Chelsea 3 Wolves 0
Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic and Armando Broja sent Chelsea fourth in the Premier League as the Blues cruised past managerless Wolves 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Mason Mount teed up Havertz and Pulisic before Albania striker Broja netted his maiden Blues goal to floor the struggling visitors.
Boyhood Chelsea fan Broja was left delighted with his first senior strike that capped a landmark week for Graham Potter’s Stamford Bridge tenure.
New Blues boss Potter made seven changes from Wednesday’s 3-0 Champions League mauling of AC Milan and still Chelsea cantered to victory.
Havertz nodded home Mount’s cross on the stroke of half-time to cement the hosts’ dominance.
A much-improved Pulisic’s delicate dink then doubled the home side’s lead, with Mount again on hand with the assist.
And right at the death Kovacic threaded through to Broja, who cut back from the defensive cover before drilling into the net.
Chelsea set up with yet another different system under forward-thinking coach Potter and a raft of changes from that Milan thumping.
But neither the scale of the alterations nor the quick turnaround proved any kind of distraction, as the Blues mastered the new tactics and overwhelmed the visitors.
Wolves suffered a third-straight loss, with interim coaches Steve Davis and James Collins unable to generate any new momentum after Bruno Lage’s sacking.
The Blues’ quiet and methodical return to form mirrors the demeanour of their new boss.
New owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali would be forgiven for retaining a growing sense of vindication over removing Thomas Tuchel, on the early evidence of Potter’s embryonic tenure.
Brighton 0 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Harry Kane’s 22nd-minute goal helped Tottenham end a difficult week with three points following a 1-0 win at Brighton in the late game.
Spurs suffered a derby defeat at rivals Arsenal last Saturday but worse news was to follow on Thursday when it was announced that club fitness coach Gian Piero Ventrone had died at the age of 61.
It left everyone at Tottenham stunned, especially Antonio Conte who had known the highly-respected Italian for almost three decades. But his players honoured Ventrone in the best possible way by ensuring they got back to winning ways in the Premier League.
While it spoiled Roberto De Zerbi’s home debut, the new Seagulls boss would have been encouraged by a fine display from his side, who have dropped to sixth in the table.
Newcastle 5 Brentford 1
Bruno Guimaraes helped himself to a double as Newcastle celebrated a year under their new owners with a stylish 5-1 victory over Brentford.
The Brazil midfielder headed the Magpies into a 22nd-minute lead and after Jacob Murphy had doubled their advantage, drilled home a long-range 56th-minute effort to delight the home fans among a crowd of 52,067 at St James’ Park a year and a day after Amanda Staveley’s Saudi-backed consortium completed its takeover.
Ivan Toney had converted a penalty in between, but Eddie Howe’s men were not to be denied as they completed back-to-back wins for the first time this season after Miguel Almiron and Ethan Pinnock’s own goal saw them complete their biggest victory to date under the 44-year-old.
Bournemouth 2 Leicester 1
Bournemouth’s prospective new owner Bill Foley watched from the stands as the club mounted a dramatic second-half comeback to stun lowly Leicester with a 2-1 Premier League win.
Foley’s planned £120 million (€137 million) takeover of the Cherries on Saturday moved a step closer to completion after he agreed terms with current owner Maxim Denim.
And the American businessman was able to toast the deal with success on the field thanks to quick-fire goals from Philip Billing and Ryan Christie in a remarkable five-minute spell.
In-form Patson Daka had looked set to spoil the occasion for the south coast side by firing the struggling Foxes into a 10th-minute lead at Vitality Stadium.
Yet Brendan Rodgers’s visitors paid a heavy price for a string of defensive errors and opting to drop deep as they blew the chance to move out of the relegation zone.
Victory for the hosts stretched their unbeaten run to five games under the leadership of interim manager Gary O’Neil to move them eighth in the table and heighten the feelgood factor in Dorset.
Foley’s imminent buyout is anticipated to provide funds for a new state-of-the-art training facility and a number of signings in the January transfer window.
Official confirmation of the purchase is expected within the next month once the deal has been ratified by the Premier League.
