Late goals from Jay Rodriguez and Dwight McNeil were not enough to rescue anything for the Clarets as they were cut down to size by Chelsea in front of the TV cameras.

Christian Pulisic helped himself to a hat-trick while Willian added a fourth before the Clarets replied with a couple of special strikes as the game headed towards its conclusion.

The scoreline didn’t really do justice to the Clarets’ performance but two first half errors gifted Pulisic his first two goals either side of a spell from Sean Dyche’s men in which they had the best chances of the first 45 minutes.

Despite a spirited start to the second half, Pulisic added his third with a header before Willian put the game beyond the Clarets with a neat finish.

Burnley did at least ensure injury time was a little more nervous for the visitors with first Rodriguez and then McNeil firing past Kepa from outside the box to set up a grandstand finish.

Chelsea took the lead on 21 minutes, Christian Pulisic benefitting from a slip from Matt Lowton and then making no mistake with a shot through the legs of Ben Mee after holding off the challenge of James Tarkowski.

The Clarets almost hit back immediately, Ashley Barnes winning a corner and then just failing to direct his header goalwards after Tarkowski headed the ball back across the six-yard box.

And just a couple of minutes later, Kepa pulled off a stunning save, somehow managing to get a hand to Erik Pieters’ fierce volley which had taken a wicked deflection of Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta.

That goal had sparked the game into life and Pulisic went close again on 27 minutes.

The winger found himself in acres of space in the box and was able to bring the ball down neatly and fire goalwards, only to see Pope get down well to block the deflected effort.

The Clarets really should have been level just before the half-hour mark but Barnes somehow headed wide from two yards out after Mee had directed his own header back across goal.

Chelsea doubled their lead on the stroke of half time, Pulisic getting his second after another piece of sloppy play at the back from the Clarets.

The American picked up a loose pass from Tarkowski and drove towards the Burnley goal before fire a shot past Pope with the help of a deflect from Mee.

The Clarets started the second half positively and Jay Rodrigeuz had his first sight of goal on 52 minutes but his shot was straight at Kepa.

The hope was short-lived however when Pulisic claimed his third of the evening on 56 minutes.

The American headed home a lovely Mason Mount cross after the youngster’s corner had been returned to him.

And things got worse for Burnley just two minutes later when Willian added a fourth.

The Brazilian shifted the ball onto his right foot just inside the box and fired a shot across the despairing dive of Pope and into the far corner.

Burnley continued to press and only a superb Fikayo Tomori challenge stopped Rodriguez from pulling one back before Westwood and McNeil both had fierce shots blocked.

Chelsea were awarded a penalty with 15 minutes to play when sub Callum Hudson-Odoi went down under a challenge from Tarkowski.

It didn’t look like there was any contact and a VAR check ruled that to be the case and reversed referee Michael Oliver’s decision, with the Chelsea man picking up a booking for his efforts.

After the VAR controversy of last week, there were ironic cheers around Turf Moor when Oliver motioned that the penalty had been over-turned.

The Clarets did give those inside Turf Moor something to cheer about in the dying minutes with Rodriguez helping himself to the best goal of the bunch with a 35-yard drive beofre McNeil added a second for Dyche's men with a deflect shot off Tomori.

Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Pieters; Hendrick (Brady 84), Cork, Westwood, McNeil; Barnes (Vydra 63), Rodriguez.

Subs: Hart, Taylor, Lennon, Bardsley, Long.

Booked: Hendrick, Pieters

Kepa; Azpilicueta, Tomori, Zouma, Alonso (James 63); Kovacic, Jorginho, Mount, Willian (Hudson-Odoi 72), Puisic; Abraham (Giroud 69).

Subs: Caballero, Pedro, Batshuayi, Guehi.

Booked: Willian, Hudson-Odoi