Blues proved there is life without injured top goalscorer Alvaro Morata as they return to winning ways against David Wagner's Terriers
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TIEMOUE BAKAYOKO supplied the perfect response to his humiliating early withdrawal at the weekend by sparking this Chelsea romp.
The £40million summer signing from Monaco has been getting plenty of stick from Chelsea fans after an uninspiring start to his Premier League career, and there were ironic cheers when he was hauled off at half time against West Ham.
It was a surprise to see him in the starting line-up here, but he repaid Antonio Conte’s faith in him by firing home the goal that settled his team’s nerves.
The Frenchman struck midway through the first half - only his third goal in twenty outings for the Blues, and his second in the Prem. But it seemed to do wonders for his confidence.
His team-mates quickly caught the mood as Willian and Pedro added goals either side of half time against a bitterly disappointing home team.
The Terriers were a pale shadow of the side that ended a run of four defeats by seeing off Brighton 2-0 three days earlier. They lacked belief and commitment, and were there for the taking.
Maybe they knew they were fighting a losing cause. Only one of Chelsea’s nine defeats since Conte took charge has come outside London. – a 2-0 reverse at Manchester United in April.
But no-one could have predicted Chelsea would find goals so simple to come by, especially as Alvaro Morata’s back problem meant they went in without a recognised striker.
Eden Hazard filled in as the ‘false nine’, with Willian and Pedro alongside him.
What that trio lacked in height they more than made up for in guile and movement, with all three trading places straight from the kick off.
Those tactics almost paid early dividends as Willian slipped a ball behind the defence to Pedro, although he was clearly offside before slipping the ball past the advancing Jonas Lossl.
It was still an ominous warning for the home team. Their response came from a lightning burst down the left flank by Elias Kachunga, and his cross was met on the volley by Aaron Mooy.
The Australian midfielder was well outside the box and his effort was easily cleared, but it needed a couple of brave blocks at the other end when Willian and Victor Moses tried their luck.
Chelsea’s slick inter-passing was threatening a breakthrough, but they got a bit of help from Lossl when they opened the scoring midway through the first half.
The Huddersfield keeper slipped as he went to hoof a back pass downfield, and the ball went straight to Moses.
His header found Hazard, and the ball was moved at breakneck pace to Willian and the supporting Bakayoko.
He strolled past Mathias Zanka with nonchalant ease, and Chris Lowe could only help the Frenchman’s clipped shot into the net.
It was hard to avoid the feeling that Huddersfield got what they deserved. The way they seemed prepared to sit back and invite Chelsea onto them was little short of baffling, especially after West Ham hustled the Blues to defeat a the weekend.
Things almost got worse as Hazard teased Zanka into conceding a free-kick with some outrageous footwork – Bakayoko nearly got his second, as his glancing header from Willian’s delivery flashed narrowly wide.
It proved a sort-lived reprieve, as the Terriers again failed dismally to live up to their nickname.
There was no pressure on Cesar Azpilicueta as he carried the ball out of defence, allowing him to pick out the unmarked Marcos Alonso with a long diagonal pass.
Alonso floated over a lovely cross and Lowe seemed to have no idea where Willian had got to as the Brazilian picked his spot with a downward header.
It was all too easy for the current champions, and the only blow landed by the home outfit came at half time when the match announcer said the Chelsea players had earned their half time water bottles!
It seemed Huddersfield boss David Wagner would have to try something different, possibly by throwing on a second striker to support the hopelessly isolated Steve Mounie.
Instead the Huddersfield boss replace one midfielder with another, sending on 35-year-old Dean Whitehead in place of Jonathan Hogg.
If Wagner was intent on damage limitation, it did not work. Huddersfield were at panic stations again after another Alonso cross and Pedro gleefully smashed the loose ball home for the third goal.
Bakayoko blotted his copybook slightly by conceding possession in his own half, but Tom Ince failed to take advantage, shooting straight against the onrushing Thibaut Courtois.
Huddersfield did pull one back in injury-time as Laurent Depoitre headed home from a Florent Hadergjonaj cross, but it was too little too late to cause any worry for Conte and his men.
