LONDON: Chelsea ignored the drama over Roman Abramovich’s decision to sell the club as Kai Havertz inspired a 4-0 rout of Premier League strugglers Burnley.
Meanwhile Leeds manager Jesse Marsch suffered a 1-0 defeat at Leicester in his first game on Saturday.
All Premier League captains were wearing armbands in Ukraine colors this weekend and clubs held a minute’s applause in a show of solidarity with the country following Russia’s invasion.
The war has indirectly taken a major toll on Chelsea, with Russian oligarch Abramovich putting the club up for sale amid fears he may be sanctioned by the British government for his alleged links with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Abramovich’s vast investment delivered 19 major trophies in his 19-year reign, including the Champions League and Club World Cup under current boss Thomas Tuchel.
But Chelsea face an uncertain future in the post-Abramovich era, putting pressure on Tuchel to keep the team on track during the transition to a new owner.
Qualifying for the Champions League is essential to that ambition and third-placed Chelsea remain on course after brushing aside third-bottom Burnley at Turf Moor.
After Chelsea fans chanted Abramovich’s name during the applause for Ukraine, Reece James put them ahead in the 47th minute with a fierce finish.
Havertz doubled the lead with a header from Christian Pulisic’s cross five minutes later.
The German forward, again replacing club record signing Romelu Lukaku, made it three goals in nine minutes with a close-range strike from James’ cross.
Pulisic tapped in Chelsea’s fourth in the 69th minute from Saul Niguez’s deflected cross.
Chelsea’s third successive league win moved them six points clear of fourth-placed Manchester United.
Marsch has been hired to save Leeds from relegation after replacing Marcelo Bielsa.
But he was unable to spark an immediate improvement in their fortunes as Harvey Barnes bagged the winner in the 67th minute.
After a series of fine saves from Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel, Barnes struck with a cool finish from inside the area.
Marsch is just the second American to take charge of a Premier League club after Bob Bradley’s brief spell at Swansea in 2016.
Dismissed by RB Leipzig in December after a disappointing five-month spell, Marsch has a massive job on his hands to change perceptions of American coaches while keeping Leeds afloat.
Leeds have lost their last five games and sit just two points above the relegation zone.
“After four days together and to have changed a lot of the tactics, I’m really proud of the group,” Marsch said.
“We are getting to know each other. To play so well at a tough place, it doesn’t feel right that we didn’t get what we deserved but that’s sport. A big first step for us.”
Ivan Toney’s hat-trick lifted Brentford to their first win in 10 league games as the Bees moved six points clear of the relegation zone with a 3-1 victory at bottom-of-the-table Norwich.
Christian Eriksen provided the assist for Toney’s opener in his first competitive start since suffering a cardiac arrest playing for Denmark at the last year’s European Championship.
Newcastle extended their unbeaten run to eight league games with goals from Ryan Fraser and Fabian Schar clinching a 2-1 win against Brighton at St. James’ Park.
In severe relegation trouble when Eddie Howe took over as manager, Newcastle are now seven points above the bottom three.
Aston Villa thrashed Southampton 4-0 thanks to goals from Ollie Watkins, Douglas Luiz, Philippe Coutinho and Danny Ings.
Jean-Philippe Mateta and Wilfried Zaha scored in Crystal Palace’s 2-0 victory at Wolves.
Later on Saturday, second-placed Liverpool can move within three points of leaders Manchester City if they beat West Ham at Anfield.
City play Manchester United on Sunday, giving Jurgen Klopp’s side a chance to pile pressure on the champions before the derby at the Etihad Stadium.
Chelsea boost top-four bid, Leeds beaten in Marsch’s first game
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Chelsea boost top-four bid, Leeds beaten in Marsch’s first game
- All Premier League captains were wearing armbands in Ukraine colours this weekend
- Clubs held a minute's applause in a show of solidarity with the country following Russia's invasion
‘Out cold’: Haider Khan eyes knockout win over Gregory at PFL Road to Dubai
- British-Pakistani fighter takes on Brazilian veteran Jhony Gregory at Coca-Cola Arena on Feb. 7
DUBAI: British-Pakistani middleweight Haider Khan heads into the PFL’s Road to Dubai contest on Feb. 7 with a 10-1 professional record and growing international stature.
Khan faces Brazilian veteran Jhony Gregory at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, opening a card that features title fights and further accelerates the league’s push into the Middle East.
Khan grew up in Oldham in a sports-first household, where rugby, football and athletics filled most of his childhood.
“As a grown up in the UK, it was good for me. I was always a sporty child. I played many sports, rugby, football. I did athletics, but I got into MMA a bit later,” he said during an exclusive interview.
At around age 17 at university, he stepped away from semi-professional rugby and followed his uncles’ enthusiasm for mixed martial arts into a local jiu-jitsu gym down the road.
On the domestic scene he built a strong resume, climbing into the top 10 of the UK middleweight rankings and breaking into Europe’s lists as a rising name in the division.
The PFL gave Khan a larger platform, and he made the most of his debut. In Dubai, he stopped Mostafa Rashed Nada in the first round when a checked kick led to a gruesome arm break, a win that drew mainstream coverage in the UK.
“That was an impressive performance by myself, breaking his arm,” Khan said.
“I don’t feel any pressure to be honest because I’ve worked very hard to get to the position I am. I believe that I’m going to keep delivering performances like that where I’m going to get finishes and I’ll be the highlight of the night.”
In his second PFL outing against Sean McCormac, Khan leaned on takedowns and top control to take a decision in a middleweight showcase, highlighting his grappling edge on the night.
He feels the work between fights is starting to show. “I feel like every camp I train, I’m just leveling up in all areas of my game … I think what I do best is I put it all together and I’m fine-tuning that,” he said.
“Eventually it’s going to click to the point where it’s going to seem seamless.”
Gregory, who has years of experience and an aggressive style, is the next test. “He’s a very tough opponent, a bit of a veteran, had plenty of fights,” Khan said.
“He swings big, he commits to everything — his takedowns, his striking. So I expect him to come out fast, come out hard, but I imagine him missing a lot and I’m going to capitalize on that.”
For Khan, the matchup carries meaning beyond the rankings. He is the first British-Pakistani fighter on the PFL roster and has been vocal about what that visibility means.
“For me, it’s one of the main reasons I do it, to be a role model in this Pakistani community and show us that we can do it,” he said, thanking the fans in the region who have been turning out to support him.
Away from fight camp, “Darth” Khan keeps things simple. “In my free time I’m quite a boring guy. I like to relax, chilling with family and friends. I like to have a good coffee, love a good cappuccino … and a great movie to just chill and unwind,” he said.
When the cage door closes in Dubai, though, the goal is clear: “Fight night in Dubai ends with Haider Khan laying Jhony Gregory out cold.”
