Chelsea proved they can cope without their injured strikers as Mason Mount’s hat-trick powered the Premier League leaders in their 7-0 demolition of Norwich on Saturday.
Thomas Tuchel’s side were rocked when Romelu Lukaku sustained an ankle injury and Timo Werner suffered a hamstring problem in the midweek Champions League victory against Malmo.
Despite the absence of their main forwards, Chelsea tore apart bottom of the table Norwich at Stamford Bridge to move four points clear at the top.
Mount started the rout with his first goal since May, ending a run of 15 scoreless club appearances for the 22-year-old.
Callum Hudson-Odoi ended an even longer goal drought when he grabbed his first league goal since January.
Reece James increased Chelsea’s lead, becoming the third English graduate of the club’s youth academy on the scoresheet.
Ben Chilwell netted the fourth and Max Aarons scored an own goal as the barrage continued.
Mount struck again from the spot and hit his third in the final seconds as Chelsea recorded their biggest win since Tuchel arrived in January.
Woeful Norwich had Ben Gibson sent off in the second half for two bookings.
Chelsea have now won their last four games in all competitions, erasing the damage done by successive defeats against Manchester City and Juventus before the international break.
The Blues’ cruise puts a little extra pressure on second placed Liverpool ahead of their trip to bitter rivals Manchester United on Sunday.
Chelsea, chasing their first English title since 2017, have a chance to extend their lead as their next two league fixtures are against lowly Newcastle and Burnley.
During his spell in charge at Dortmund, Tuchel employed Norwich boss Daniel Farke as the club’s Under-23 coach and the pair remain good friends.