Chelsea’s Premier League title defence got off to a shocker as they fell to a 3-2 defeat to Burnley.
Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas were both sent off in either half as the champions fought back from 3-0 down to 3-2, ending the game with nine players.
Alvaro Morata and David Luiz got on the score sheet as the Blues dominated proceedings in the second period.
Here’s our two good, two bad from a thrilling encounter at Stamford Bridge.
SAM VOKES
The Welshman was in top form as he bagged a brace against the league winners in their own backyard. His strikes came on either side of a Steven Ward thumping effort.
Before he broke the deadlock, Vokes even had a header ruled out for offside after James Tarkowski was blown up for a foul leading up to it.
However, the striker did get on the score sheet when he steered in Matt Lowton’s cross. A couple of minutes before half-time, Steven Defour swung in a cross from a quick free-kick and Vokes was left completely unmarked to nod his effort past Thibaut Courtois.
Sam Vokes
ALVARO MORATA
Lacking a full preseason, Alvaro Morata began from the bench for Chelsea but made an instant impact when he was introduced in the 59th minute.
Ten minutes into his Chelsea debut, he pulled a goal back for the hosts, making it 3-1 with a fantastically timed run and glancing header from a Willian cross.
He found the back of the net shortly afterwards again but was denied by the linesman for offside. Despite losing Fabregas as well, Chelsea made it 3-2 when the former Real Madrid striker did well to flick on a header to put David Luiz clean through. The Brazilian took his chance well to set up a grandstand finish.
Alvaro Morata
DAVID LUIZ
While Gary Cahill is an easy target and did in fact do his side plenty of damage with his red card, it’s Luiz who then failed to assume responsibility in that back three.
The Brazilian defender was all over the place in defence when he needed to be leading it as its senior most member left on the pitch.
The third goal in particular was extremely disappointing on his part as he left Vokes completely unmarked right in front of the goal, bizarrely getting touch-tight to Antonio Rudiger instead.
He did score Chelsea’s second to make it a nail-biting finish, but it hardly compensated for his poor display at the back.
David Luiz
CESC FABREGAS
Given the chance to start while Tiemoue Bakayoko works his way to fitness, Fabregas didn’t do himself any favours.
In a game that required more muscle than skill to get to grips with proceedings, particularly after Cahill’s sending off, the Spaniard failed to take control of midfield.
His sarcastic clap earned him an unnecessary booking which proved costly when he received his second yellow card for a dangerous lunge on Cork.
Cesc Fabregas
