Hazard the hat-trick hero as Chelsea come from behind to beat Cardiff

Eden Hazard's magic and Chelsea's slick attacking football was just too much for Neil Warnock's spirited Cardiff team. The Londoners build-up play was scintillating at times but Cardiff gave them a real scare in the first half. 

Although Chelsea had dominated possession from the start of the game Cardiff looked a dangerous from set pieces and long throws, with Chelsea's defence and summer signing Kepa looking less than comfortable under pressure from the Welsh side.

Their pressure eventually told in the 16th minute. Joe Ralls floated a free-kick in from deep and Sean Morrison rose above his marker to direct a header down, Sol Bamba latched onto it and finished from close range.

Unsurprisingly Cardiff tried to sit back and defend their lead. However this only invited Chelsea pressure and Kovacic could have scored almost straight away. In the next 15 minutes Pedro had three opportunities to equalise for Chelsea. His first two attempts were spectacular curling and lobbed shots respectively, but with the third he really should have done better, horribly miscuing Cesar Azpilicueta's cross when he should have at least worked the goalkeeper.

However, what looked like it might have been a frustrating half for Chelsea was soon changed by some brilliance from Hazard. After some short, sharp build up Eden Hazard feinted brilliantly to beat his man on the edge of the box and converted well with a low strike that went across Etheridge and into the bottom corner with 37 minutes gone. 

However 'the Blues' were not content to go into the break level and only six minutes later. Hazard was again the scorer but this goal was all about the build up. The famed 'Sarri-ball' was in full swing here and with some fantastic interplay Alonso and Pedro worked space on the left. Giroud received Pedro's pass and stretched fantastically to set up Hazard, who's strike took a deflection off Sol Bamba and found its way into the goal.

September 15, 2018

Chelsea seemed happy not to force things in the second half, which remained very quiet before kicking into life in the 80th minute. Although Bobby Reid looked bright for Cardiff they remained at arms length but in the game. However this all changed as Willian, recently on for Pedro was released running towards goal. Desperate to keep his team in the game Bamba slid in trying to dispossess the Brazilian. The Ivorian's tackle was not a bad one but he caught the pacey winger and a penalty was correctly given.

There was no doubt as to who would take it and Hazard completed his hat-trick with a powerful strike from 12 yards. Etheridge dived right but the Belgian's effort was firmly put into the opposite corner.

With the Chelsea fans barely settled down from their third goal another soon came. For all their slick passing the fourth came in a different but no less impressive form. Willian gt the ball on the left hand side of the box and bent a powerful strike into the top corner, adding gloss to a scoreline that didn't quite tell the whole story of the game.

Although Chelsea were deserved winners they looked a little vulnerable aerially and Cardiff were unlucky to concede four goals. However Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri will be very happy after his style was looking more and more evident in Chelsea's play.

His team have now won their first five league games, following in the footsteps of only three other Premier League managers to do the same: Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola and Craig Shakespeare.