest wait for a first shot in a Premier League match.
• Chelsea have yet to lose a league game in which Cesar Azpilicueta scored (W5 D4).
• Callum Hudson-Odoi was directly involved in five goals in his last eight appearances in all competitions, scoring three times and providing two assists.
• Mason Mount (22, 21) became the youngest English player to make 50 Premier League appearances for Chelsea since John Terry in 2002 (21, 124).

What’s the next step?

Burnley welcome league leader Pep Guardiola to Manchester City on Wednesday at 18:00 GMT.

Chelsea host Tottenham Hotspur – led by former Blues boss Jose Mourinho – at 8pm on Thursday.

The player of the game

Hudson-OdoiCallum Hudson-Odoi

Chelsea

1. Team number 20PseudoHudson-Odoi
2. Team number28Player nameAzpilikueta
3. Team number6 Player nameTiago Silva
4. Team number3Player nameAlonso
5. Team number19Player nameMonument
6. Team number24James
7. Team number 17Player nameKovacic
8. Team number 10PseudoPulisic
9. Team number 2Player nameRudiger
10. Team number5Jorginhos Player name
11. Team number 16Player nameMendi
12. Team number29Havertz Name of player
13. Team number 11Player nameVerner
14. Team number9 Player nameAbraham

Burnley

1. Team number1Pop player name
2. Squadron number 5Players nameTarkovsky
3. Team number6 Player nameMi
4. Team number 2 Player nameLowton
5. Team number18PseudoWestwood
6. Team number46PseudoMumbongo
7. Team number 4Players nameKork
8. Team number 11Player name McNeil
9. Team number23Players team namePeters
10. Team number12Players name Brady
11. Team number19Player nameRodriguez
12. Team number27Players nameVidra
13. Team number9 Player nameWood
14. Team number7 Name playerGudmundsson

Lines

Chelsea

training 3-4-2-1

16Mendy

28Azpilicueta6Tiago Silva2Rudiger

20Gudson-Odoi5Giorginho17Covacic3Alonso

19Meeting11Werner

9Abraham

• 16Mendy
• 28Azpilicueta
• 6Tiago Silva
• 2Rudiger
• 20 Hudson-OdoSubstitution of Jamesin the 73rd minute.
• 5 Jorginho
• 17Kovacs
• 3Alonso
• 19 Havertz man replacement after 80 minutes
• 11 Werner
• 9AbrahamSwapped for Pulisicat 45’min

replaces

• 1Arrizabalaga
• 4Christensen
• 7Side
• 10Pulis
• 15Zuma
• 18Giroud
• 21Chilwell
• 24 James
• 29Greens

Burnley

4-4-2 training

1Dad

2Lawton5Tarkowski6Me23Peters

12Brady18Westwood4Cork11McNeil

27Vidra9Wood

• 1Dad
• 2Lowton
• 5Tarkovsky
• 6Mi.
• 23Peters
• 12BradySubstituted for Mumbongot 76’min
• 18WestwoodBooked at 60min
• 4Cork
• 11McNeil
• 27VidraSwapped by Rodriguez at 57’min
• 9Wood, Gudmundsson’s replacement in the 62nd minute.

replaces

• 7Gudmundsson
• 15Pacock-Farrell.
• 16Stephens
• 19Rodriguez
• 26 Bardsley.
• 28Long
• 34Dunna
• 41Benson
• 46Mambongo

Real-time text

1. Game over, Chelsea 2, Burnley 0.
2. End of the second half, Chelsea 2, Burnley 0.
3. The attempt failed. James Tarkowski’s (Burnley) header from very close range misses height and distance on the left. The ball was cleared by Ashley Westwood from a cross for a corner.
4. Corner, Burnley. Prepared by Thiago Silva.
5. Kai Haverz (Chelsea) is penalised after committing a foul.
6. Ashley Westwood (Burnley) takes a free kick on the right wing.
7. Offside, Chelsea. César Aspilicueta tries a deep pass, but Timo Werner is offside.
8. Offside, Burnley. Juhann Gudmundsson plays a forward pass but Joel Mambongo is caught offside by the referee.
9. Goal! Chelsea 2, Burnley 0. Marcos Alonso (Chelsea) shoots with his left foot from the centre of the box. Sponsored by Christian Pulisic.
10. Attempting rescue. Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) shoots with his left foot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Sponsored by Kai Havertz.
11. Substitution : Chelsea. Kai Havertz replaces Mason Mount.
12. Offside, Chelsea. Thiago Silva plays a forward pass but Rhys James is caught offside by the referee.
13. Substitution : Burnley. Joel Mambongo is replacing Robbie Brady.
14. The attempt failed. Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea)’s right-footed shot from outside the box was too high. With Jorginho’s support.
15. Attempting rescue. Reece James (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is taken. With Jorginho’s support.
16. Substitution : Chelsea. Reece James replaces Callum Hudson-Odoi.
17. Mason Mount (Chelsea) is penalised after committing a foul.
18. Ben Mee (Burnley) hits a free kick on the opponent’s half.
19. The attempt failed. Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) shoots with his right foot from the centre of the box, but misses with his left. Sponsored by Callum Hudson-Odoi.
20. The attempt failed. Mason Mount (Chelsea)’s right footed shot from the centre of the box is close range but misses to the left. Assisted by Marcos Alonso.