Chelsea, Man United win minus their Belgian stars

The attackers who spearheaded Belgium’s run to the World Cup semifinals were missing when Chelsea and Manchester United took to the field for their Premier League games on Sunday. It didn’t prove to be an issue. Without the injured Eden Hazard, Chelsea romped to its biggest win of the season in any competition — a 4-0 thrashing of Burnley.

Without the dropped Romelu Lukaku, United played one of its best matches of a turbulent season and beat Everton 2-1 at Old Trafford.

Hazard should be back in Chelsea’s starting lineup as soon as he is fit again — maybe as early as next weekend — after a back problem that flared up in the 2-2 draw against United last week. The wide forward is the joint-top scorer in the Premier League with seven goals, perhaps the best player of any team so far this season.

When Lukaku is back in United’s team is anyone’s guess.

United looked a different proposition without the big striker, pouring forward into open spaces and playing the kind of exciting, attacking football rarely seen under its pragmatic manager, Jose Mourinho. Two players who benefited from Lukaku’s absence — Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial — were the scorers.

Everton scored its goal, and had its best period of the game, when Lukaku was on the field as a substitute. Gylfi Sigurdsson converted a penalty after Richarlison was fouled by Chris Smalling, but United held on for the win.