Lukaku reacts to his performance after Chelsea win over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku made a dream return to Stamford Bridge, scoring two goals and winning 3-0 in what he admits was a difficult game.

“They made life very difficult for us.

“We were clinical with the chances that we had.”

🗣”It was great.”

Romelu Lukaku loved playing at Stamford Bridge in front of the Chelsea fans. pic.twitter.com/93l8V46Fsx

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) September 11, 2021

The Belgian scored his first ever goals at the stadium either side of a Mateo Kovacic strike as Thomas Tuchel’s side maintained their unbeaten start to the season.

Lukaku stated: “It’s my dream since I was 11. I’ve worked hard for this moment.”

He added: “I was up and down at the start of my career but I’ve found a certain consistency in the last three years. In Italy, I was playing in a league where I maybe had one or two chances in a game so I had to take them.

“With experience and hard work, I just keep on working.

“It’s a good start but we have to keep working. We know this year’s going to be very competitive. A lot of teams are going to be fighting for the title.”

Lukaku has returned as the finished article, a powerful striker who understands his craft and is lethal in front of goal, as illustrated by his second, little more than a half-chance, fired into the top corner with his left foot in the third minute of stoppage time.

Mateo Kovacic scored the other to produce a flattering score line. Chelsea were far from fluent and Villa, aggressive and purposeful going forward, created a wealth of chances.

But Lukaku in devastating form and as Thomas Tuchel stressed his quality proved to be the difference on a day when both teams bore the scars of the international break, albeit in different ways.