Nkunku hat-trick helps Chelsea blow away League Two side Barrow

Christopher Nkunku bagged a hat-trick as Chelsea thrashed League Two Barrow in the Carabao Cup third-round tie.

The Blues dominated the match from the off and took the lead in stylish fashion when Joao Felix scooped a ball over the top of the defence and Nkunku volleyed home.

His, and Chelsea’s second, was also a classy one as he flicked home Malo Gusto’s low cross from the right flank.

It was a night where the Chelsea’s forwards who haven’t been starting in Premier League game flourished, and Felix was unlucky not to be on the scoresheet when his free-kick hit the inside of the post before going in off goalkeeper Paul Farman.

Mykhailo Mudryk was dangerous throughout and laid on the fourth for opposite winger Pedro Neto.

The scoring was rounded off when Nkunku completed his treble after Farman inexplicably tried to take on the Chelsea spearhead, only to be robbed and watch the ball nestle in the net for the fifth time.

Much was made of Chelsea’s inabiliy to sign a striker such as Victor Osimhen or Ivan Toney in the summer, especially given the glut of other incomings, but their strength in the forward positions suddenly looks the envy of maybe every side bar Manchester City and, perhaps, Arsenal.

Admittedly a lot depends on Nicolas Jackson continuing his spell of composed finishing, but with the exception of Cole Palmer none of the other forwards can guarantee a place in the starting XI.

Jadon Sancho has made an impressive start and Noni Madueke has shown he belongs in the first team, while Neto and Felix have also impressed in their limited Premier League action.

Nkunku, with his hat-trick, and the reportedly unhappy Mudryk, also showed in this performance they have the confidence to deliver in the top-flight as well.

It is not a new thing for Chelsea: talents like Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech were on the sidelines in recent years. But their current crop of forwards all share the ability to break at lightning pace and latch onto balls from their talisman Palmer.

Yes, this was the perfect game for the Chelsea forward to get his confidence up. But given he is not a natural number nine, he could easily have got lost in the front line. Instead he showed brilliant attacking instincts latching onto through-balls, playing others in and, in the case of his hat-trick goal, being his team’s first defender.

Chelsea: Jorgensen 7; Gusto 7, Disasi 7, Badiashile 7, Veiga 7; Casadei 7, Deswbury-Hall 7; Neto 7, Joao Felix 8, Mudryk 8; Nkunku 9*.

Subs: Chilwell 6, George 5, Acheampong 6, Guiu 6, Chukwuemeka 6.

Barrow: Farman 5; Feely 6, Vassell 6, Stokes 6, Jackson 6; Campbell 6, Foley 6; Newby 6, Spence 6, Acquah 6; Garner 6.

Subs: Telford 6, Eccleston 6, Kouyate 6, Tiensia 6.

8′GOAL! CHELEA (NKUNKU) 1-0 BARROW! Gorgeous scooped pass over the top from Joao Felix and Nkunku volleyed home, squeezing a shot under the keeper.

15′GOAL! CHELSEA (NKUNKU) 2-0 BARROW! Gusto gets behind the ball on the right flank and his low cross if flicked in from Nkunku.

28′GOAL! CHELSEA (FARMAN OG) 3-0 BARROW! Felix curled the ball around the wall and it clipped the inside of the post before hitting the unlucky goalkeeper and rolling into the net.

48′ GOAL! CHELSEA (NETO) 4-0 BARROW! You fear for the League Two side here, Chelsea do not look in the mood to stop scoring. Nkunku played a ball through for Mudryk and he squared to give an easy tap in for the ex-Wolves man.

75′ GOAL! CHELSEA (NKUNKU) 5-0 BARROW! Farman was unlucky with his own goal but only has himself to blame here as he tries to take on Nkunku who robs him of the ball and sldes it into the net.

• 52 – Nkunku has scored six goals in 310 minutes of action this season. That’s an average of a goal inside every 52 minutes he plays.