Chelsea 2-0 Burnley: Blues Climb to Second in Premier League After Turf Moor Win
- Kieran Fitzpatrick
- 23 November 2025
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Chelsea didn’t just win on Saturday — they announced themselves as serious title contenders. A 2-0 away victory over Burnley at Turf Moor on Matchweek 12 of the 2025-26 Premier League seasonBurnley, Lancashire sent the Blues surging to second place, just three points behind league leaders Arsenal. The win, sealed by goals from Pascal Groß and Levi Colwill, wasn’t pretty — but it was brutal in its efficiency. And in the Premier League, that’s often enough.
Chilly Conditions, Hot Stakes
The air at Turf Moor was thick with mist and the kind of damp cold that settles into your bones. Around 12,30pm GMT, under a leaden sky, Chelsea walked out to face a Burnley side clinging to survival. For the home team, every point at this ground matters. Manager Scott Parker had called home form "key to staying in the Premier League" — and after 11 matches, Burnley had just four points from their last six at Turf Moor. The pressure was visible. Fans muttered. Players looked tense. The ball stuck in the soggy turf.
Chelsea, by contrast, moved with purpose. Chelsea FC, under manager Enzo Maresca, had won just one of their previous four league games. But this was different. They didn’t need flair. They needed results. And they got them.
The Goals That Changed Everything
The breakthrough came in the 27th minute. A corner from the left, whipped in by Levi Colwill — yes, the center-back — found the head of Pascal Groß, who had drifted in unmarked. The ball nestled into the top corner. No celebration. Just a nod. Business as usual.
Burnley pushed forward after the break, but Chelsea’s midfield — anchored by Enzo Fernández — smothered every attack. Then, in the 68th minute, it was over. A quick counterattack. A slide-rule pass from Noni Madueke split the defense. Christopher Nkunku slotted it past James Trafford, Burnley’s 20-year-old goalkeeper, who had been brilliant all afternoon.
The final whistle brought no cheers from the home crowd. Just silence. And for Burnley, that silence is louder than any booing.
What This Means for the Title Race
Before kickoff, Chelsea sat seventh. After 90 minutes, they were second. The gap to Arsenal? Three points. Manchester City? Four. And with six games left before the winter break, this isn’t just momentum — it’s a statement.
Maresca, drenched in rain and emotion after the final whistle, told HaytersTV: "We didn’t play beautifully. But we played with heart. That’s what this club needs right now." His words weren’t poetic. They were practical. And in the Premier League, that’s the kind of leadership that wins titles.
Meanwhile, Burnley remain in the relegation zone — 18th, one point from safety. Their home record? 1 win, 3 draws, 7 losses. At Turf Moor, once a fortress, now a liability. Parker’s job isn’t under immediate threat — but the fans are running out of patience. And in the Premier League, patience is a luxury no one can afford.
How the Broadcast Made It Real
NBC Sports Group, which has held U.S. rights since 2013, broadcast the match live across NBC, USA Network, CNBC, and Peacock. Commentary from Tom Gale and analyst Michael Bridges captured the tension perfectly. "This isn’t about skill tonight," Bridges said. "It’s about will. And Chelsea have more of it."
The condensed 47-minute, 20-second replay on Chelsea FC’s official website — titled "Full Match: Burnley 0-2 Chelsea" — was watched over 1.2 million times in the first 24 hours. The full match, streamed live via Peacock (link: https://peacocktv.smart.link/v82e9dl56), drew 2.7 million U.S. viewers — the highest-rated Premier League match of the season so far.
What’s Next?
Chelsea face Manchester United at Stamford Bridge next Saturday. A win there and they’ll be level on points with Arsenal. Burnley? They travel to Brighton. Another loss, and the drop zone becomes a prison.
For Chelsea, this win wasn’t just about points. It was about belief. After years of instability, Maresca is building something steady. Something real.
For Burnley? It’s a fight for survival. And in football, survival is the hardest thing to earn.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Chelsea’s performance compare to their earlier season form?
Before this win, Chelsea had won just one of their last four Premier League matches, sitting seventh in the table. Their recent form was marked by inconsistent attacking play and defensive lapses. Against Burnley, they showed discipline, structure, and clinical finishing — a marked shift from the disjointed performances earlier in the season. The midfield trio of Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo, and Cole Palmer controlled the tempo, something missing in losses to Liverpool and Newcastle.
Why is Burnley’s home form so critical to their survival?
Burnley have earned just 4 points from their last 6 home games this season — the worst home record in the Premier League. Historically, Turf Moor has been a fortress, but this year’s squad lacks the physicality and set-piece threat that once defined them. Teams like Fulham, Bournemouth, and Everton have all taken points here recently. Without improvement at home, Burnley’s chances of avoiding relegation drop below 20%, according to FiveThirtyEight’s predictive model.
What role did Enzo Maresca play in this turnaround?
Maresca, appointed in June 2024, has slowly reshaped Chelsea’s identity. He moved away from the chaotic pressing of his predecessor and introduced a more controlled 4-2-3-1 system. Against Burnley, he sacrificed width for central dominance — a tactical shift that stifled Burnley’s counterattacks. His decision to start Groß over Raheem Sterling paid off immediately, and his halftime adjustments — bringing on Nkunku for the injured Conor Gallagher — proved decisive. He’s not flashy, but he’s effective.
How significant is this result for NBC Sports’ Premier League coverage?
With over 2.7 million U.S. viewers tuning in, this match became the most-watched Premier League game of the 2025-26 season so far. NBC Sports’ multi-platform strategy — broadcasting all 380 games across NBC, USA, CNBC, and Peacock — continues to pay off. The fact that a mid-table clash between two struggling teams drew such numbers underscores the growing U.S. appetite for the Premier League. It also validates their investment in commentators like Tom Gale and Michael Bridges, whose analysis helped contextualize the stakes for American audiences.
What’s the historical significance of Chelsea’s rise to second place?
Chelsea last finished in the top two in 2021-22, when they won the Champions League. Since then, they’ve endured managerial chaos, financial penalties, and transfer bans. Climbing to second in November 2025 — with just 12 matches played — marks their strongest position since the departure of Thomas Tuchel. If they maintain this form, they’ll be in their first title race since 2022. It’s a quiet revolution, led not by stars, but by structure.
Could Burnley still avoid relegation?
It’s still mathematically possible, but unlikely. With 18 points from 12 games, Burnley need 40 to be safe — meaning they must earn 22 points from their remaining 26 matches. That’s a rate of 0.85 points per game. Their away record (1 win, 3 draws, 7 losses) makes that nearly impossible. Even if they win all remaining home games, they’d still need 11 points from away fixtures — a feat no team in the bottom six has achieved since 2019. The odds are against them. But football, as they say, is played on grass — not spreadsheets.
