Chelsea 5-1 Bournemouth: Jordan Henderson emulates Cristiano Ronaldo with goals to set Premier League record

Jordan Henderson rolled back the years on Saturday afternoon, breaking a club record as he helped Chelsea on their way to a 5-1 thrashing of Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.

More than a few eyebrows were raised when the Blues signed the former Liverpool captain, who turned 36-years-old in the summer, but he became their oldest player to ever be directly involved in three or more goals in a single Premier League match.

In fact, Opta data reveals the English midfielder is the oldest to do so for any side in the top flight since Cristiano Ronaldo’s showing for Manchester United against Norwich in April 2022, at the age of 37.

It remains to be seen whether Henderson can maintain this level going forward, but he has silenced some doubters for the time being, and could be a major asset for Xabi Alonso this season.

36 – Jordan Henderson (36y 115d) is the oldest @ChelseaFC player to be directly involved in 3+ goals in a Premier League match (2 goals, 1 assist), and oldest for any side since Cristiano Ronaldo in April 2022 (37 v Norwich). Twilight. https://t.co/OdCRuSQRTi

The Londoners arrived at Stamford Bridge this weekend looking for their first Premier League win in four games, having been thoroughly humiliated 3-0 at Brentford prior to the international break.

However, Henderson took the initiative to open the scoring with an excellent strike from just outside the box, curling from right to left and in off the post with just 64 seconds on the clock.

Only a minute later and the 36-year-old was involved again, setting up Morgan Rogers’s own curler, this time a deflected effort from the left of the 18-yard box.

Alonso’s side went into the break two goals to the good, and made another lightning start as Joao Pedro got in on the act, powering a first-time hit into the top-right corner beyond Djordje Petrovic after a cut back from Pedro Neto.

The ex-Brighton and Hove Albion star would add the Blues’ fourth midway through the second half, before it was Henderson’s time to shine once again, bending a free kick over the wall and beyond the goalkeeper on the 70th-minute mark.

In years gone by, it was generally thought that players would suffer a significant decline once they reached their 30s, but more and more of the game’s influential figures are extending their careers past previous expectations.

Henderson was largely written off when he left Liverpool to join Al Ettifaq in 2023, not to mention his turbulent spell with Ajax in 2024.

However, he has managed to revitalise his career with an impressive stint under Keith Andrews at Brentford last season, when he fell agonisingly short of securing European football, and is now showing that he is still capable at Chelsea.

The Blues also brought in veteran striker Danny Welbeck this summer, who has arguably produced the best campaigns of his career within the last few seasons, with the 35-year-old impressively scoring 13 league goals for Brighton last term.