SportsNews
EPL: Chelsea beat Burnley 2-0 to close gap on Arsenal
Chelsea stepped up their Premier League title challenge with a gritty 2-0 win against struggling Burnley on Saturday.
Pedro Neto put the Blues ahead just before the interval at Turf Moor, and Enzo Fernandez netted in the closing stages.
Enzo Maresca’s side climb to second place, sitting three points behind leaders Arsenal, who host Tottenham on Sunday.
The Blues have won eight of their last 10 matches in all competitions, making it a memorable 50th Premier League game in charge for Maresca.
It was the ideal warm-up for Chelsea ahead of a crucial week featuring home games against Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday and Arsenal in the Premier League on 30 November.
The west Londoners would drop back to third place if Manchester City avoids defeat against Newcastle later on Saturday, but regardless of that result, their hard-fought victory in freezing Lancashire added to their title momentum.
“It’s tough after the international break, 12:30, Burnley away, it’s always a hard game. But the way we competed I’m very happy,” Maresca said.
“To come here and not concede is very difficult, but overall, they only had one real chance.
“It was very important to keep the momentum from before the international break. Now we’ll recover our energy and on to Tuesday.”
Fourth-bottom Burnley have now lost five of their last seven league matches.
Chelsea were without Cole Palmer after the England forward extended his prolonged injury absence by fracturing his toe after stubbing it on a door. Palmer had been set to resume training this week after two months out with a groin problem.
Adding to Maresca’s issues, fatigued Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo was left on the bench after arriving back from international duty on Thursday.
Maresca had complained about Chelsea being given the early Saturday kick-off again. His mood wasn’t improved in the fifth minute when Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez accidentally booted the ball into Fernandez’s head, a miscue that left the Argentine midfielder needing a brief concussion check.
Fernandez was able to play on, and despite that painful interlude, Chelsea eventually took control.
Clinical Fernandez
Neto’s effort from the edge of the area deflected wide before Jamie Gittens lashed over from a tight angle.
Kyle Walker bailed out Burnley on his 400th Premier League appearance with a last-ditch block to stop Gittens tapping in Neto’s cross.
Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah was fortunate not to concede a farcical penalty when the defender used his hand to stop Sanchez’s pass inside his own area before returning the ball to the keeper. Sanchez appeared not to have restarted play, instead letting Chalobah take the goal-kick, so Burnley’s hopes of a penalty were dashed.
Maresca’s men made the most of that let-off to take the lead with a well-crafted goal in the 37th minute.
Marc Cucurella showed a deft touch to control a high ball into the Burnley area before passing back to Gittens. Lofting a pinpoint cross to the far post, Gittens picked out Neto, who delivered a superb diving header into the far corner.
Neto’s fourth goal this season was almost followed by another for Chelsea as Liam Delap’s drive forced a save from Martin Dubravka. Gittens’ deflected strike flashed just wide early in the second half.
Neto, picked out by Fernandez’s pass, was inches away from doubling Chelsea’s lead as his fierce blast cannoned into the near post.
Unmarked inside the Chelsea area, Zian Flemming wasted Burnley’s best opportunity to snatch an equaliser with a wild shot that cleared the bar.
But Fernandez put the result beyond doubt in the 88th minute, capping a flowing move with a clinical close-range finish from Marc Guiu’s pass.
At least 25 players in the Premier League are set to travel for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
Nigeria, Ivory Coast, DR Congo lead the way in terms of players based in the English topflight, with four selected from each club for the AFCON.
FIFA has directed clubs to release the eligible players from Monday, December 15.
Full list of players confirmed
Sunderland (5):
Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco), Reinildo (Mozambique), Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso), Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo), Noah Sadiki (DR Congo).
Manchester United (3):
Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco).
Fulham (3):
Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Calvin Bassey (Nigeria), Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria).
Burnley (3):
Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo), Lyle Foster (South Africa), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia).
Nottingham Forest (2):
Ibrahim Sangaré (Ivory Coast), Willy Boly (Ivory Coast).
Brentford (2):
Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria).
Manchester City (1):
Omar Marmoush (Egypt),
West Ham United (1):
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo)
Wolves (2):
Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe), Emmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast).
Brighton & Hove Albion (1):
Carlos Baleba (Cameroon).
Crystal Palace (2):
Ismaïla Sarr (Senegal), Cheick Doucouré (Mali)
Liverpool (1):
Mohammed Salah (Egypt)
The Nigeria National League, NNL, has announced that matchday six fixture between Ranchers Bees and Adamawa United will be played behind closed doors.
The announcement was made in a statement by the league body.
Only the State Football Association representatives, staff of both teams, kit managers and medical personnel will be allowed into the stadium.
Others are the match officials, security personnel and camera men.
The reason for the decision to play the game without club supporters wasn’t stated by the league body.
The encounter will take place at the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna on Saturday (today).
Nigeria’s preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations have taken a fresh hit, with Egypt confirming that the highly anticipated friendly between both nations has been shifted from 14 to 16 December.
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced the adjustment late Friday, noting that FIFA’s updated international release directive, which allows clubs keep African players until 15 December, made the original date unworkable.
EFA Vice President Khaled El-Darandaly explained that the new rule left both Egypt and Nigeria without full squads for the initial date.
Key Pharaohs players, including Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, are now expected to arrive only after the new release window.
Egypt had already named its 28-man provisional squad and opened camp in Cairo, with head coach Hossam Hassan accelerating final preparations for a Group B campaign that includes South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe.
Nigeria’s disruption is more extensive. The Super Eagles were originally scheduled to open camp on 10 December and progress through a streamlined friendly schedule before departing for Morocco. That entire framework has now been dismantled.
Under the revised timeline, camp will open on 14 December, leaving Eric Chelle with barely a week to prepare before AFCON kicks off.
The venue for the friendly is also now uncertain, with Cairo no longer feasible and both federations considering shifting the match to Morocco.
Nigeria’s build-up has been further destabilised by injuries to Ola Aina, Taiwo Awoniyi, Benjamin Fredrick and Felix Agu.
The shock retirement of captain William Troost-Ekong, winner of the 2023 AFCON Player of the Tournament award, creates an additional leadership vacuum in defence.
Chelle, who released a 55-man provisional list, must now trim his squad to 28 within a compressed window. Nigeria will compete in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania as they chase a fourth continental title.
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