Chelsea thrash Bournemouth 5-1 as Henderson shines

Chelsea beat Bournemouth 5-1 in the Premier League, with Henderson in outstanding form, to move up to fifth in the early table. The Blues made a fast start: they had never before been 2-0 ahead so early in a Premier League match. Henderson then set up a goal when Morgan Rogers’ shot took a deflection off Antonio Silva and flew into the far corner.

Chelsea needed a response and delivered an ideal start, followed by more early goals. Joao Pedro scored after an error by Silva allowed Pedro Neto to cut the ball back to him. The goal was checked by the video assistant referee for a possible offside against Joao Pedro, who was jostling with Silva, but it stood.

Bournemouth did, however, deny Chelsea a clean sheet. In a scramble following a set piece, Evanilson blocked Moises Caicedo’s clearance into the net. Henderson also scored with a free kick described as exquisite, after Palmer was fouled. An earlier Henderson effort from the edge of the box took a deflection and went narrowly wide.

The victory gave Chelsea a response to their defeat at Brentford before the international break. After a mixed start in charge of Chelsea, the Spanish coach is entering a run of matches that could shape the club’s season. Henderson’s performance and the emphatic result give Chelsea an ideal start, although the team is not yet perfect.