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Antonio Conte demanding more after Chelsea beat Burnley to extend perfect start

Fabregas has not started any of Chelsea’s opening three Premier League games of the season, making just one substitute appearance, as former Italy coach Conte has begun life in England with three straight wins.

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“He’s tried to give us confidence”, Hazard told Chelsea’s official website.

Hazard, England s Footballer of the Year in 2015, endured a hard campaign last season when Chelsea finished 10th in the table, Jose Mourinho was sacked and the Belgian global failed to score a Premier League goal until May.

Having seen his team run close by League One side Bristol Rovers in a 3-2 EFL Cup triumph on Tuesday, Conte urged his team to kill games off, and he will surely see what followed Hazard’s strike as a step in the right direction.

It is not just the pretty things that please Conte.

Further goals from Willian and Victor Moses maintained Chelsea’s ideal start to the campaign.

“I’m pleased for him”, added Conte. “It’s important, above all, for the work of the players”. He has great talent and also I know he’s a good guy who wants to improve.

‘Eden is a fantastic player. The first goal of the game typified the fact that the Belgian is enjoying life at the moment at Chelsea. We are improving also in this aspect.

For the opener, Hazard picked up the ball in Chelsea’s half and raced through space given him by Burnley’s midfield before cutting inside defender Michael Keane and firing low into the goal from the edge of the penalty area in the ninth minute.

“This was Hazard at his best, when he’s facing players one-on-one”, the Dutch Euro 1988 victor added.

Chelsea doubled their lead four minutes before half-time, much to the delight of Conte, who wore a black armband in memory of the victims of the quake in Italy.

Instead, Costa turned provider five minutes before halftime, knocking a square ball to Willian who instead of playing the one-two, simply stepped past Matt Lowton and lashed an angled drive past Heaton.

Costa should really have put the game to bed seven minutes after the restart, but could not finish off a wonderful move that started with Hazard but the striker could not beat Heaton.

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“The first half was poor as we’ve played in about a year”, said manager Sean Dyche. And if you make poor decisions like we made, against a strong side, then you are going to be in trouble, and we were.

Eden Hazard scores Chelsea's opener