Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante was one of the key reasons behind Hakim Ziyech's fearless display against Burnley, according to Premier League legend Alan Shearer.
The former Newcastle forward believes Kante's genius, work rate and ability to cover ground in no time allowed Ziyech to unleash himself and play to his strengths.
Shearer lavished praise on Ziyech for his splendid performance and defensive contributions in an attacking set-up forged by Frank Lampard. However, he did not forget to point out the assurance and license Kante offered to Chelsea's front five.
The Blues smashed three past Burnley in what turned out to be a showboating event at Turf Moor. Ziyech's goals were accompanied by well-taken strikes from Kurt Zouma and Timo Werner, in turn capping off a wonderful week for Chelsea.
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'Ziyech was the best player for Chelsea,' says Shearer
It was arguably the best game for Chelsea this season, with Lampard's young brigade finally showing glimpses of what was expected of their firepower attacking system.
Ziyech, who scored in his first start for the west Londoners against Krasnodar, grabbed a goal and an assist yesterday in his first full PL game.
He brought a unique dimension to Chelsea's attack, spraying passes, running the pace of the match with the ball at his feet and picking out some exquisite balls to the channel.
Shearer acknowledged the same, stating:
“He did exceptionally well. He’s had struggles with injuries to get into the team, but he scored in midweek in the Champions League which will have given him great confidence. I think he was the best player for Chelsea today."
Shearer added, highlighting the Chelsea forward's pressing off the ball:
“He was creating, he was scoring, he was just a constant threat. He had to do his little bit defensively as well, and he did that today."
Lampard opted for an attacking Chelsea side, with Havertz and Mount operating around Ziyech, Werner and Abraham.
Offering them a screen was Kante, covering every blade of grass and preventing Burnley's outball. Shearer concluded:
“Ziyech was given a little bit of freedom to go for a roam because he had Kante in there if he lost the ball. He was just a constant [threat], full of confidence.”
There was a sense of fluidity in Chelsea's approach, something that hadn't clicked until last week for this refurbished side.
This young Chelsea outfit might require more time to combine well together and to click as a unit, but the signs looks impressive from their couple of matches this week.
The Blues will aim to replicate this vein of form at home, when Rennes visit in midweek and an out-of-sorts Sheffield United travel to Stamford Bridge next weekend.
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