Chelsea 4 Sheffield United 1 - No Blues joy for Blades this time

Just like in their previous away game at Liverpool, the Blades hinted at something special after again taking an early lead, this time through David McGoldrick.

But class told in the end as goals from Tammy Abraham and Ben Chilwell soon gave the Blues an interval buffer.

Despite penning in United on the restart, the Blues did not add to their lead until 14 minutes from time when the immaculate Thiago Silva's flicked home his first goal for the club.

Timo Werner soon added a fourth as salt was rubbed on United's stinging wounds after a torrid second half when it was one-way traffic.

The Blades' season will not be decided in games against Chelsea and after fixtures against the Blues, Manchester City and Liverpool, a bit of respite in their fixture schedule will at least be timely as they regroup in the international break after the toughest of starts to the campaign.

McGoldrick, who had showed a previous liking for Chelsea by way of two goals against them on the last time United picked up a win bonus - against the Blues at Bramall Lane 119 days earlier - justified his inclusion from the start with a nifty back-heel to put United in front. It was good as it got for the visitors.

Unfortunately, the catalyst that the Blades spoke about igniting their season ahead of the game did not last too long as Chelsea turned the tables to lead at the interval.

Two smart short corner routines yielded goals to book-end the half.

United - who has restored John Lundstram and Oli Norwood to the starting line-up profited just nine minutes in.

Norwood was the instigator with his excellent reverse pass catching out the Blues with George Baldock cut-back finding Sander Berge, whose shot was flicked home in exquisite fashion by McGoldrick.

Gradually, Chelsea imposed themselves, with full-backs Chilwell and Reece James looking particularly dangerous and Hakim Ziyech growing into the game and showing pockets of quality.

One such moment saw him pick out Mateo Kovacic with a pinpoint pass and his cut-back found the lurking Abraham, whose downward finish bounced over Ramsdale, a little fortuitously.

Chelsea had found their feet and Timo Werner soon rattled the woodwork following a deadly free-kick from Ziyech just after the half hour, but soon after, the Blues went in front.

A short corner routine ended in Ziyech's cross picking out Chilwell and after being denied in similar fashion by Aaron Ramsdale early on, the impressive full-back this time profited, getting in front of Max Lowe to score from close in.

Clearly with the taste for it, Chilwell went close to providing Chelsea with a two-goal buffer, only for Ramsdale to make a key one-handed save.

Scenting a third goal which they would have expected to put the game out of the visitors' reach, Chelsea were then thwarted on the re-start by Chris Basham, who made an excellent saving challenge to rescue Enda Stevens after an error as he prevented Kovacic from putting the hosts' 3-1 ahead.

At the other end, Rhian Brewster, struggling to make an impression, got no change out of Chelsea's rearguard and McGoldrick's impact quietened - as Oli Burke, Billy Sharp and Oli McBurnie all warmed up on the touchline.

After Basham's defensive heroics, it was then the turn of John Egan, who got in the way of a sweet goalbound curler from the impressive Ziyech.

Ramsdale then got in the way of Reece James' free-kick before Mateo Kovacic shot wide as Chelsea, despite dominating, could not put the game to bed.

That gave United a spot of hope at least as Wilder urged his players from his technical area to be quicker in deed and thought.

But at the other end, United were gradually worn down and it was game over after Silva - in splendid isolation - nodded home from Ziyech's pinpoint free-kick.

After spurning a chance soon after, Werner finally got in on the act as a night which started with promise ended abjectly for the visitors after Lowe's attempted pass-back deflected into his path.

Chelsea: Mendy; James, Zouma, Thiago Silva, Chilwell; Kovacic (Jorginho 71), Kante, Mount; Ziyech, Abraham, Werner (Giroud 87). Substitutes unused: Caballero, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Emerson, Hudson-Odoi.

Sheffield United: Ramsdale; Basham, Egan, Stevens; Baldock, Berge, Norwood (Osborn 62), Lundstram, Lowe; McGoldrick, Brewster (McBurnie 62). Substitutes unused: Verrips, Sharp, Burke, Jagielka, Robinson.

Referee: J Moss (West Yorkshire).