Why Xabi Alonso shouted at Levi Colwill, Chelsea problem and Jordan Henderson gesture

CHELSEA 5-1 BOURNEMOUTH: Jordan Henderson stole the limelight from Cole Palmer, who put pen to paper on a lucrative new contract just hours before Saturday afternoon's clash at Stamford Bridge.

It turns out that there's plenty of life left in the old dog yet. Jordan Henderson rolled back the years and fired Chelsea to a spectacular 5-1 win over Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.

Chelsea leapt out of the gates, finding the net inside the opening minute or so when Henderson guided the ball into the top corner from just outside the box. Cole Palmer had received the ball on the halfway line, dragging the Blues up the pitch before slamming on the brakes and teeing up his fellow countryman.

Xabi Alonso's side doubled their lead no more than 90 seconds later. In the very next assault on the Bournemouth backline, Morgan Rogers clipped a ball into the box; his effort was flicked beyond Djorde Petrovic into the same top right-hand corner by Antonio Silva, who was full stretch, desperate to head the ball clear.

After a very brief review of the incident by the Video Assistant Referee, the goal was given, making it the earliest Chelsea have ever established a two-goal advantage in a Premier League match. Chelsea began the second half just as they began the first, scoring again just seconds after the restart.

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Pedro Neto dispossessed Silva on the byline, under the nose of the linesman, before driving into the Bournemouth box and picking out Joao Pedro, who swept the ball into the roof of the net. The Cherries pulled one back a few moments later when Evanilson pounced on a stray ball inside the six-yard box following a corner.

Midway through the second half, Pedro doubled his tally for the afternoon, latching onto an excellent cross from Pep Chavarria and sweeping the ball past Petrovic from close range. As Chelsea entered the final quarter of an hour at Stamford Bridge, Henderson also got on the scoresheet again, converting a brilliant free-kick.

Chelsea shift back into gear

Chelsea have now scored at least one goal in five of the first six Premier League games of the season. Barring a hiccup just before the international break, when Brentford enjoyed a 3-0 win over the Blues at the Gtech Community Stadium, Alonso's side have made a habit of leaping out of the gates.

Only Emile Heskey, in April 1998 for Derby County, has scored a goal and provided an assist inside the opening two minutes of a Premier League game, and earlier than Jordan Henderson, who sparked Chelsea into life, finding the opener before teeing up the second.

Alonso barks advice at Colwill

Shortly after the half-hour mark at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon, Alonso spotted a few glowing embers in the backline that he wanted to extinguish before they burst into flames. During a brief break in play, the Chelsea manager barked an instruction at Levi Colwill, encouraging him to park Evanilson tightly, while using his hands to gesture the contact... to which he nodded before stepping up.

Chelsea continue search for clean sheet

When Pedro extended the lead just minutes after the break, Chelsea should've been home and dry, but Bournemouth gave Alonso's side a taste of their own medicine, finding the net soon after. The Blues have now failed to keep a clean sheet since January 17, 2026, when they beat Brentford 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Henderson gesture speaks volumes

If Henderson hadn't already won the hearts of the home faithful at Stamford Bridge inside the opening minute or so when he curled the ball into the top corner in front of the Shed End, he certainly did when he curled a second strike into the top corner in front of the Matthew Harding Stand.

As Henderson retreated into the Chelsea half for the restart, he singled out the set-piece coach, who was standing on the sidelines, for praise. He shook his hand before going back to business, as if the free-kick routine, which involved Palmer feigning to deliver an out-swinger, was practised on the grass at Cobham.

Funnily, when Henderson next stood over a free-kick in the dying embers of stoppage time – this time a good 20 or 30 yards from the edge of the Bournemouth box – the home faithful bellowed, 'SHOOOOT, SHOOOOT!'

The Chelsea starting lineup: Emi Martinez; Levi Colwill, Maxence Lacroix, Josh Acheampong; Pep Chavarria, Jordan Henderson, Moises Caicedo, Pedro Neto; Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer; Joao Pedro.Substitutes: Mike Penders; Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto, Jorrel Hato, Marco Palestra; Romeo Lavia; Geovany Quenda, Estevao Willian, Danny Welbeck.