Chelsea gave Xabi Alonso the sort of afternoon that settles a few nerves around Stamford Bridge, sweeping Bournemouth aside 5-1 with the game effectively tilted their way before the clock had reached five minutes. Jordan Henderson and Joao Pedro each struck twice, while Morgan Rogers ran the attacking side of the show as the home side found their sharpest form of the campaign.
Key takeaways
- Chelsea recorded their first five-goal win under Xabi Alonso, beating Bournemouth 5-1.
- Jordan Henderson scored in the second minute and added a free-kick in the 70th.
- Morgan Rogers made it 2-0 a minute after Henderson’s opener, with Antonio Silva’s deflection helping the ball in.
- Joao Pedro struck either side of Bournemouth’s fortunate Evanilson goal.
- Chelsea can now turn towards next weekend’s fixture against Everton.
A flying start at Stamford Bridge
There had been questions after the international break about which version of either side would emerge, but Chelsea answered theirs quickly. Cole Palmer, recently handed a new contract, pulled the ball back for Henderson, whose early effort put the hosts ahead after two minutes.
Bournemouth had barely had time to gather themselves when Chelsea struck again. Henderson turned provider, finding Rogers, whose shot squeezed in after taking a telling touch off Antonio Silva in the third minute.
Rogers, formerly of Aston Villa, was the driving force as Chelsea looked for a third during a dominant opening spell. Bournemouth gradually gained a little more balance, though Emiliano Martinez was not seriously overworked. The goalkeeper made a notable stop from Rayan and then dealt comfortably with a modest Antonio Silva header.
Pedro and Henderson finish the job
Chelsea resumed with much the same urgency. Pedro Neto combined with Joao Pedro within a minute of the restart, and the forward’s fine finish made it 3-0 in the 46th minute.
Bournemouth did find a way back into the contest, if not quite by design. A scramble in the Chelsea box ended with Evanilson scoring unintentionally in the 51st minute, handing Marco Rose’s side a brief spell of encouragement.
That moment passed without a second Bournemouth goal. Pep Chavarria advanced down the left and delivered a cross that Joao Pedro converted in the 67th minute, restoring the home side’s comfort. Three minutes later Henderson supplied the afternoon’s most polished finish, bending a free-kick beyond reach for Chelsea’s fifth.
With the points long since safe, Alonso was able to remove key players and manage his resources ahead of the trip to face Everton. For Chelsea, it was not merely a convincing scoreline but a performance with the authority they had been searching for.
