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Reuters
Reuters
Sport
Clare Lovell

Chelsea rediscover home form to put three past Burnley

Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Burnley - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - January 11, 2020 Chelsea's Mason Mount in action with Burnley's Jack Cork Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Chelsea made amends for recent defeats at Stamford Bridge by thumping Burnley 3-0 on Saturday with goals from Jorginho, Tammy Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi's first in the Premier League.

The hosts looked sharp from the start and won a penalty in the 26th minute when Matthew Lowton caught Willian's legs as the Brazilian raced down the left. Italian Jorginho shimmied in the run-up to send Nick Pope the wrong way from the spot.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Burnley - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - January 11, 2020 Chelsea manager Frank Lampard gives instructions to Callum Hudson-Odoi during a break in play Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Chelsea top scorer Abraham headed the second from a Reece James cross, the ball slipping through Pope's hands on the way into the net to give the 22-year-old England forward his 13th league strike of the season.

Abraham's fellow youth-team graduate Hudson-Odoi made it three home goals for the west London side for the first time in the league this season when he poked in from a cross by captain Cesar Azpilicueta four minutes after the break.

Chelsea strengthened their grip on fourth place with the win, notching 39 points from 22 games to stay five points clear of Manchester United in the race for Champions League places.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Burnley - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - January 11, 2020 Burnley's Aaron Lennon in action with Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Coach Frank Lampard, who saw his young side lose at home to West Ham United, Bournemouth and Southampton in recent weeks without scoring in any of those games, visibly relaxed as the Stamford Bridge fans chanted his name.

"It's one performance at home and the message has to be continuous... but it's a nice example of a standard that we have set," Lampard told reporters.

"I'm not getting carried away. It just feels good, it feels nice to smile in a game and enjoy watching really positive football."

Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Burnley - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - January 11, 2020 Burnley's Jeff Hendrick in action with Chelsea's Andreas Christensen Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Burnley, who were weakened by injuries and illness to several key players, enjoyed a couple of bright moments in the first half. Jeff Hendrick put the ball in the net in the 18th minute but captain Ben Mee was just offside in the build-up.

Mee came close in the 36th minute but Ross Barkley cleared his point-blank downward header off the line.

Burnley suffered their fourth league defeat in a row and are now in 15th place, just four points above the relegation zone, with coach Sean Dyche noting that his side had made a habit of going on bad runs before reversing their form.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Burnley - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - January 11, 2020 Chelsea manager Frank Lampard applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

"Last year it swung very quickly," he said. "People killed us off said 'no chance' and then all of a sudden you’re off and running again and we’re eight unbeaten. The mentality has got to stay strong, that's for sure."

Influential Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante was left out of the squad after reporting a hamstring problem after training on Friday night. Lampard said he hoped the problem was only "a small thing but we will have to see how it goes".

Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Burnley - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - January 11, 2020 Chelsea's Jorginho celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

(Additional reporting by William Schomberg; Editing by Christian Radnedge and Ken Ferris)

Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Burnley - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - January 11, 2020 Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta applauds fans after the match REUTERS/Ian Walton
Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Burnley - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - January 11, 2020 Chelsea manager Frank Lampard celebrates with Callum Hudson-Odoi after the match REUTERS/Ian Walton
Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Burnley - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - January 11, 2020 Chelsea's Tammy Abraham applauds fans after the match REUTERS/Ian Walton
Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Burnley - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - January 11, 2020 Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi celebrates scoring their third goal with Cesar Azpilicueta and Willian REUTERS/Ian Walton
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