Chelsea move up to fourth despite Burnley draw
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Updated 22/04/2019 at 21:44 GMT
Stamford Bridge, Premier League – Chelsea 2 (Kante 12, Higuain, 14) Burnley 2 (Hendrick 8, Barnes 24)
Ashley Barnes and Burnley team mates shake hands during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Burnley FC at Stamford Bridge on April 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom.
Image credit: Getty Images
Chelsea missed the chance to take full advantage of slip ups from their rivals in the race for a top-four finish as they were held to a 2-2 draw by a resilient Burnley at Stamford Bridge.
The Clarets took an eighth-minute lead when Cesar Azpilicueta’s poor headed clearance was volleyed home by Jeff Hendrick from the edge of the box – but within six minutes, Chelsea were in front.
First, N’Golo Kante swept home after quick feet from Eden Hazard down the wing left Matt Lowton chasing shadows, with the France midfielder on hand to restore parity from the pull back.
Two minutes later, a probing run from Jorginho led to Gonzalo Higuain playing a smart one-two with Azpilicueta before rifling his shot beyond Tom Heaton at his near post via the underside of the crossbar.
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Gonzalo Higuain celebrates his goal to put Chelsea in front
Image credit: PA Sport
But Chelsea fell asleep once more from a Burnley free-kick as Dwight McNeil’s deep cross for Ben Mee found its way through to Ashley Barnes via Chris Wood’s deft flick, and the forward made no mistake from close range.
It was the first time since May 2011 that Chelsea had conceded two goals from set pieces at home in the Premier League. Maurizio Sarri’s side, who moved above Arsenal into fourth with the point, threw everything at Burnley in the second period, but through superb defensive organisation, Tom Heaton was largely untroubled.
Frustration got the better of Higuain as he reacted petulantly to being replaced by Olivier Giroud in the final 20 minutes. With Manchester United facing Manchester City on Wednesday and Arsenal in action on the same night at Wolves, the Blues could slip to sixth with defeat at Old Trafford next Sunday.
An incensed Sarri was sent to the stands in stoppage time as Burnley’s time-wasting tactics helped move them onto 40 points, and virtually assured them of the top-flight status next season.
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Burnley manager Sean Dyche applauds the fans at the final whistle
Image credit: PA Sport
TALKING POINT
The race for the top four that no one wants to win... Antonio Rudiger, not involved in this absorbing draw through injury, came flying out from the stands after the final whistle to remonstrate aggressively with members of the opposite dug-out, but such a show of passion had come too late from anyone of a Blues persuasion.
Chelsea just couldn't find a way through a resolute Burnley backline in the second half, and tempers boiled over in stoppage time as both Pedro and Mateo Kovacic were cautioned before Sarri was sent to the stands.
Clearly, despite Chelsea retaining a good chance of making the Champions League next season via winning the Europa League alone, the home side's failure to fully capitalise on defeats for Manchester United and Arsenal on Sunday means it's more or less as you were following a weekend of action where Tottenham were the biggest winners.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Ben Mee (Burnley): Mee's superb bicycle-kick clearance off his own goal-line after just five minutes laid the foundations for an outstanding display that all but assures Burnley of their Premier League status for a fourth successive season.
The 29-year-old was unfortunate for Chelsea's second as the ball deflected off him and kindly into the path of Higuain, but the Clarets centre-half shrugged off that early setback to produce a majestic second-half display as he headed countless crosses to preserve a well-earned point.
PLAYER RATINGS
Chelsea: Kepa 6, Azpilicueta 6, Luiz 6, Christensen 6, Emerson 7, Jorginho 7, Kante 6, Loftus-Cheek 6, Hudson-Odoi 6, Hazard 7, Higuain 7.
Subs: Pedro 7, Kovacic 6, Giroud 6.
Burnley: Heaton 6, Lowton 7, Mee 8, Tarkowski 8, Taylor 7, Hendrick 7, Cork 7, Westwood 7, McNeil 6, Wood 7, Barnes 7.
Subs: None.
KEY EVENTS
7 - OFF THE LINE!! Chelsea so close to an early breakthrough as Higuain is onto Hazard's delightful flick and from the angle on the left, he lifts his shot over Heaton, but Ben Mee is back to acrobatically clear on the line!
8 - GOAL!!!!!!! What a strike, what a wonderful hit from Jeff Hendrick! It's a stunning effort as the Republic of Ireland international volleys his shot beyond Kepa to give Burnley the lead. Azpilicueta's headed clearance from the Burnley corner was straight onto Hendrick's right boot, and he flashed his shot into the net from the edge of the box!
12 - GOAAAALLLLLL!!!!!! It hasn't taken long for Chelsea to reply, and Hazard is at the heart of it. He gets his head up and isolates Lowton on the left, leaving him on his backside before laying the ball on a plate for N'Golo Kante to lash his left-foot shot beyond Heaton. An instant response!
14 - GOAL!!!!!!! Chelsea complete the turnaround and we've not even played 15 minutes! From 1-0 down, Chelsea now lead as Gonzalo Higuain plays a tidy one-two with Azpilicueta and beats Heaton at his near post via the underside of the bar with a venomous shot! That's much more like the Higuain of old, and the Chelsea fans chant, "You're not singing anymore!"
24 - GOAL!!!! We're back at all-square and Chelsea just can't deal with Burnley's set pieces. Ben Mee is found by McNeil at the far post, and the centre-back's header across goal is flicked on by Chris Wood into the path of Ashley Barnes, and he's not going to miss from there, just a few yards out! What a half!
52 - CHANCE!!! And it is a chance that has been wasted by Burnley! Chelsea lose the ball under pressure in their own half as Barnes releases Wood but he can't get his feet sorted out, and Christensen is able to thwart his attempt at a cross. The New Zealand international just needed to open up his body and shoot for the far corner. It was Azpilicueta who was guilty of conceding possession.
68 - SAVE! Good low ball from Emerson is dummied by the lively Higuain, and Azpilicueta's shot from the right is save by Heaton before Loftus-Cheek gets his effort all wrong as the ball is recycled by the Spaniard.
82 - CLOSE! Burnley are dropping deeper and deeper as it's a clever ball from Kovacic that Loftus-Cheek manages to keep alive but Giroud is caught on his heels and didn't expect it! Mee is allowed to clear once more unopposed!
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Charlie Taylor of Burnley reacts during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Burnley FC at Stamford Bridge on April 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom.
Image credit: Getty Images
MATCH STATS
- Chelsea have only lost one of their 21 Premier League matches played on a Monday at Stamford Bridge (W15 D5) – a 2-3 defeat to Manchester United on Boxing Day in 1994 under manager Glenn Hoddle.
- Since their 3-2 victory against Chelsea in this exact fixture last season, Burnley have failed to win any of their last 11 Premier League away games versus ‘big six’ opposition (D5 L6).
- Chelsea conceded two goals from set-pieces (exc. penalties) in a single Premier League game at Stamford Bridge for the first time since May 2011 versus Newcastle.
- Jeff Hendrick’s strike for Burnley’s opener was the 1000th goal Chelsea have conceded in the Premier League; the ninth club in the competition to do so.
- Chelsea’s Eden Hazard has provided 13 assists in the Premier League in 2018-19, the most in the competition this season and one more than he registered in his previous three seasons combined (12).
- Chelsea’s N'Golo Kante has scored four goals in 34 Premier League games this season, one more than he netted in his previous three campaigns in the competition combined (three goals in 106 apps).
- Ashley Barnes has scored 11 Premier League goals this season, the joint-most by a Burnley player in a single campaign in the competition (also Danny Ings in 2014-15).
- Chelsea’s Gonzalo Higuaín has scored 10+ league goals in each of his last 11 seasons in Europe’s top five leagues (4 for Chelsea, 6 for Milan in 2018-19).
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