Frank Lampard admitted he’s excited by Hakim Ziyech’s high quality after the Morocco playmaker scored his first Premier League purpose on his maiden English top-flight begin as Chelsea powered to a 3-0 win at Burnley on Saturday. Lampard’s facet dominated from begin to end due to an influential show from Ziyech. Ziyech scored his first Chelsea purpose of their midweek Champions League rout of Krasnodar and a cool end within the first half at Turf Moor received him off the mark within the Premier League as effectively. The 27-year-old, who joined from Ajax within the close-season, is the primary participant to attain in his first two begins for Chelsea in all competitions since Diego Costa in 2014.
Kurt Zouma doubled the lead after half-time and Ziyech teed up Timo Werner to seal Chelsea’s first win in three Premier League video games as they climbed to fourth place.
“I am actually impressed and actually excited. I might see his character and work-rate off the ball,” Lampard mentioned.
“You noticed that at this time. That little bit of high quality provides us one thing totally different.”
After the tiring journey to Russia, this was a assured efficiency from the Blues, with new boys Ziyech, Werner and Kai Havertz exhibiting they’d not be intimidated by a cold, wind-swept afternoon towards bodily opponents.
Properly marshalled by Thiago Silva, Chelsea saved a fourth consecutive clear sheet in all competitions, banishing the defensive woes that haunted them earlier this time period.
It’s the first time Chelsea have saved successive league clear sheets since Lampard took cost final 12 months and they’re now unbeaten in six video games in all competitions.
“It was a really full efficiency from us. It is a tough place to return. We managed large elements of the sport, so I am very joyful,” Lampard mentioned.
“I used to be at all times conscious in the beginning of the season that it wasn’t going to be simple. It was asking loads for us to fly out of the blocks, however performances like this present that we’re doing one thing constructive.”
Winless Burnley sit backside of the desk after dropping 5 of their opening six top-flight matches for the primary time since 1927-28.
Chasing shadows
There was a late change to Lampard’s beginning line-up after Christian Pulisic was injured within the pre-match warm-up, with Werner shifting from the substitutes’ bench into the crew.
Chelsea have been practically caught chilly when Ashley Barnes received behind Zouma to achieve Josh Brownhill’s lengthy move, however the Burnley striker could not preserve his composure as Edouard Mendy rushed off his line to power him right into a wayward shot.
Rapidly recovering from that early escape, Chelsea appealed in useless for a penalty after Ben Chilwell gave the impression to be pushed within the again by Brownhill as he tried to achieve Reece James’ cross.
Tammy Abraham’s looping header was tipped over by Burnley keeper Nick Pope.
Lampard’s crew have been effectively on high and the purpose their strain deserved arrived within the twenty sixth minute.
Werner took Ziyech’s move and performed it again into the Burnley space for Abraham.
A deft layoff from Abraham teed up Ziyech and he drilled his low shot previous the wrong-footed Pope from 18 yards.
Werner nearly made it two simply earlier than the break, with a last-ditch block from Kevin Lengthy taking the sting out of the Chelsea ahead’s close-range effort.
Mason Mount fired straight at Pope after a flowing Chelsea transfer early within the second half.
Burnley have been chasing shadows for lengthy intervals, however they nearly equalised towards the run of play when Barnes shot simply huge from lengthy vary.
Promoted
Zouma put the end result past doubt within the 63rd minute, the French defender assembly Mount’s nook with a thumping header for his third purpose of the season.
Werner received Chelsea’s third within the seventieth minute with a medical end from Ziyech’s move for his fifth purpose of a powerful begin following his close-season transfer from RB Leipzig.
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