Jordan Henderson marks Chelsea debut with two goals and assist in Bournemouth rout

Jordan Henderson made a decisive impact on his Chelsea home debut, scoring twice and setting up Morgan Rogers in a 5-1 victory over Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.

The experienced midfielder opened the scoring early before producing a superb free-kick after half-time. His display offered an immediate illustration of the quality, leadership and all-round influence he can bring to Chelsea’s midfield after an injury-disrupted summer.

Henderson’s contribution was not limited to his goals and assist. The former Liverpool captain provided authority in the centre of the pitch and showed a strong understanding with Chelsea’s younger players, despite having to persuade Cole Palmer and Rogers to allow him to take the free-kick.

“Some of the lads and Austin have a little bit of confidence in me, so when I have some confidence in me, I can step up and take it,” Henderson said.

“But we’ve been working on it in training for the past week or two, to be fair, and I was pretty consistent.”

Henderson explained that Austin initially told him the free-kick had already been assigned, while Rogers was reluctant to give way.

“Austin said: ‘Forget it, that’s what we’re doing’. Morgs wasn’t too happy, but when we got there he said: ‘Go on then’. Cole said: ‘Which corner are we celebrating in when you score?!’ So I said they wanted the right, then put it in, thankfully,” he added.

Henderson savours first Stamford Bridge appearance

The 5-1 result was particularly satisfying for Henderson because it was his first appearance in front of Chelsea supporters at Stamford Bridge. He said returning to action after his summer injury made the occasion even more significant.

“It was a good day. It was my home debut so it was a big day for me. So I was delighted to play here,” he said.

“It’s been a while since my injury in the summer, so it was nice to be here at Stamford Bridge for the first time and play. We put on a good performance and got a good result, which is the main thing.”

While Chelsea’s attacking players attracted much of the attention, Henderson said the team’s defensive work was the aspect that pleased him most.

He praised the concentration and collective effort shown without the ball, arguing that a disciplined defensive approach gave Chelsea the foundation to make the most of their attacking talent.

“I felt today the concentration, the focus, was very good for the majority of the game. When you do that you’re just rewarded in the end,” Henderson said.

“They’re fantastic players, with huge talent, of course. What I was most pleased with today was the work we did and the defensive attitude without the ball. That helps the team and that builds us, gives us a platform then, when we’re defending as a team.”