'What a start!' - Morgan Rogers joins Drogba, Hazard & Chelsea legends in elite Premier League group after goal against Hull City

Rogers has enjoyed a sensational start to his career in West London, proving exactly why the Blues were willing to sanction a club-record £117m deal to lure him away from Aston Villa. The versatile forward was back among the goals during Saturday's Premier League clash against Hull City, finding the back of the net within the opening six minutes of the contest.

The goal itself was a clinical display of finishing, showcasing the confidence currently flowing through the 24-year-old’s veins. After being played through by a clever ball from teammate Joao Pedro, Rogers took a composed touch before drilling a low, powerful strike into the bottom corner of the net. The early breakthrough was particularly significant as Hull City conceded their first Premier League goal of the season following a resilient start to their own campaign.

By finding the net against the Tigers, Rogers has secured his place in an incredibly exclusive club of Chelsea attackers. He has become just the fifth different player in the club's storied Premier League history to record either a goal or an assist in each of the first four games of a top-flight season. This consistency puts him in the company of genuine legends who defined eras at Stamford Bridge.

According to Opta, Rogers is the fifth different player to score or assist in each of Chelsea's first four games of a Premier League season. He follows in the illustrious footsteps of Didier Drogba, Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa, and Eden Hazard. To be mentioned in the same breath as these four individuals is no small feat, as all of them played pivotal roles in delivering major silverware to the club.

The history of this specific record reads like a roll call of Chelsea’s most influential modern-era stars. Drogba was the first to achieve the feat during the 2010/11 campaign, a season where he started like a house on fire by netting four goals and providing four assists in the opening month.

Following the Ivorian, Fabregas and Costa both managed the achievement simultaneously during the title-winning 2014/15 season. Fabregas provided six assists in that run, while Costa famously bagged seven goals, terrorizing top-flight defenses from the very first whistle.

Costa would actually go on to repeat the trick in 2016/17, recording four goals and an assist during another productive opening month. The last player to join this elite bracket before Rogers was Hazard, who managed two goals and two assists at the start of the 2018/19 season.

Despite the individual brilliance of Rogers and the historical significance of his early goal, the afternoon took a frustrating turn for the home side. Chelsea’s early dominance was undermined by familiar defensive frailties that allowed Hull City back into the contest. The visitors found an equalizer shortly before the half-hour mark when Mohamed Belloumi capitalized on a lapse in concentration from the Chelsea backline. It was a reminder that while Rogers is providing the magic at one end, there is still significant work to be done at the other.

The situation worsened for the Blues moments later as the Algerian international Belloumi struck for a second time, completing a shock turnaround for the visitors. As the game developed, the focus shifted from Rogers’ record-breaking start to Chelsea's struggle to maintain control of the match. While the individual accolades will surely please Rogers, the collective performance will give the manager plenty to ponder.