Blues too balanced to slip up on Turf
IF ever there was a game where you thought Chelsea might wobble, this was it. On a freezing day, with snowflurries making Turf Moor even more inhospitable, against a team with the fourthbest AT TURF MOOR record at home in the league, a slip seemed possible. Burnley have turned their stadium into something like a fortress, taking 29 of their 30 points here – a record that looks certain to keep them in the top flight. They have beaten Liverpool and Everton here, were unlucky to lose to an added-time winner against Arsenal, and gave Manchester City a scrap before being beaten. So demonstrated the classic combination that all wouldbe champions possess.
They have the strength and mentality not to be bullied by teams like Burnley and the skill and the ability to beat the bigger clubs.
Despite the conditions, Chelsea looked as if they would cruise it early on and justify the bookmakers offering 1-8 on an away win.
Pedro put them ahead after seven minutes following the sort of counter-attack that has been their trademark this season.
The Spaniard was involved at the start of the move deep in his own half and then ran 80 yards to take Victor Moses’ pass, going past Michael Keane before sliding his shot beyond Tom Heaton for his sixth of the season.
Burnley were struggling to disrupt Chelsea, but Robbie Brady’s leveller on his home debut changed all that.
After Nemanja Matic had fouled Joey Barton, Brady, Burnley’s £13 million record signing, curled a superb 25-yard free-kick up and over the wall into the top corner.
Last weekend Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois had marvelled at Tom Brady’s heroics at the Super Bowl after flying out to Houston. Yesterday he was admiring the skills of another Brady.
Watching Republic of Ireland assistant boss Roy Keane kept a stony face but would have taken note. Remarkably, it was the first direct free-kick Chelsea had conceded since Rickie Lambert’s effort back in March 2013. But it is not the first time Brady has netted against a Conte team, having scored for his country in their Euro 2016 clash with Italy.
At half-time there was a pitch-side demonstration of what you should do if someone has a heart attack.
A highly emotional Conte might have needed some assistance had Burnley scored from two of the great chances they created either side of the interval.
When Barton threaded a pass through, Matt Lowton had a clear sight of goal but Courtois saved with his legs.
And after a quick Clarets break early in the second half, the Belgian keeper made a vital stop from Andre Gray, although the striker will regret failing to get enough power behind his shot.
Chelsea dominated the rest of the game but that Heaton did not have a shot to save was testament to Burnley’s organisation and concentration in defence, which subdued the muchvaunted front trio of Diego Costa, Hazard and Pedro.
Chelsea’s four efforts from Cesar Azpiliceuta, Hazard, Pedro and Cesc Fabregas all flew off target and Burnley held out quite comfortably.
While they look on course for survival this season, Sean Dyche’s side can also reach the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday when non-Leaguers Lincoln visit Turf Moor.
Lincoln boss Danny Cowley was on a spying mission here yesterday and would have been impressed. Burnley may have missed out on an eighth successive home win for the first time since 1961 – when they were runners-up to Spurs in the old First Division – but at the final whistle they celebrated as if it was a win.
When you consider the gulf in finances and recent history of the two clubs, you can understand why. P W D L F A CHELSEA 25 19 3 3 52 18 TOTTENHAM 25 14 8 3 46 18 ARSENAL 25 15 5 5 54 28 LIVERPOOL 25 14 7 4 54 30 MAN CITY 24 15 4 5 49 29 MAN UTD 25 13 9 3 38 21 PTS 60 50 50 49 49 48
BURNLEY (4-4-2): Booked: Goal:
MAURICIO POCHETTINO has admitted that expectations at White Hart Lane might have been placed unrealistically high this season. The Spurs manager believes the dose of realism inflicted by Saturday’s defeat at Anfield might not do any harm. Asked whether last season’s pursuit of the title had raised unrealistic expectations, Pochettino said: “Yes – sometimes I agree. If you compare Tottenham with the other sides competing for the top four maybe you should be saying, ‘Wow, they deserve a lot of credit for where they are’. “We are a club fighting for the Premier League with different tools so we will see if we can cope.” GIDEON BROOKS