Chelsea 4-0 Burnley player ratings: Kai Havertz brace inspires Blues

Reece James (Right wingback): 8/10

James was excellent throughout the entire game. He was confident in defense and took leadership as an attacking outlet. Along with N’Golo Kante, he was the Blues’ only real threat in the first half. As the second half rolled around though, he kicked things into another gear. He terrorized the Clarets’ right wing with his staple runs and presence in the box. There was no shock he opened the scoring as he received the ball on the right side of Burnley’s box and had a cheeky little cutback onto his left foot to send the defenders the opposite way before he finished the shot calmly with his right foot into the bottom corner—a la Newcastle. This marks James’ third game back since his injury and his first start since returning. If he can continue to be an outlet for Chelsea’s attack going forward, that’s another option Tuchel has for this team to get goals.

Jorginho (Central midfielder): 6/10

Jorginho was not called on to do much in this game, but he was not particularly good or bad. He found some pockets of space in the second half and recovered the ball well at times. However, there were also times where he would go missing. Usually, Jorginho is always on the ball dictating play but he was inconsistent on Saturday. Chelsea did play down the wings more, so that could’ve been the cause. It’s on the player to involve himself in the game in the end. Jorginho has been second choice to Mateo Kovacic as of late, and he’s going to have to step up if he wants to be a pivotal part of the back end of the season.

N’Golo Kante (Central midfielder): 7.5/10

Kante was Chelsea’s best player in the first half, offering an outlet in midfield and cutting balls out defensively. He was the main one who looked assured in possession. This was still prevalent in the second half as he continued to recover possession for the team and play tidy passes, helping the Blues advance into the final third. Kante’s motor is what was impressive this game, he had a lot to do as the team struggled to get their feet on the ball in the first half. At one point, he was really the only one driving the team forward. Kante was subbed of in the second half, but the Frenchman had already done enough to prove that he was one of the more important players in the game.

Saul (Left wingback): 6.5/10

Saul’s not the most popular player at the Bridge, but he put in a decent shift on Saturday. He was playing out of position and did slightly struggle to figure this position out in the first half. However, in the second half, he was more confident. Saul was finding himself on the ball in good positions once gaining a little bit more confidence. He also made a couple of recovery runs and counter attacking passes that led to some good play. Saul had a good game at Luton Town and the Spaniard had another one against Burnley. I wouldn’t be shocked if he featured in the upcoming games, as well, as a reward for his recent outings.