Chelsea’s first losing run in the Premier League this season under Guus Hiddink came to an end on Saturday as they won 4-1 away at Bournemouth.
Bournemouth, looking to do the double over last year’s champions, started brightly but it was Chelsea who went in front against the run of play in the fifth minute.
Cesc Fabregas found fellow Spaniard Pedro down the right-hand side and the former Barcelona man opened his body to dink over the onrushing Artur Boruc and into the corner.
The goal took the wind out of Bournemouth’s sails, but the Cherries were soon looking threatening once again as Joshua King and Steve Cook both blazed over chances from a pair of corners.
Lewis Grabban then headed wide before Chelsea struck again in the 34th minute. Eden Hazard was making his first appearance for six weeks and returned with a goal, his first in the Premier League for 356 days.
The Belgian ended his 29-game wait for a league goal by running onto Fabregas’s clever flick and beating Boruc at the near post with a low shot from 20 yards.
The Blues’ two-goal lead lasted only two minutes as Bournemouth got on the scoresheet through Tommy Elphick’s header from a Simon Francis corner that snuck into the corner.
It was end-to-end action at the end of the first half, with Grabban and Junior Stanislas going close for the home side before Pedro shot over after some tricky feet in the box.
The interval saw both sides lose their momentum and chances were few and far between throughout the second half.
Eddie Howe sent on both Benik Afobe and Callum Wilson to play together for the first time in attack, but it was Chelsea who scored the game’s fourth goal as Fabregas again produced a pinpoint pass to Willian and the Brazilian lifted the ball over Boruc.
The Blues then added further gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time when Hazard volleyed home his second of the match after strong work down the left from Nemanja Matic.
Three points moves Chelsea up to ninth, while Bournemouth stay 13th and miss the chance to draw level on points with last year’s champions.
