swansea 1-1

Independent:

Hernandez makes weary Blues pay for off-day
Swansea City 1 Chelsea 1

Steve Tongue
Liberty Stadium

A pale and uneventful game involving Chelsea? Surely not.

For a long time the most colourful thing about an afternoon of alternating rain and sun in South Wales was a rainbow above the halfway line. That would not have bothered Roberto Di Matteo at the end of another hectic week, once Victor Moses headed the goal that was keeping his team on top of the Premier League. Then, with two minutes to play, Swansea’s Spanish midfielder Pablo Hernandez drove in an equaliser that left Manchester United, who had beaten Chelsea last Sunday, on top of the pile.
It was deserved reward for the Welsh side’s refusal to give up on their neat passing game, even if they sometimes fell into the trap of making it just too intricate. They gained greater momentum once Danny Graham was called off the substitutes’ bench after Moses had scored, allowing Michu to drop a little deeper into his more natural position. Equally deserved, it might be said, was Chelsea’s fate, given that they created so little, especially in the second half. Once the goal went in, they seemed to take it for granted that victory would be theirs.
Without Juan Mata, so often the midfield fulcrum, there had been a lackadaisical air about much of their work. Di Matteo showed his displeasure by removing the ineffective Oriel Romeu at half-time and sending on Ramires, who he had hoped to hold in reserve for Wednesday’s Champions’ League game at home to Shakhtar Donetsk.
The manager declined to admit that the performance was well below par, though he did agree that fatigue may be kicking in amid the twice-weekly schedule and international games. As to whether all the off-field drama that seems to surround Chelsea had any effect, he insisted: “I wouldn’t read anything into that.”
There was notable and possibly pointed praise for the referee, Kevin Friend, of whom Di Matteo said: “He did very well and kept the players calm and I congratulate him. It takes something out of the ordinary for my players to react.”
Swansea’s Michael Laudrup, whose son Andreas recently played for Nordsjaelland in Chelsea’s flattering 4-0 win over them, was delighted, all the more so since there had been rumblings about discontent from some of his players earlier in the season. That was before a run of games against Manchester City, Liverpool (both away) and Chelsea that have brought a win, a draw and a defeat. “It’s three very good performances from the team in a great week for the club,” he said. “We played the champions of Europe and Liverpool at Anfield and I only counted five or six chances. Their goal today was a little lucky and it was a deserved point for us.”
Not only Mata was missing from the Chelsea midfield that has been so effective for most of the season but Frank Lampard too, and John Terry in defence. David Luiz, less critically, was injured, so Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill played in the centre of the back four with Cesar Azpilicueta at right-back. Between them they kept the home side at bay with reasonable comfort, although the late goal means it is six games now without a clean sheet. Early on Hernandez sent the adventurous and poetic Angel Rangel clear but Ivanovic intercepted his cut-back and later Wayne Routledge set up Ki Sung-Yueng, Jon Obi Mikel making an important block.
If Mikel did not appear in any way affected by having been the central figure in last Sunday’s drama at Stamford Bridge, Romeu alongside him was poor and could not complain at being sent to the showers early. His countryman Fernando Torres had one of his better days, holding up the ball more reliably and winning several good headers. One of them brought just about the only excitement of the first half, when he headed Oscar’s corner towards the far post, Leon Britton clearing off the line.
Another Oscar corner led to the goal just after the hour, not without controversy. Britton was furious to be penalised for a tackle on the Brazilian, leading to a curling free-kick by Eden Hazard that the goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel punched for a corner. From that, Cahill climbed highest for a solid header that Moses managed to flick on and in off a post for his first Chelsea goal in the League.
Laudrup brought on Graham and Nathan Dyer and the crowd awoke, too, and if the hymns and arias took on an increasingly desperate tone, they reached a crescendo as Ashley Cole lost possession, Swansea broke and the other substitute, Itay Shechter, laid the ball off for Hernandez to drive low inside a post.
“I know what Pablo can do,” Laudrup said. “Every foreigner needs time to adapt to this League and he’s getting better and better. You have a big sign on your shoulder saying ‘record signing’ [at £5.5 million] and so you have a little more pressure.” Hernandez wore it well.

Swansea (4-2-3-1): Tremmel; Rangel, Monk, Williams, Davies; Britton (Graham, 65), Ki; Hernandez, De Guzman, Routledge (Dyer, 65); Michu (Shechter, 79).

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Cole; Mikel, Romeu (Ramires, 46); Moses (Sturridge, 72), Oscar (Bertrand, 79), Hazard; Torres.

Referee: Kevin Friend.
Man of the match: Hernandez (Swansea)
Match rating: 5/10


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Observer:
Swansea City's Pablo Hernández denies Chelsea at the last

Joe Lovejoy at the Liberty Stadium

No controversy here, but no win for Chelsea either, Swansea City rallying with spirit and conviction to score an 88th-minute equaliser that leaves Manchester United in pole position in the Premier League.
United took over at the top of the table earlier in the day by beating Arsenal, and Chelsea were unable to reply in kind. They were denied the win they needed by Pablo Hernández, the striker Swansea signed from Valencia last summer, who beat Petr Cech with a laser-guided 20-yarder. Remarkably, after Chelsea had been the better team for much of the game, the Swans might have nicked it at the end, when Danny Graham, on as substitute, was desperately close with a shot that shivered the framework of Cech's goal.
After recent events the focus was as much on the referee as the players. Kevin Friend, of Leicestershire, will have prayed for a routine assignment, or at least one free of dialogue with Mikel John Obi. To his relief, he got what he wanted. When Mikel was booked, for fouling Jonathan De Guzman, there was no drama. To universal relief, the football was good, constructive stuff, free of histrionics and post-match accusations. Roberto Di Matteo made a point of praising the referee. The Chelsea manager said: "I've got to say the officials were very good. Kevin Friend did very well, he kept the players calm. I congratulated him at the end."
Asked if he had told his team to behave impeccably in light of the storm after last Sunday's defeat by Manchester United, he said: "No, I didn't think it was necessary to do that. In general, their behaviour is good."
Both teams were without important players. Injury has deprived Swansea of Michel Vorm, one of the best goalkeepers in the league, and Chico Flores at centre-half. Chelsea had John Terry completing his suspension and another of their old guard, Frank Lampard, plus David Luiz and their player of the season to date, Juan Mata, all casualties.
Opportunity knocked for Garry Monk, the Welsh club's long-serving club captain, who will have enjoyed his first appearance of the season in the Premier League as Flores' deputy. Chelsea's most interesting selection was Victor Moses, who caught the managerial eye in the midweek cup victory over Manchester United, and justified his inclusion as Mata's deputy by scoring with a header after an hour.
Chelsea had the better of the first half in terms of possession and chances created, their best goal attempt seeing a header from Fernando Torres cleared off the line by Leon Britton after a corner taken on the left by the man of the match, Eden Hazard. For a long time Swansea, as is their custom, played some lovely, cohesive football, but without seriously inconveniencing Cech. Chelsea ought to have scored after 50 minutes, when Torres delivered an inviting cross from near the byline on the left, only for his work to be wasted when Moses headed weakly over the bar from six yards. The young winger quickly made amends.
Chelsea's chance seemed to have gone when Gerhard Tremmel flew to his left to turn behind a curling 25-yard free-kick from Hazard, but from the corner Gary Cahill's header reached Moses who, at the near post, headed in at close range, via the top of the upright. Michael Laudrup sent on Nathan Dyer and Graham and switched to 4-2-4 in search of renewed equality, and boldness had its reward when Itay Shechter, on as substitute, supplied Hernández, who ran on before shooting into the left corner of Cech's net.
Di Matteo, naturally, was disappointed to have his team knocked off the top for the first time since the table meant anything. He said: "After the week we've had, it would have been good to finish it off with a 1-0 victory. We had more of the game and they didn't create many chances but we lacked a cutting edge today. All right, we're not top any more but it's only November and it's a long season. We're in touch and we're going to show how strong we are in the future."
He admitted it was nice to be talking about football rather than discipline and off the field events. "That's how it should be every week," he said. "I wish it was."
Asked if recent controversies had adversely affected his team's form, Di Matteo said: "I wouldn't read anything into all that. Away games in the Premier League are always difficult."
Chelsea expect to have Mata, fit again in time for Wednesday's Champions League tie at home to Shakhtar Donetsk. Terry will be available but Di Matteo will assess his match fitness before deciding if he plays.


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Telegraph:

Swansea City 1 Chelsea 1
By Jonathan Liew, at Liberty Stadium

With verve and spirit, with resolve and dedication, and in weather fit for Swans, the home side deservedly seized a point against the champions of Europe, shifting them from the Premier League summit in the process.
Three minutes from time, the Spanish international and club record signing Pablo Hernandez made himself a little space on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area, spotted a gap amidst the maze of blue socks and coloured boots, and curled the ball right into it.
Drenched and downtrodden, Chelsea’s players stared forlornly at each other. This time there was no referee to blame. Champion sides are generally the ones scoring late goals, not conceding them.
In the corresponding fixture 10 months ago, they burgled a draw courtesy of an own goal in the third minute of injury time. This time, the last-gasp heartbreak was theirs.
Chelsea were not poor, exactly, but rarely did they sparkle either. Without the injured Juan Mata and David Luiz, they looked uncharacteristically short on flair.
Their goal was a scrappy slice of luck from a second-half corner. No alarms yet, but after one win in four games and no clean sheets in the last six, a crack or two is beginning to appear in Roberto di Matteo’s formidable edifice.
“To be honest, they didn’t have any real clear chances, but they scored a quality goal,” he said.
“The only time we gave Hernández a bit of space, he punished us. It is disappointing not to have hung on to our lead. Even when you are not brilliant, you need to get a result like that.”
The league table remains of limited concern to him. “It’s a long season,” he said. “We are in touch.”
Still, Di Matteo’s dismay was mitigated by the fact that he was finally able to talk about football again, after a week in which off-field matters have again cast their acrid shadow. In contrast to his indignation at Mark Clattenburg last weekend, he gave the referee a glowing report.
“The officials were very good,” he said. “Kevin Friend did very well to keep both teams calm and let the game flow. Generally our team is very good [with officials]. There has to be something really out of the ordinary for them to react.”
Besides a few early boos for John Obi Mikel, the man at the centre of the Clattenburg affair, the Swansea City fans were also quick to move on to more pressing matters.
They were regally entertained in a taut, even first half, the two sides’ identical formations creating a delicate balance in midfield.
Fernando Torres had one header cleared off the line by Leon Britton, and fired another straight at Gerhard Tremmel. The Spaniard has now gone almost seven hours without a goal for club or country.
It was going to take either genius or good fortune to break the deadlock, and Chelsea benefited from the latter. Oscar’s corner was nodded towards goal by Gary Cahill, took a deflection off the head of Victor Moses, and clattered in off the post.
Swansea continued to press, though without much of a product. The introduction of striker Danny Graham, though, finally gave their attacks a focal point.
With Graham pushing Chelsea’s centre-halves back a couple of yards, Swansea were able to find more space on the edge of the area, in the spaces manager Michael Laudrup calls 'the second line’.
With time leaking away, Ramires took his eye off Hernández for a split second, allowing the Spaniard to make a run and latch onto Itay Schechter’s lay-off. His shot was low and perfectly placed.
“A team like Chelsea have a lot of quality,” Laudrup said. “When they get in front, you know it is going to be difficult. I really thought we had a chance until the last second. I think it was a deserved point.”


Match details

Swansea (4-2-3-1): Tremmel; Rangel, Monk, Williams, Davies; Britton (Graham 65), Ki; Hernández, de Guzman, Routledge (Dyer 65); Michu (Shechter 79).
Subs: Cornell, Tate, Tiendalli, Agustien.
Booked: Britton, de Guzman, Shechter.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Cole; Mikel, Romeu (Ramires 46); Hazard, Oscar (Bertrand 79), Moses (Sturridge 72); Torres.
Subs: Turnbull, Ferreira, Marin, Piazon.
Booked: Azpilicueta.

Referee: K Friend (Leicestershire).


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Times:


Swansea 1 Chelsea 1:
Pacy Swansea take their time but snatch a point
Ron Lewis


A deserved late equaliser by Pablo Hernandez gave Swansea City a hard-fought point that put a dent in Chelsea’s title hopes.

Swansea had caused Chelsea problems with their pace, but when Victor Moses had headed the London side ahead just after the hour, it seemed likely they would close out the victory. But as Chelsea tried to run out time, Swansea showed a never-say-die spirit to become only the third side this season to deny Chelsea all three points.

It had not been a vintage display by Chelsea, but at the end of a difficult week, a cold afternoon in South Wales in a match played amid heavy downpours looked like a shock to the system. Chelsea simply could not subdue the Swansea threat and the home team could have picked up all three points but for a late Gary Cahill block on Danny Graham’s shot that then struck a post.

Swansea made a quick start, Angel Rangel, Wayne Routledge and Hernandez all stretching the Chelsea defence by attacking down the flanks. From a corner, Fernando Torres’s header were cleared at the far post by Leon Britton, but, at the other end, an excellent run and cross from Hernandez found Michu, who was unable to get an effort on target.

Chelsea’s chief threat was coming from Moses, running at the Swansea defence at pace from deep. After 26 minutes, Chelsea’s first good chance fell to Torres.

Cahill’s long ball was brilliantly taken down by the Spaniard, who fed the ball to Moses on the right. When his shot across Gerhard Tremmel was palmed away by the Swansea goalkeeper, it bounced up to Torres, who could get no power on the header and merely directed it back into Tremmel’s arms.

Just before half-time, another long ball started another dangerous break for the visiting team. Torres flicked the ball to Eden Hazard, who returned to Torres on the left. But with Swansea chasing back to cover, the forward could not feed the ball back across to Hazard

The half-time introduction of Ramires – who had presumably been left on the bench as he faced being suspended for next week’s match against Liverpool if booked – in place of the ineffectual Oriol Romeu, showed that Roberto Di Matteo, the Chelsea head coach, was not happy.

Within moments of the restart, Hazard had forced a save from Tremmel and Moses had seen a header land on the roof of the net. Swansea looked most threatening when counter-attacking and it needed Ashley Cole to poke the ball away from Michu, as the Spanish striker looked to shoot, while Petr Cech had to dive bravely at Michu’s feet to deny him.

Tremmel was once again forced into action, with a spectacular save to push away a Hazard free kick after a soft foul on Oscar. But from the resulting corner, taken by Oscar, Chelsea edged ahead. Gary Cahill rose high to head the ball goalwards and Moses cleverly diverted his header into the net.
Swansea responded with aggressive intent, replacing Leon Britton with Danny Graham up front and introducing the fresh legs of Nathan Dyer down the right wing. Dyer had a part in the build-up as Jonathan de Guzman forced a save from Cech, with a curving shot from the edge of the area. Dyer then tried an audacious chip from 25 yards, which Cech flipped over.

Chelsea, though, seemed content with what they had and were looking to run out time. But when Cole gave the ball away after a throw-in with three minutes remaining, Swansea broke in numbers. Hernandez found Itay Shechter on the edge of the area, who created space for Hernandez to fire into the bottom corner of the net.

Swansea City (4-2-3-1): G Tremmel – A Rangel, G Monk, A Williams, B Davies – L Britton (sub: D Graham, 65 min) , Ki Sung-Yeung – P Hernandez, J de Guzman, W Routledge (sub: N Dyer 65) – Michu (sub I Shechter, 79). Substitutes not used: D Cornell, A Tate, D Tiendalli, K Agustien. Booked: Britton, De Guzman, Ki, Shechter.

Chelsea: (4-2-3-1): P Cech – C Azpilicueta, B Ivanovic, G Cahill, A Cole – J O Mikel, O Romeu (sub: Ramires, 46) – V Moses (sub: D Sturridge, 73), Oscar, (sub: R Bertrand, 79), E Hazard – F Torres. Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, P Ferreira, M Marin, L Piazon. Booked: Azpilicueta

Referee: K Friend. Attendance: 20,527


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Mail:

Swansea 1 Chelsea 1: Hernandez seals point for Swans to keep Blues off the top
By Nick Harris

Chelsea have spent seven days trading blows with Manchester United, on and off the pitch, but it was Pablo Hernandez’s equaliser for Swansea that means they will spend at least a week off the top of the Premier League table — for the first time since August.
United put Chelsea’s place on the perch in peril seven days ago with that acrimonious 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge, which then erupted into the racism row involving referee Mark Clattenburg.
In midweek the two clubs met in the Capital One Cup and traded nine goals over 120 minutes, but with further scandal fomenting in the stands as a Chelsea fan was photographed apparently making a monkey gesture towards United striker Danny Welbeck.
United’s manager Sir Alex Ferguson then came out in support of Clattenburg on Friday, and watched his team beat Arsenal to grab pole position in the league.
And although Chelsea looked like ending a turbulent and depressing week on a high note after Victor Moses put them ahead at the Liberty Stadium, their thunder was stolen by the day’s most consistently impressive player, the 27-year-old winger Hernandez.
The home crowd departed delirious in the driving rain with a tho-roughly deserved point to savour, albeit one gained from visitors who for long periods lacked the flair they have displayed for much of the season.
‘It would have been great to finish the week with a 1-0 victory but we conceded a late equaliser,’ said Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo. ‘They didn’t have many chances . . . but they scored a quality goal.’
The strike that earned Swansea a point arrived after a period of sustained pressure and with Hernandez increasingly a threat. He ran towards the box with the ball, laid it off to Itay Shechter and moved to a more central position to collect the return pass before slotting it home. ‘It was a deserved point,’ said Swansea boss Michael Laudrup.

‘In many ways it was a copy of the game we played last week against Manchester City, when we deserved a point and didn’t get it [losing 1-0].’
 He added it was ‘a game of few chances’ and that a point apiece was ‘a fair result’, not least as his team had been faithful to their tiki-taka passing style.
‘If we can play like that against the big teams, our way, that’s important,’ he said. ‘With a team like Chelsea, they have a lot of quality and when they get in front you know it’s going to be difficult.’

Hernandez joined from Valencia in August for £5.55m, making him the most expensive purchase in Swansea’s history, and giving him the burden of ‘a big sign on his shoulder’, said Laudrup, who picked the Spaniard out for special praise.
‘Nearly every foreigner coming into this league will need time to adapt and I knew that [when I bought Hernandez],’ he said. ‘But he’s getting better and better, adapting to the football here. He’s not going to score 15 goals a season but he will score goals.’
 For a player used to the warmth of the Spanish coast and the delights of the Balearic Sea, a wet, miserable afternoon on the Gower Peninsula might not be the ideal environment to shine. But Hernandez did, right up until the final whistle blew in a stadium lashed with biting rain.

The hosts provided much of the illumination all afternoon, and had the first chance when Michu’s early shot was blocked by Branislav Ivanovic.
Chelsea then wasted a free-kick when Oscar blasted it into the Swansea wall and were then thwarted from a corner when a header from Fernando Torres was cleared off the line by Leon Britton.
Hernandez dashed down the right and played a perfectly weighted chip into the path of Michu, whose well-timed run took him between Chelsea’s central defenders. But rather than strike the ball neatly, Michu made an awkward connection and hoofed it clear of goal.
Eden Hazard, a creative marvel since joining in the summer, was subdued in the first half, one blazed shot over the bar from 20 yards being his most significant contribution in that first period.

The Belgian warmed up after the break, skipping down the left in the 50th minute, passing to Moses, collecting the return, working his way to a shooting position and then smacking goalwards a low, right-foot shot that required a diving save from Gerhard Tremmel.
Moments later Moses headed over from Torres and then momentum swung back to Swansea, Michu fluffing a chance when he could not keep his footing.

Hazard had a free-kick punched clear before the opener, from a corner, with Gary Cahill’s downward header steered upwards and into goal off the post by Moses’s head. A few Chelsea fans spilled out of their seats on to the perimeter of the pitch. That incident was quickly handled by stewards, who led one visiting supporter away.
Swansea responded by sticking to their game plan — and it ended successfully with Hernandez’s goal.

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Mirror:

Swansea City 1-1 Chelsea: Late Pablo Hernandez equaliser knocks the Blues off the top of the table
by Ken Gorman

Victor Moses had given Di Matteo's men the lead on 61 minutes but the hosts grabbed a late goal to take a share of the points

Chelsea’s turbulent week ended in last-gasp despair as they were knocked off the top of the Premier League.
They had proudly held that spot since the second week of the season, fighting off the twin challenge from Manchester.
With just three minutes left at the rain-soaked Liberty, it seemed that the Londoners had survived the storm to re-establish their lead over Manchester United, winners earlier in the day.
But then Swansea’s spirited late revival earned its reward when Pablo Hernandez turned sharply on to Itay Shechter’s pass, picking his spot with a perfectly-struck drive to leave Petr Cech helpless.
It was a great moment for the Spaniard, Swansea’s record signing, who is beginning to justify the £5.5million they spent to bring him from Valencia.
But for trouble-torn Chelsea, it was a hammer blow. Cruel maybe – Roberto Di Matteo’s team had just about edged the game. But credit Swansea for refusing to buckle.
And at least this was an afternoon when the drama of the game was the only issue. After the fall-out from their racist row with Mark Clattenburg, everybody will welcome that.
None more so than Di Matteo. “Of course we are disappointed to give away that late goal, but it is nice to be talking about the football and nothing else,” he said.
“I felt we were generally the better team – I don’t think Swansea had a single chance until they scored.”
Di Matteo is not too downhearted about losing top spot though. He insisted: “There is a long way to go and the situation will remain tight right the way through.”
Swansea boss Michael Laudrup made the same point.
“Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City... they will remain the top three teams. Who wins? Nobody can be sure right now.”
Laudrup hailed goal hero Hernandez, declaring: “It takes any foreign player time to settle in the Premier League.
“Pablo is getting better all the time, not just scoring but in his general play. I knew the talent he has. Now he is showing it.”
Di Matteo had insisted before the game that the off-field sagas had not affected his team’s focus. And Chelsea certainly started brightly.
They came close to forging ahead after 12 minutes, when Fernando Torres met Eden Hazard’s corner with a near post header that left Gerhard Tremmel helpless, only for the ever-alert Leon Britton to hook the ball off the line.
Swansea’s fluent passing style has been a feature since they reached the Premier League. And with this current Chelsea team loaded with skill, nobody could dispute the quality of the game.
What was lacking though was the frenzied, helter-skelter drama that makes the big league such a compelling spectacle.
We had barely seen a tackle in anger until referee Kevin Friend felt it was time to get out his yellow card after 36 minutes, cautioning Britton – harshly – for a strong challenge on Hazard.
Cesar Azpilicueta, making his first start for the Londoners, followed him into the book three minutes later, for a mistimed tackle on Wayne Routledge.
Maybe Friend had become a trifle bored at having such an easy game to control.
Chelsea always carried that extra thrust and they really began to turn the screw in the second half.
Tremmel, deputising for the injured Michel Vorm, did well to push out a sharp shot from the industrious Hazard. And he was Swansea’s saviour again on the hour, leaping across his line to tip over a fierce Hazard free-kick .
But he was powerless to stop Chelsea taking the lead from the resultant corner. Hazard’s cross was headed goalwards by Gary Cahill for Victor Moses to cleverly flick it on into the net.
The game had cried out for a goal. And Laudrup reacted by increasing his own fire power, sending on Danny Graham and Nathan Dyer.
The latter was quickly into the action, forcing Cech to push over his first-time shot.
There was a much greater tempo and intensity about the game now, a sudden hail storm sweeping over the Liberty adding to the spectacle.
And it was Swansea’s fans who were able to sing in the rain as they snatched that dramatic leveller three minutes from time.


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Sun:

Swansea 1 Chelsea 1

By MARK IRWIN

PABLO HERNANDEZ struck a blow for refs everywhere as he claimed the late equaliser to knock Chelsea off the top.

And few were probably cheering louder than Mark Clattenburg as Swansea’s £6million record buy brought the European Champions back down to earth.

Hernandez’s 88th-minute shot from the edge of the box crept in beyond the reach of Petr Cech with the slightest of touches off John Obi Mikel.

Mikel, of course, is the player Clattenburg is accused of abusing with ‘inappropriate language’ during last Sunday’s stormy 3-2 defeat by Manchester United.

But Chelsea could have no complaints this time as they surrendered victory right at the death with no one to blame but themselves. The paranoid among the travelling supporters might not have seen it that way, though.

For them, the appointment of Kevin Friend as referee could only mean one thing — the Premier League was getting its revenge for Clattenburg.

Friend is the only current top-flight official who has taken charge of more Chelsea defeats than victories.

He is also the man who sent off Branislav Ivanovic during their Community Shield defeat by Manchester United AND was also in charge when they were hammered 4-1 at Liverpool last season.

So when he inadvertently blocked Ashley Cole’s early cross to earn the wrath of the England left-back, it was the smoking gun to prove Friend’s guilt beyond all doubt for the travelling fans.

Roberto Di Matteo’s men thought they had done enough to see off the graceful Swans when Victor Moses headed them ahead in his first league start for the club.

But the days of Chelsea closing a game out once they get their noses in front are a thing of the past and once again they paid the price.

Swansea will argue Hernandez’s late strike meant justice was done after Chelsea had escaped with a 1-1 draw from the Liberty last season thanks to a last-minute own goal by Neil Taylor.

And it would be hard to argue with that assessment on an afternoon when neither team really did enough to deserve all three points.

Manchester United’s early victory over Arsenal meant that, for the first time all season, the Blues were off the top when they kicked off.

And it soon became apparent this was not going to be a stroll back to the summit for a team who have now conceded 10 goals during captain John Terry’s four-match suspension.

They could have fallen behind as early as the third minute when Angel Rangel got round the back of the Chelsea defence but just failed to pick out the lurking Michu with his low cross.

Another Swansea chance went begging when Michu stretched to reach Hernandez’s chip over the top but hooked his attempted volley out for a throw-in.

And without the injured Juan Mata, there was a disturbing lack of inspiration from a Chelsea side who had been sweeping all before them until United ended their unbeaten run.

Not that the visitors were poor. Just pretty average.

Fernando Torres had an early header cleared off the line by Leon Britton and Eden Hazard lashed a good chance over.

Their best first-half opportunity, though, came when keeper Gerhard Tremmel could only push Moses’ fierce cross-shot into the path of the incoming Torres.

But the £50million striker’s tame header lacked power and was comfortably saved by Tremmel. It was yet another of those unconvincing afternoons for Britain’s most expensive footballer and another chance went begging just before the break when he was sent clear by Hazard.

With a pack of Swansea defenders in desperate pursuit, Torres had neither the speed nor the confidence to go all the way and was dispossessed without even getting a shot off.

But the introduction of Ramires as a half-time sub for the pedestrian Oriol Romeu gave Chelsea more urgency and they finally made the breakthrough in the 61st minute.

Hazard’s dipping free-kick had already brought a flying save from Tremmel and when Gary Cahill got his head to Oscar’s corner, Moses was first to react to divert the ball in off the angle of post and bar.

Yet Chelsea never looked fully in control and as they dropped deeper to protect their lead an equaliser looked inevitable.

It arrived in the dying seconds when sub Itay Shechter turned in the area and teed up Hernandez for a low shot from the edge of the area.

Last Sunday it was Javier, this time it was Pablo.
Good job for Chelsea there will be no Hernandez playing for Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Swansea: Tremmel, Rangel, Monk, Williams, Davies, Routledge (Dyer 65), Britton (Graham 65), De Guzman, Ki, Hernandez,Michu (Shechter 79). Subs not used: Cornell,Tate, Tiendalli, Agustien. Booked: Britton, De Guzman, Shechter.
Goals: Hernandez 88.

Chelsea: Cech, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Cole, Romeu (Ramires 46), Mikel, Moses (Sturridge 72), Oscar (Bertrand 79),Hazard, Torres. Subs not used: Turnbull, Ferreira, Marin, Piazon. Booked: Azpilicueta.

Goals: Moses 61.
Att: 20,527
Ref: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).

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Express:

SWANSEA 1 - CHELSEA 1: PABLO HERNANDEZ SPOILS CHELSEA DAY
By Phil Cadden

AFTER a turbulent seven days off the field at Chelsea, there was further difficulty – this time on the pitch – as Swansea denied them the chance to regain top spot in the Premier League.
The Blues looked set to overtake rivals Manchester United in the title race once again, courtesy of Victor Moses’ first league goal, a 61st-minute header, for Chelsea before Pablo Hernandez’s curling late strike secured a share of the points.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s United had posed the question of Chelsea’s title credentials after defeating Arsenal 2-1 in the lunchtime kick-off.
Regardless of the controversy involving referee Mark Clattenburg, Chelsea seemed to not let it affect them as Roberto Di Matteo’s outfit looked set for a return to the summit of the table.
But a solid defensive display for large periods – without regular centre-backs John Terry and David Luiz as well as the injured Juan Mata – was undone in the closing stages as Hernandez seized on Itay Shechter’s lay-off to slot the ball past Petr Cech.

And Chelsea could have ended up empty-handed as substitute Danny Graham was sent clear and looked destined to score only for a last-ditch tackle by Gary Cahill to foil him.
Di Matteo said: “It’s a long season and it is going to stay very tight at the top. There are a few teams fighting for that. We are in touch and we are going to show how strong we are in the future.”
As the teams emerged, the home faithful taunted Chelsea’s travelling support with the chant, ‘Where’s your racist centre-half?’ in reference to the absent Terry, serving the final game of his four-match suspension for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.
And without Terry and Luiz at the heart of Di Matteo’s defence, Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic had a rare outing alongside each other.

The hosts almost capitalised on early hesitancy in the Blues backline as Swansea club-record signing Hernandez set Angel Rangel free. But the Spanish right-back opted to look for Michu rather than try his luck as Ivanovic averted the danger.
Yet it didn’t take Chelsea too long to find their feet. Fernando Torres saw his near-post header from Eden Hazard’s left-wing corner cleared off the line by Leon Britton.
Within 60 seconds Swansea too carved open their first opportunity of the match. But Michu miscued his volley after Hernandez’s clipped pass sliced open Chelsea’s unusual centre-half pairing.
But as the half wore on, Chelsea began to dominate, with Hazard and Oscar showing signs of their clever interplay from midfield.
Swansea goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel produced a double save initially to deny Moses after Ben Davies hesitated to cut out a Chelsea attack before Torres’ header was claimed by the German stopper.
John Obi Mikel, at the centre of the allegations against Clattenburg last weekend, diverted Ki Sung-Yueng’s goal-bound shot before the midfielder was lectured by referee Kevin Friend just after the half-hour mark for pulling back Jonathan de Guzman.
After a comfortable opening for the Leicestershire official, Friend was heavily involved as he dished out bookings for Britton and Chelsea’s rookie full-back Cesar Azpilicueta.
After another sustained spell of pressure by the visitors, Moses broke the deadlock on the hour mark. Tremmel saved Hazard’s 25-yard free-kick, but from Oscar’s resulting corner, Cahill’s header was flicked in via the post by the ex-Wigan winger.
Swansea manager Michael Laudrup responded by introducing Graham and Nathan Dyer for Britton and Wayne Routledge.
Both players made an impact, Dyer forcing Cech to back-pedal rapidly in the 74th minute before Hernandez fired home from the edge of the box, to end a troublesome week for Chelsea on a low note.
Laudrup said: “Every foreigner coming to this league needs some time to adapt but I think Pablo is getting better and better,”.
Di Matteo added: “The only time we gave Hernandez a bit of space, he punished us.”


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Star:

SWANSEA 1 - CHELSEA 1: HERNANDEZ FIRES BLUES PAB-BLOW
By Harry Pratt

WOW! That’s two games in a row involving Chelsea that have passed without any major controversy. Amazing but true.
However, unlike their thrilling 5-4 win over Manchester United in the League Cup three days earlier, this trip to South West Wales failed to deliver any repeat of that end-to-end goal-fest.
Not that anyone in Swansea was complaining about such matters after Pablo Hernandez’s late equaliser cancelled out Victor Moses’ strike to earn them a deserved share of the spoils against high-flying Chelsea.
For Roberto Di Matteo’s men, though, it was very much a day of mixed fortunes and emotions.
On the one hand they will be bitterly disappointed that this stalemate means they are no longer in pole position in the title race – with bitter rivals Manchester United a point clear following their 2-1 win over Arsenal.
However, on the flip side, they left the Liberty Stadium having not done any more damage or harm to their badly-battered reputations.
After all, life at the summit is tough enough as it is.
But when you are upsetting all and sundry – with racial allegations against ref Mark Clattenburg – it clearly gets a whole harder.
Let’s face it, rightly or wrongly, the European champions have been on the receiving end like never before in recent days.
Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Neil Warnock, to name but a few, have launched public broadsides at the club’s handling of Clattengate.
Yet Chelsea claimed yesterday they have merely followed FA rules to the letter.
Di Matteo felt his side were unfortunate not to bag all three points but insisted surrendering top spot had nothing to do with the turbulent events in SW6.
The Italian coach said : “I wouldn’t read anything into that. Away games in this league are always very difficult.
“Of course, it’s disappointing not to be league leaders but it’s a long season and it’s going to be very tight.
“When your opponents score so late you have to think they’re a bit lucky. The only time we gave them any space, they punished us. Hernandez took the equaliser very well but Swansea didn’t really have any other chances.”
And he added: “It’s nice to be talking football. I wish it was like this every week. It’s a concern to see the players tired but with these international breaks they barely have time to breathe.”
Yet whether you love or loathe them – and the majority fall into the latter camp just now – few could deny that they are damn good to watch these days.
Even when they are not at their best, as was the case here, there is smoothness about their style – inspired by Belgium ace Eden Hazard – which makes them irresistible.
But by the time the Blues kicked off here they had already been replaced at the top by United.
And had Swansea hitman Michu taken one of two chances that fell his way – in the 12th and 27th minutes – that situation would have nosedived even further for Di Matteo’s men.
Those scares were a warning to the Blues defence, who without suspended John Terry had conceded nine goals in their previous three games.
Di Matteo had resisted calls to include League Cup hero Daniel Sturridge, preferring to stick with Fernando Torres instead – and bringing in Moses for crocked Juan Mata.
And that decision nearly paid dividends when the Spanish marksman’s near-post header was destined for the far corner until Chelsea fan Leon Britton cleared off the line.
Hazard’s run and shot almost broke the deadlock in the 55th minute before they scored five minutes later.
An inswinging corner was met by Gary Cahill’s towering header and there was Moses to divert in off the underside of the bar from close range.
Swans boss Michael Laudrup shuffled his pack and sparked a change in momentum.
And in the 89th minute Swansea got their reward with sub Itay Shechter setting up Hernandez, who curled a peach of a shot past Petr Cech.
Laudrup, whose side stay in 11th place, said: “We deserved that. It was a game of very few chances and a point for each team was a fair result.
“Their goal was a little bit lucky but we came back very well in the last 20 minutes. We put them under a lot of pressure and I always thought we could score right up until the final seconds.”


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