Parker urges Burnley to improve in moments ahead of Chelsea test

Scott Parker insisted that his Burnley team must improve in key moments to ensure their Premier League survival ahead of welcoming Chelsea to Turf Moor this weekend. 

Ahead of the final international break of 2025, Burnley were beaten 3-2 by fellow strugglers West Ham, despite taking the lead through Zian Flemming's 35th-minute header.

The Hammers hit back with three unanswered goals from Callum Wilson, Tomas Soucek and Kyle Walker-Peters, with Josh Cullen's late strike proving to be a consolation. 

After 11 games of their return to the top-flight, Burnley are 17th and outside the bottom three on goal difference, with Parker acknowledging certain areas need addressing.

"We're angry and disappointed. We feel like we've let one slip [against West Ham]," Parker lamented.

"For 30 minutes we were excellent and deservedly went a goal up. We nullified any of their threats, and we were well on top.

"But from the moment we scored, we lost focus and turned it into a basketball match, end to end, which suited them more than it did us.

"We lack a bit of nous in those moments. There's stuff that is costing us at the moment, and it's up to us to fix those things."

Chelsea, meanwhile, propelled themselves to within six points of leaders Arsenal following a 3-0 win over bottom side Wolves after a much-improved second-half display. 

Alejandro Garnacho starred with two assists, with Malo Gusto, Joao Pedro and Pedro Neto getting themselves on the scoresheet at Stamford Bridge. 

There was also another impressive substitute display from youngster Estevao, who teed up Joao Pedro for the game's second goal with a mazy run down the right-hand side. 

Estevao has been limited to four starts in the Premier League in 2025-26, but has caught the eye with his displays, while also registering one goal and one assist in 10 outings.

The 18-year-old carried that form onto the international stage, scoring in both of Brazil's friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia.

Indeed, Estevao has scored five of Brazil's last 13 goals, with no other player netting more than two in this period, and compatriot Joao Pedro believes it is only a matter of time before the talented teenager is a regular starter for the Blues. 

"I think everyone knows that Estevao is a talent," Joao Pedro said of his team-mate.

"When he came on, everyone saw what he could do, and he made a great assist for my goal. It was very quick [from when he came on], which always helps!

"We're all very happy for him because he's adapted quickly into life at Chelsea, and we're really happy to have him with us."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Burnley – Zian Flemming

After netting against West Ham, 12 of Flemming's 15 league goals for Burnley have come away from home, including all three in the Premier League, but he will be hoping to strike at Turf Moor this time around.

He has scored three goals in four Premier League starts for Burnley. The only player to score 4+ goals in his first five starts in the competition for the Clarets is Maxwel Cornet (four).

Chelsea – Joao Pedro

Joao Pedro has scored in both of Chelsea's last two Premier League games and could score in three successive appearances in the competition for just the second time, after doing so between February and March last season for Brighton.

However, the Brazilian has never scored in four games against Burnley in the Premier League, only facing Brentford (seven) and Everton (five) more times without finding the net.

MATCH PREDICTION: CHELSEA WIN

Chelsea have won eight of their nine top-flight away games against Burnley (D1), including each of the last six in a row. Only at Bolton (nine between 2004 and 2011) and Sunderland (nine between 2003 and 2013) have they won more consecutively in the competition.

The Blues have also won their last six Premier League away games against Burnley, netting at least three goals in each of the last five. In English top-flight history, only two teams have won six consecutive away games at another while scoring 3+ goals each time – Chelsea at Arsenal between 1960 and 1965, and Manchester City at West Brom between 2013 and 2021.

And Chelsea often relish the early kick-off. They have won each of their last seven Premier League games kicking off at 12:30pm on a Saturday. In the competition's history, on just three occasions has any side had a longer winning run in this exact kick-off slot.

Burnley, meanwhile, have won just one of their 18 Premier League games against Chelsea (D5 L12), picking up a 3-2 victory at Stamford Bridge on the opening weekend of the 2017-18 season.

Parker's side have also lost four of their last six Premier League matches (W2), conceding 2+ goals in five of those games. Indeed, the Clarets have kept just two clean sheets in their last 31 Premier League games, shipping 64 goals in this period (2.1 per game).

The Clarets have had the fewest shots (90), lowest xG (8.3), the lowest possession (38.6%), faced the most shots (192), and have the highest xGA (24.0) in the Premier League in 2025-26.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Burnley – 21.3%

Draw – 21.7%

Chelsea – 57%