Victory + clean sheet/Three points

Chelsea have moved up to second in the Premier League, three points off Arsenal, as they saw off Burnley 2-0 at Turf Moor.

With Cole Palmer having suffered an injury setback and Moises Caicedo on the bench, Chelsea nevertheless managed to get the job done in solid, if not spectacular, fashion on Saturday.

Pedro Neto put them ahead late in the first half, stooping to meet a teasing delivery from Jamie Gittens.

Chelsea’s goalscorer went close to doubling the Blues’ tally when he struck the woodwork midway through the second half, but after withstanding some Burnley pressure, the visitors settled it when Enzo Fernandez slammed home in the 88th minute.

Though they could be replaced in second by Manchester City later on, Chelsea have ensured their place in the top three for another week. Burnley, meanwhile, sit 17th ahead of the rest of this weekend’s games.

How the match unfolded

Jaidon Anthony saw two promising strikes blocked as Burnley started well, before Kyle Walker, on his 400th Premier League start, made a vital intervention to prevent Neto’s cross from reaching Gittens at the other end.

Chelsea’s wingers combined to great effect in the 37th minute. Gittens swung in a stunning delivery from the left, with Neto sending a fantastic diving header into the bottom-left corner.

Gittens caused more trouble just before the hour, getting the better of Loum Tchaouna and seeing a strike deflect wide.

Martin Dubravka was called into action soon after, as he managed to parry Neto’s strike on to the right-hand post.

Quilindschy Hartman’s floated ball caught Chelsea’s defence napping in the 69th minute, but Zian Flemming could not keep his attempt down.

Dubravkathen  denied Malo Gusto from making it 2-0, but Chelsea’s third straight league victory was sealed when substitute Marc Guiu teed up Fernandez to drill in from close range.

Santos shines as Chelsea tee themselves up for a big week

Enzo Maresca, marking his 50th Premier League game in charge of Chelsea, opted not to overexert Caicedo, with the midfielder given an extra bit of rest after his travel and exploits over the international break with Ecuador.

That decision seemed to have backfired somewhat early on, with Burnley finding plenty of space, but Andrey Santos swiftly asserted his authority on proceedings.

The Brazilian was not hugely influential in possession, but off the ball, he was brilliant, making a couple of vital interventions and consistently triggering Chelsea’s press.

Maresca took another key player off at half-time, with Reece James making way for Benoit Badiashile, seemingly in a tactical change, and the Blues appeared to have more control as they switched to a back three.

It was by no means a superb display, and Maresca will have wanted the second goal to come much earlier than it did, nevertheless that kind of controlled performance will surely please the Chelsea head coach. They face a tough run of fixtures with Barcelona, in the UEFA Champions League, and Arsenal, coming up next week.

Burnley blunted

Scott Parker will have been happy with Burnley’s start, with Anthony looking particularly bright.

Yet his team generated just two shots on target, and it is that lack of clinical edge that sees them at risk of dropping into the bottom three by the time the day is out.

Burnley may well point to a potential handball not being given their way in the first half. Not long before the half-hour mark, Robert Sanchez passed it to Tosin Adarabioyo from a goal-kick.

Tosin seemed to misunderstand his goalkeeper and clearly handled the ball to stop it, but referee Peter Bankes decided that the ball was, in fact, dead, allowing the Chelsea centre-back to take the goal-kick.

But Burnley, ultimately, did not do enough to trouble Chelsea’s defence. Even as they built up a head of steam in the second half, the Clarets did not look particularly dangerous – Flemming’s wayward attempt was the best they managed.

A trip to Brentford comes up next week, and after three straight defeats, it does seem that Burnley’s course for the season is destined to see them fight in a tussle at the bottom.