Higuain opens Chelsea account as Blues hit five past Huddersfield

Chelsea 5 : 0 Huddersfield

Gonzalo Higuaín opened up his Chelsea goal scoring account as the Blues easily disposed of Huddersfield Town 5-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Eden Hazard added a pair of goals before the newcomer logged a stunning effort and David Luiz added a deflected insult to injury in the dying embers of the game.

The result will be a welcome one for under pressure manager Maurizio Sarri who kept his team in the dressing room well over 40 minutes after they were smashed 4-0 by Bournemouth in midweek. Along with Mooy, Philip Billing was restored to the starting XI for Jan Siewert. He had been missing through a knee problem. Their availability was a much needed boost for the new Terriers boss despite the loss today.

The hosts were on the front foot from the off. Eden Hazard floated around the pitch with ease making life difficult for the visitors to calm the Chelsea attack. It was however the away side who fostered the first chance. Aaron Mooy, making his first start since returning from a knee injury sustained in early December, headed over from an Isaac Mbenza cross. The Australian should have at least hit the target.

It took just 15 minutes for the Blues to break the deadlock. N’Golo Kante collected a pass, before sliding in Higuaín with an inch perfect pass. The Argentine then smashed the ball high past Jonas Lossl in the Town goal.

The visitors most likely source of an attacking threat came in the form of Adama Diakhaby. The Frenchman kept the Chelsea backline on their toes with direct runs and quick feet but lacked a true end product to much frustration.

At the other end Luiz nodded just wide from a corner and Jorginho had a shot blocked as Chelsea looked for the second goal before the interval.

Right on the stroke of half time they had it. Cesar Azpilicueta was hauled down and referee Paul Tierney pointed to the spot. Upon further inspection it looked as though the Spanish defender was fouled outside the box but his eventual tumble ended inside. No matter, Hazard stepped up and slotted the spot kick away to give Sarri’s men a comfortable lead against a desperate away team.

A tepid second half came to life when Hazard jinked his way inside the box and worked some space to flash a ball across goal. However, his quick thinking was not matched by teammates with no blue shirts following the ball in.

Huddersfield probed and plucked away but the high pressing of the hosts made life difficult, forcing them back into their own half and making mistakes. The game was soon dead when the Belgian scored his second of the game just after the hour. Ross Barkley did brilliantly to slide in Hazard before the Chelsea winger took a touch to get the ball free from his feet and sold Lossl a shimmy before rounding him and placing the ball into an empty net.

Three minutes later Higuaín added a stylish fourth. Kante laid the ball off to the former Real Madrid striker 25-yards from goal and without taking a touch the on-loan signing from Juventus curled the ball into the far corner.

David Luiz added a fifth as he headed in a Willian corner with five minutes left to play putting the exclamation point on what was an emphatic victory and controlled performance ahead of their clash with Manchester City next Sunday.