Burnley: Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas provided a swift demonstration of why Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was so keen to bring him back to the Premier League as he orchestrated Monday’s 3-1 season-opening win at Burnley in commanding fashion.
Fabregas spent seven seasons in England with Arsenal before making a move, three years ago, back to Barcelona, where he had been part of the youth system.
But with the midfielder never having quite established a prominent role for himself at the Nou Camp, Mourinho made his move in June with a reported £30 million (Dh183 million) fee bringing Fabregas back to London.
It already looks like one of the best signings of the season.
At Turf Moor, Fabregas showed that he will be at the heart of Chelsea’s title bid — dictating the tempo, providing pinpoint passes and linking up superbly with Eden Hazard and Andre Schuerrle in support of new forward Diego Costa.
For a 30-minute spell in the opening half, Chelsea responded to falling a goal down to Burnley by producing a display of passing and movement that provided early justification for their status as title favourites.
While Mourinho was impressed with Fabregas’s contribution, he was far from surprised at the quality the 27-year-old brought.
“When players are your first choice it is very difficult that you make a mistake and Fabregas was our first choice for that position,” Mourinho told reporters.
“I know clearly the player that he is because we were so many years in the same league, in England and in Spain. I know him so, so well, so I knew exactly what he would bring to my team,” the Portuguese added.
Right intensity
What may bring the best out of Fabregas is the role he has been handed at Chelsea — clearly the central midfield general, with a license to go forward but a responsibility to keep the entire unit ticking.
“In Barcelona, he was playing all over,” Mourinho said.
“Number nine, fake number nine, number ten, winger, in so many positions but I know — and he knows better than me — what is his position.
“So he is giving exactly what we need, which is that stability and quick-thinking in midfield, the right decision, the right intensity,” the former Real Madrid coach added.
While Fabregas clearly relished the chance to play in his favoured role, he was also highly effective at bringing the best out of those around with his intelligent use of the ball.
“He brings other people in the same direction you could see the way that [Nemanja] Matic was playing in a different way than last season. So I am happy with Fabregas,” Mourinho said.
Fabregas had a hand in all three Chelsea goals on Monday and if he can maintain that sort of early form he could have a real chance of finally get his hands on the Premier League title that eluded him during his time with Arsenal.
Burnley briefly looked like upsetting the odds when they took the lead in the 13th minute.
Five years ago it had been Robbie Blake who had been Burnley’s hero with a thumping volley and Arfield’s strike didn’t suffer much by comparison.
The opening began with a corner which was only cleared as far as Burnley defender Michael Duff and he headed the ball back to Matty Taylor.
Taylor’s cross eluded the bodies waiting in the penalty area but not midfielder Arfield, who controlled the ball 20 yards out and sent a dipping volley beyond Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, selected ahead of Petr Cech, and into the roof of the net.
Burnley couldn’t have dreamt of a better start, but the goal served only to wake up Chelsea and after Costa’s equaliser four minutes later there was going to be only one winner.
With none of Chelsea’s strikers reaching double figures in the Premier League last season, the Spain international was recruited by Mourinho to give his side more of a cutting edge and he delivered straight away, driving home a loose ball after Burnley captain Jason Shackell had deflected a cross from Ivanovic against a post.
And four minutes later Chelsea were in front thanks to a flash of inspiration from former Barcelona star Fabregas.
His first-time pass which split Burnley’s defence was sublime and Schurrle took full advantage of the service as he ran through to side-foot into the net.
Burnley’s back four, the same one which had the best defensive record in the Championship last season, couldn’t cope with Chelsea’s movement and the vision of Eden Hazard in particular.
And even the basics of defending a corner deserted them when Ivanovic volleyed in Chelsea’s third goal from inside the six-yard box following Fabregas’s corner 11 minutes before half time.
It could have been worse had Costa been awarded a penalty rather than a booking when he went to ground under slight contact from goalkeeper Tom Heaton before the third goal went in.
But rather than capitulate, Burnley started the second half positively and almost found a route back into the game through Arfield whose curling shot was superbly saved by Courtois.
That was the only scare for Chelsea, though, as they cruised home, saving their energy for tougher battles ahead.
