Burnley 3-0

Independent:

Chelsea 3 Burnley 0
Antonio Conte continues perfect start to life at Stamford Bridge

Eden Hazard, Willian and Victor Moses scored in a comfortable win over Sean Dyche's Clarets

Chris Hatherall Stamford Bridge

Four games into his new career at Chelsea and manager Antonio Conte has already guided his side to four consecutive wins and into the top two of the Premier League following a comfortable 3-0 victory over Burnley in which Eden Hazard was inspirational.

Hazard, the man who failed to turn up last season as Chelsea sacked Jose Mourinho and finished 10th in the table, was almost unplayable at Stamford Bridge as he opened the scoring after nine minutes and helped his team dominate from start to finish. 

Further goals from Willian and substitute Victor Moses completed what was a highly efficient victory, achieved without the need for Chelsea to hit top gear. In fact the Blues even managed to secure a clean sheet, their first under Conte and, remarkably, their first at home in 13 matches going all the way back to January.

Conte said: “Starting the season with three league wins and a win in the cup is good, for the confidence of the players, the fans, for the club, for me. When we start in this way, you can work better.

“I am pleased for Eden too. Eden is a fantastic player, working very well with a great attitude. After the first day, I saw this - his will to work and improve and find a good shape. But I can also say that his performance can improve. I'm pleased with his commitment and work-rate. But for all the players, the attitude is good. I like this.”

Burnley, newly promoted from the Championship, hadn’t won a league game at the Bridge for 45 years – and from the moment  Hazard scored after only nine minutes it looked hugely unlikely they would break that duck.

The Belgian was given far too much space when he picked up the ball just inside Burnley’s half, but nevertheless the way he ran at the visitors’ defence and the stopped to steer a perfect, low right-foot shot into the far corner of the net was a thing of beauty.

Burnley manager Sean Dyche, who expects to take Chelsea striker Patrick Bamford on loan tomorrow, said: “The first half that was as poor as we've been in a year, against a very, very strong group. There's a huge gulf between where we are as a club and where they are, but we didn't perform well. Throw in some very poor decisions and you don't really stand a chance."

Hazard’s goal was his sixth in his last eight Premier League games – and having scored only six in 44 before it provided further evidence that he is returning to the kind of form which made him Footballer of the Year back in 2015.

Willian made it 2-0 with another accurate finish, this time driven low from the right-hand side of the area just before half-time; and there was never really any chance for Burnley, who bravely arrived in west London with two up front, to come back.

John Terry missed an excellent chance after the break, firing over the bar after Hazard’s shot had been saved by the excellent Tom Heaton, but the respite for Burnley did not last long.
Chelsea completed a hugely convincing victory in the 89th minute when Pedro swept a ball across the box for fellow substitute Moses to slide the ball home, his first Premier League goal for Chelsea since 2012. Things are certainly changing at Stamford Bridge.

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Observer:

Chelsea 3 - 0 Burnley
Chelsea have menacing look as Victor Moses completes defeat of Burnley

Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge

The fanfare has been reserved up to now for the contenders up in Manchester, the focus fixed rather more on the resumption of a duel between Pep Guardiola and José Mourinho now to be played out over a city divide. Yet, slipping beneath the radar down in the capital, Chelsea are a team revived under Antonio Conte. The threat they pose in the title race this term should not be underestimated.
This was a third successive league win under the Italian, and the most impressive of the team’s displays under his stewardship to date, with Burnley dismantled from the outset and outclassed throughout.

Chelsea were irrepressible, Eden Hazard epitomising it all by tearing at will beyond the unfortunate Matthew Lowton as if last season had just been a bad dream. Willian provided balance by exploiting Stephen Ward on the opposite flank, but there was urgency all over this team. Burnley, far too passive for comfort, never stood a chance.

Conte, wearing a black armband in memory of those who lost their lives in the earthquake which struck central Italy on Wednesday, never stopped bellowing instructions at any point, even when the game was clearly won. He kicked every ball, berated every mistake or pang of sloppiness, and celebrated manically each of his team’s goals as if this was the game upon which the championship hinged. Successful tackles drew a similar response.

It is easy to see why he is in need of a few days off next week, but he will relax easier knowing his team are retiring into the international break with their pristine record maintained. “It’s actually a pity that there’s now a break because I wanted to continue playing games,” said the Italian. “We played good football with good ball possession, created a lot of chances to score goals. The most important thing was, after 13 games conceding goals at home [stretching back to the visit of Scunthorpe United in mid-January] we didn’t concede.”

That is a remarkable statistic, but this was less a contest than a rout. Hazard’s opening goal, so slickly taken, was a wrecking ball to the visitors’ gameplan. Where Sean Dyche’s side had sat back and defended so stoutly against Liverpool the previous week, their own lead having been established in the opening exchanges, here Burnley were gasping in arrears from the moment, 10 minutes in, the Belgian collected possession just inside his own half. As he sprinted forward at panicked defenders, Diego Costa and Willian dragged opponents out of position with clever, selfless runs. Ben Mee was too flustered to risk a challenge, with Hazard easily cutting inside and curling a delicious shot into the far corner of Tom Heaton’s net.

It was a goal reminiscent of the forward at his best in the title-winning 2014-15 campaign, reward taken on the gallop with the confidence of a player utterly content with his role in the team. Last season feels like an aberration when he performs with this effervescence, and he clearly benefits from the industry of those around him.

N’Golo Kanté’s busy energy as Chelsea’s new midfield shield has given the creators a platform upon which to perform – the France international has slipped seamlessly into this setup – though Oscar was just as feverish with his tackling further up the pitch. Even Nemanja Matic, a player diminished over the last 18 months, looked more like his old self.

Heaton alone preserved the visitors’ relative respectability. After Mee scrambled another Hazard shot from the goalline, the goalkeeper saved smartly from John Terry’s header and instinctively from Costa’s rather languid shot, an opportunity that came about thanks to Oscar’s quick feet near the byline which had left Steven Defour grounded and helpless.

“That first-half display was as poor as we’ve been in a year,” said Dyche. “There’s a huge gulf between where we are as a club and where they are, but we didn’t perform well in that period.”
England’s third-choice goalkeeper would deny Costa twice more in the second half, Hazard from distance and César Azpilicueta at the death, with Terry also missing a sitter on the stretch, but this was an occasion when profligacy was not to be punished.

Willian had eventually found his own reward just before the break, teasing space from Ward before spitting a shot through the full-back’s legs, across Heaton and into the net. This team functions better with the Brazilian’s own blend of trickery and industry from the right flank.

Victor Moses eventually gave Willian a breather and duly registered a first league goal for the club since November 2012, thumping in Pedro’s tantalising cross at the far post. It was a goal to add gloss to the occasion. Conte’s side will face greater tests once the campaign resumes but, on this evidence, they will be eager to confront them. This team feels menacing again.

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Telegraph:

Chelsea 3 Burnley 0: Superb Eden Hazard helps extend Antonio Conte's perfect start

Matt Law, football news correspondent, stamford bridge

This may have been billed the season of the super coach, but Eden Hazard gave notice that he is ready to take the Premier League by storm again as Chelsea extended their perfect start under Antonio Conte.

New head coach Conte is already convincing the Chelsea supporters that the club have replaced the Special One with the Super One and, just as importantly, Hazard appears to have rediscovered his own super powers.

Hazard epitomised so many of Chelsea’s problems last term, but the forward looks rejuvenated under Conte and tore apart the Burnley defence in much the same way he terrorised opponents in the Blues’ title-winning campaign.

There will be far tougher tests to come for Conte and Hazard, as proved by the space the Belgian was afforded for his early goal, but the signs are positive and confidence is flooding back.

It is not just the pretty things that please Conte. He highlighted the fact this was Chelsea’s first clean sheet at Stamford Bridge in 13 games and celebrated Oscar’s interception in the run up to the third goal as wildly as he did the final touch from substitute Victor Moses.

“For me, it's important to start in a good way,” said Conte. “It's important, above all, for the work of the players. Usually when a new manager arrives, you can have good ideas but it's important to have good results to increase the confidence of the players in you.

“Eden is a fantastic player, working very well with a great attitude. After the first day, I saw this. But I can also tell that his performance can improve.”

Burnley manager Sean Dyche would have been furious that nobody in his team got close enough to Hazard to try to put a challenge in on the Belgian as he ran half the length of the pitch to open the scoring in the ninth minute, but it was still a wonderful goal.

Hazard picked the ball up just inside his own half and charged forwards before stepping inside Michael Keane and curling a shot past Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton.
It was Hazard at his best, the man who won the Player of the Year award, and he almost doubled the home side’s advantage shortly afterwards, but this time a goal-bound effort was deflected wide by Ben Mee.

Conte did not rest for a minute on the touchline as he barked instructions at his players and gesticulated in frustration at any rare stray pass. It was tiring to watch.

Chelsea doubled their lead, much to the delight of Conte, who wore a black armband in memory of the victims of the earthquake in Italy, four minutes before half-time. Diego Costa feigned to shoot, but instead passed to the right for Willian, who drove an angled shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Costa should really have put the game to bed seven minutes after the restart, but could not finish off a wonderful move that started at the feet of Hazard. The 25-year-old sent the ball inside to Nemanja Matic, who set-up Costa with a perfect lay-off but the striker could not beat Heaton.

John Terry was guilty of an even worse miss, when Chelsea’s captain somehow blazed over the crossbar from four yards after Hazard’s brilliant volley had been parried by Heaton.

Burnley could not contain Hazard and Heaton was relieved to see a well-struck shot fly just over the bar, before saving another effort that was cleared before Costa could tap in.

Heaton and his team-mates will have been glad to see the back of Hazard when he was substituted with nine minutes remaining, but it was not the end of the agony for the visitors. Oscar made the challenge that so pleased Conte and released Hazard’s replacement Pedro, who crossed for Moses to slide the ball into the net.

Dyche, who confirmed Burnley are close to taking Patrick Bamford on loan from Chelsea said: “There's a huge gulf between where we are as a club and where they are. Throw in some very poor decisions by the players and you don't really stand a chance.”



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Mail:

Chelsea 3-0 Burnley: Eden Hazard, Willian and Victor Moses lead Antonio Conte's side to a comfortable victory at Stamford Bridge

By SAM CUNNINGHAM FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY

Antonio Conte warned that Eden Hazard is only going to get better after the Belgian looked back to his imperious best as he took Burnley apart in this easy victory.
Hazard slumped from the Premier League’s star player when Chelsea won the title to one of the league’s worst last season. Constantly injured, he often made the decision to substitute himself in games when he was struggling.

‘After the first day, I saw this. His will to work and improve and find a good shape very soon. But I can also tell that his performance can improve.’

Hazard was showing a return to his former genius — but don’t get Sean Dyche started on that. Burnley’s manager sparked debate when he complained that foreign coaches are hailed for assembling defensive, hard-working teams but when young English managers do the same they are considered primitive.

Conte insisted the difference comes down to facts, not words, and the evidence here was a 3-0 scoreline, 21 shots and nine of those on target.

On the pitch, it was like a pack of velociraptors — with Hazard leading at the front — eviscerating a diplodocus for 90 minutes until all that remained were a pile of bones. It was swift, ruthless, deadly. Hard to watch the mismatch of predator versus prey.

Hazard’s effort was superhuman and so was the way he scored on nine minutes; picking the ball up on half-way, sending opponents backtracking before cutting inside Michael Keane on the edge of the box and side-footing into the bottom right corner.

Willian, returning to the side following a calf injury, added a second just before half-time. Hazard passed in to Diego Costa on the edge of the box, he thought about shooting but passed the ball on to the Brazilian, who teased space from Stephen Ward and shot through the defender’s legs, across goal into the bottom left corner. A late deserved third goal came from substitute Victor Moses, who stretched to reach Pedro’s low ball from the left.

This was not a defensive Chelsea, this was the Chelsea of old, title-winning Chelsea who once played with flicks and tricks and swagger. They had not recorded successive victories at home last season; that has been rectified with their first home clean sheet since November last year.

As against Liverpool last week, Burnley’s possession was virtually non-existent, although this time their opponents savagely punished them to make it four wins from Conte’s first four games.
‘It’s a pity that now there is this break, this international break. After three league wins, I wanted to continue playing games,’ Conte said.

Hazard had another effort cleared off the line shortly after he opened the scoring. It was a fine passing move from left to right which culminated in Nemanja Matic crossing, Oscar flicking a header on to the little midfielder standing to the left of goal, who beat Tom Heaton but not Ben Mee as the defender cleared from the far corner.

There was no tactical genius from Dyche at the break, no reverting back to the Jurassic for Conte in the second half. Dyche continued to roar from the touchline in his hoarse way, but it changed little.
‘I thought first half was as poor as we’ve been in a year,’ Dyche conceded. ‘There’s a huge gulf between where we are as a club and Chelsea. When the whistle blows you want to be ready to perform but we weren’t, we didn’t perform well in the first half and you cannot do that. Add in some really poor decisions against a very strong side then you’re going to be in trouble and we were.’
Costa came close again six minutes into the second half. Hazard ran down the left, played the ball into the middle, Matic took a touch and Costa shot, but it was too near Heaton.

Five minutes later, Hazard waited on the edge of the box at a corner and struck a first-time volley which Heaton did well to save. The rebound fell to Terry but he prodded it over from close range. Moments later and from the same position, Hazard faked a shot to go past substitute Johann Berg Gudmundsson and shot narrowly over.

Hazard was seemingly appearing in space everywhere and did so again soon after, this time seeing a low shot kept out by Heaton once again. Moses eventually finished them off with a minute remaining.

Such was Chelsea’s dominance, Hazard and Oscar had started trying rabonas. It was bordering on genius.


Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Courtois 6; Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Terry 6.5, Azpilicueta 6.5; Kante 7.5; Willian 7.5 (Moses 77), Oscar 7, Matic 7, Hazard 8.5 (Pedro 80); Costa 7.5 (Batshuayi 80).
Subs not used: Begovic, Fabregas, Loftus-Cheek, Aina.
Manager: Antonio Conte 7.5
Booked: Oscar, Ivanovic

Burnley (4-4-2): Heaton 7; Lowton 5, Keane 5.5, Mee 6, Ward 5.5; Boyd 6, Marney 6 (Tarkowski 72 6), Defour 5 (O’Neill 57 6), Arfield 5 (Gudmundsson 57 6); Gray 6, Vokes 6.
Subs not used: Kightly, Robinson, Jutkiewicz, Darikwa.
Manager: Sean Dyche 5
Booked: Keane

Referee: Mark Clattenburg 7
Attendance: 41,607
MOTM: Hazard

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Mirror:

Chelsea 3-0 Burnley: Eden Hazard inspires Blues third successive league win - 5 things we learned

BY HECTOR NUNNS

The Belgian winger looked back to his dazzling best as Antonio Conte's men made it three straight Premier League wins under the Italian

Eden Hazard inspired a rampant Chelsea to a third straight Premier League win this season as Antonio Conte’s side maintained their 100 per cent record.

If Burnley arrived at Stamford Bridge hoping their 19 per cent possession win over Liverpool might be repeated, that notion was swiftly shattered by this mis-match.

Belgium star Hazard had already had one chance when after nine minutes he picked the ball up just in the Clarets’ half, before running at the defence and curling a wonderful shot past Tom Heaton.

He almost added a second soon after, only a desperate goal-line clearance from Ben Mee denying him. But there was no stopping Chelsea, and the recalled Brazilian Willian fired in No2 from an angle just before half-time.

The 25-year-old Hazard, surely nearing his peak years as a player, continued to torment Sean Dyche’s men after the break.

He almost teed up Diego Costa before seeing a superb volley from Willian’s corner saved by Heaton and then firing just over on the hour.

Burnley did muster a flurry of corners, but there was no way back for them and Hazard was substituted after 80 minutes with the applause ringing in his ears, the Belgian left to watch on as Victor Moses added a third late on.

Here's five things we learned:

1. Hazard renaissance in full swing

Eden Hazard may have suffered a baffling loss of form last season, but all the signs are that the Belgium star could be back to something approaching his best this term.
A stumble and loss of control when moving into the penalty area after just seven minutes might have seen a slump of the shoulders in the recent past.
Not now. Within two minutes of that failure Hazard picked up the ball 45 yards out and ran at the Burnley defence before curling a delightful shot past Tom Heaton.
It was a world-class goal from a world-class player whose prolonged slump was a mystery up there with the Bermuda Triangle and Loch Ness Monster, but now looks as if he is enjoying himself again. There was also a ‘Rabona’ cross thrown in during the second half.
Burnley’s Matt Lowton was even losing to headers to Hazard – the right-back won’t have a tougher afternoon for a long time.

2. Blues nail last year's horror statistic

Hazard’s return to form might almost be representing Chelsea as a whole, with a surge of optimism running through every part of the club.
The desperate days of last season look a thing of the past, with Antonio Conte having injected his brand of passionate pragmatism into the Premier League.
An extraordinary statistic from last season was that Chelsea did not win back to back home league games throughout the whole campaign.
From the moment Hazard opened the scoring there was never going to be any repeat this term, as Chelsea added victory over Burnley to the earlier one against West Ham.

3. Burnley outclassed but not downcast

Was Burnley’s win over Liverpool a freak, fluke result? That is now the challenge for Sean Dyche and his men now, to prove that it wasn’t.
Against title challengers Chelsea it was men against boys, everything that Burnley fans might have feared after gaining promotion from the Championship.
On the plus side, they won’t be playing a formidable Chelsea every week, and the crucial points for survival or better will come against other lesser teams.
But even the watching and chastened Burnley fan Alastair Campbell would have had trouble spinning this one as anything other than a humbling experience. A boxing fight would have been stopped.

4. Chelsea look balanced once more

Chelsea look to have got their balance back. N’Golo Kante, the summer arrival from champions Leicester, appears to the manor born alongside Nemanja Matic mopping up everything that comes through the middle.
And ahead of that pair the trio of Hazard, Oscar and Willian bristled with menace throughout the contest, with Diego Costa up top.
Admittedly the back four, about whom questions have been asked, were not really tested. The ball hardly ever got as far as Andre Gray and Sam Vokes, such was the midfield dominance.
That challenge will surely come against Chelsea’s title rivals and defence remains an area where the Blues are most likely to strengthen before the window closes.

5. Conte a worthy addition to Premier League cast

It seems clearer that in a Premier League managerial cast list including such luminaries as Mourinho, Guardiola, Klopp and Wenger, Conte deserves to be mentioned in the same breath.
His achievements with Juventus were the passport in, but Conte looks to have already won the respect of his Chelsea players, who are putting it all in for the Italian.
Always an animated figure on the touchline, time will give the him the English to better express his ideas and views to both the squad and the media. In the meantime, he isn’t doing too bad.

Player ratings

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois 6; Ivanovic 6, Cahill 6, Terry 6, Azpilicueta 6; Kante 7, Matic 7; Willian 8 (Moses 77, 6), Oscar 7, Hazard 9 (Pedro 80, 6); Costa 8 (Batshuayi 80, 6): Booked: Oscar, Ivanovic. Goals: Hazard 9, Willian 41.

Burnley (4-4-2): Heaton 6; Lowton 4, Keane 5, Mee 6, Ward 5; Boyd 5, Marney 5 (Tarkowski 72, 6), Defour 5 (O’Neill 56, 6), Arfield 6 (Gudmundsson 56, 6); Vokes 5, Gray 5. Booked: Keane.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg.

Man of the match: Eden Hazard (Chelsea).

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Star/Express:

Chelsea 3 Burnley 0: Hazard, Willian and Moses help the Blues cruise to victory

CHELSEA boss Antonio Conte has not had a day off since quitting Italy after Euro 2016 to take over at Stamford Bridge.

By Tony Stenson

The Italian claimed he needed a beach break back home with his folks.
Conte can pack his suitcase with a smile as he went into the international break delighted after seeing Chelsea record their fourth straight win – three of them in the league.
And he will be taking a video of the game on holiday – to see how they can improve.

He said: “A lot of work will be done – today was good but we need to get better. My assistants and I will look at the video and see where we need to go.

“We’ve played 13 games together and we are improving. We must, however, do more. Today we played good football but we must build on this. We must have a team and a family.
“A new manager brings new ideas but you must increase the confidence of players.”

Conte praised man of the match Eden Hazard, who looked like the player he once was before losing his way last season.

He said: “Hazard was good, looked sharp and is getting into good condition.”
It was not that Burnley were bad – Chelsea were simply too good. The only thing you could fault was that Conte’s men failed to score more.

Victor Moses came on late and added an 89th minute third from fellow sub Pedro’s cross to record a more realistic margin of victory, after Hazard and Willian scored in the opening half.
Hazard put Chelsea ahead, had another effort cleared off the line several minutes later and generally tormented Burnley.

Sean Dyche’s men arrived on a high after beating Liverpool last weekend.

But yesterday they were overwhelmed by a side eager to put the disappointments of last season behind them.
Chelsea still have much to offer. Willian is still a force, while skipper John Terry’s leadership goes from strength to strength.

There were also fine performances from Gary Cahill and Diego Costa, while summer buy N’Golo Kante continues to impress.
The midfielder continually halted Burnley’s attacks. He won tackles, gathered up loose balls and even set up Chelsea's opening goal in the ninth minute.

Kante won the ball in midfield, it bounced to Nemanja Matic whose pin-point pass sent Hazard scurrying away and he cut inside and curled a shot superbly past Tom Heaton from 18 yards.
Ben Mee then denied him another six minutes later by clearing off the line. Costa should have added a second in a one-way first half but he shot straight at Heaton from Oscar’s neat by-line pass.

It was just a blip as Chelsea added a long-awaited second four minutes before half-time.
Terry’s powerful header found Hazard then Costa fed the ball wide for Willian to fire home.

Burnley are no slouches, moving the ball swiftly to feet. They will scare a few sides this season but Chelsea were just different class yesterday.
Dyche held up his hands and admitted they were out-played by potential champions.

He said: “Can they challenge for the title? It’s different playing us.
“It’s about what happens when they take on the other superpowers in the division. That will be their real market. But they have certainly got the strength in depth.”

CHELSEA: Courtois 6; Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 7; Kante 7; Willian 8 (Moses 76th), Matic 7, Oscar 7 , Hazard 9 (Pedro 80th); Costa 7, (Batshuayi 79th).

BURNLEY: Heaton 6; Lowton 6, Keane 6, Mee 6, Ward 6, Arfield 6 (Gudmundsson (57th) 5); Defour 5 (O’Neill (57th) 5), Marney 6 (Tarkowski (71st) 5), Boyd 6; Gray 6, Vokes 6.

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Sun:

JOSE WHO? Chelsea 3 Burnley 0: Eden Hazard back to his best as his opener sets Blues up for second Premier League win

Brazil star Willian grabbed the home side's second goal at Stamford Bridge before Victor Moses finished off

BY JOHN DILLON

CHELSEA’S revival under Antonio Conte continued with a convincing win at Stamford Bridge over Sean Dyche’s Burnley.

The same side that stank out the Premier League last season – plus super signing N’Golo Kante – rolled over the newly promoted side with goals from Eden Hazard, Willian and Victor Moses.
The Belgian playmaker, who went missing last season under the Portuguese, scored a stunning solo goal to settle the home fans.

And Willian converted a Diego Costa cross four minutes before the interval before Victor Moses notched with seconds remaining to wrap up maximum points for the Blues.

GARY CAHILL clearly wants to be noticed a bit more this season - judging by the new blond highlights in his hair. You wouldn't imagine his defensive partner at Chelsea John Terry doing it

AFTER 13 minutes, there was a prime example of the N'Golo Kante effect for Chelsea. First he won the ball from George Boyd in the centre and fed Eden Hazard on the left. When that broke down, back came the ball and Kante was waiting to coolly switch the ball to Willian on the right.

YOU CAN'T keep the fans of underdog clubs down. Burnley were simply out-classed in the first half but their supporters kept up an enormous din throughout.

THIS was Sean Dyche's 1,397th day in charge of Burnley, according to the match programme. He's had better days at work but, unremarked by many,  this fact makes him the third longest-serving Premier League boss.

ONLY five minutes had gone when Chelsea’s Diego Costa lived up to his reputation for hitting the deck rather, erm, easily, under a challenge from Steven Defour. There were no more antics in the first half though.

CLARETS boss Sean Dyche spent much of the game with arm raised shielding his eyes from the fierce sunshine. Antonio Conte, by contrast, didn't need to do it. Must be something to do with being Italian and cool.

BURNLEY had stunned Liverpool the previous weekend despite having only 25 per cent possession. Whether or not the idea was to apply the same tactic here, they were barely allowed near the ball.

A BANNER at the old Shed End proclaims: "Zola The Little Magician." Eden Hazard will surely earn a similar tribute of his own if he carries on performing with as much joyful dazzle as he did here.

FORMER Brentford defender James Tarkwoski was handed his Premier League debut after 70 minutes. It was a damage limitation exercise but at least he will have learned something about the standards at this level.

CHELSEA fans are clearly enjoying the new lease if life given to their players by Antonio Conte. After the friction between the squad and Jose Mourinho last season, Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and Willian all won standing ovations when they were substituted.

DREAM TEAM RATINGS

CHELSEA: Courtois 6, Azpilicueta 7, Terry 7, Cahill 7,  Ivanovic 6, Kante, Matic 7, Willian 8 (Moses ), Oscar 7, Hazard 8 (Pedro ), Costa 7 (Batshuayi 80)
Subs not used: Begovic, Fabregas, Loftus-Cheek, Aina

Goals: Hazard (9) Willian (41) Moses (89)
Booked: Oscar, Ivanovic.

BURNLEY: Heaton 6, Lowton 7, Keane 6, Mee 6, Ward 7, Boyd 6, Marney 5 (Tarkowski 5), Defour 6 (O’Neil 6), Arfield 6 (Gudmundsson 6), Gray 5, Vokes 6.
Subs not used: Kightly, Robinson, Jutkiewicz, Darikwa
Booked: Tarkowski, Keane.

WHAT THEY SAID:

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte said: "It was a good game and performance and we played good football with good possession.
“We created a lot of chances and kept a clean sheet - this is important because after 13 home games without a clean sheet this helps the confidence and shows the hard work is paying off.
"We have started very well this season but we must know we can improve.
"Eden Hazard must be this decisive in every game, and I am pleased because I saw it today, but we must work to improve more.
"We are working close together, the club and I, and we are trying to find the right solutions to improve this squad. We have four days to find this, but I am pleased to work with the squad I have."

Burnley boss Sean Dyche said: "They were far too good today. They are too strong in all areas.
"We want to take on the challenge and I think the lads got too sucked in with the result from last week.
"We did not use the ball at all. There were too many sloppy passes and you just cannot do that against teams like this one.
"They were never in trouble, but we have to learn from these games. This is not really our market, there is a big gap from where they are and where we are.
"We were not close to getting a result today."

Bristol Rovers 3-2

Guardian:
Michy Batshuayi leads Chelsea past Bristol Rovers and into third round
Chelsea 3 - 2 Bristol Rovers

Paul MacInnes at Stamford Bridge

Antonio Conte was made to feel a little sticky under his starched collar on this sweltering summer night as his makeshift Chelsea side were given a real game by the League One new boys Bristol Rovers.

A Michy Batshuayi double and a simple finish from Victor Moses looked to have been enough for Chelsea to win the game in the first half. But a towering header from Peter Hartley brought the deficit back to two at half‑time and, when Rovers converted a penalty early in the second half, the pressure was thrown back on Chelsea. While his side held on to the win, Conte will now be asking questions about which of his irregulars will be up to the task of meeting the club’s ambitions this season.

“It’s a pity,” the Italian said after the match, “because we were dominating this game and then we suffer. We created a lot of chances in this first half to score many goals but I don’t like when you concede two goals in this situation with a free-kick and with a penalty. We need to understand that when you have the opportunity to kill the game you must take it.”

Conte made six changes from the team that started the victory against Watford last weekend with Cesc Fàbregas returning to the starting line-up after his weekend assist and the summer signing Batshuayi earning his first start since his summer move from Marseille. There were also call-ups for the academy graduates Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ola Aina, with the left‑back making his full senior debut. The Rovers manager, Darrell Clarke, meanwhile, made only one change from the draw at Southend, with the winger Billy Bodin replacing James Clarke.

Conte, as is his wont, was permanently agitated from the first whistle, constantly gesticulating and bellowing instructions even though the noise from a lively Stamford Bridge crowd, attracted by reduced tickets prices for this match, made it unlikely anyone would hear him.

Batshuayi had already missed one good chance by the time he opened the scoring in the 29th minute. With Rovers regularly camped in their own box it had seemed only a matter of time before Chelsea pushed enough numbers on to make a difference. In the end it was Nemanja Matic who cut through, running past the right-back Daniel Leadbitter and cutting the ball straight back on to Batshuayi’s left foot for the Belgian to drive the ball into the roof of the net.

One became two only two minutes later. This time it was Pedro toasting Leadbitter and, though his cross missed everyone in the six-yard box, César Azpilicueta was able to stretch and get a toe on it at the far post to turn it back across. This time Moses was ready and waiting and able to apply the finish.

Just when it seemed as if Conte would have nothing more to point about, Rovers got themselves back in the game. A foul on the Chelsea left gave Chris Lines a decent free-kick opportunity. Rovers’ own youth team product swung in a beautiful delivery and the left-back Hartley rose John Terry-like to power home. Three minutes later Lines was at it again but the promising young forward Ellis Harrison could only head off target.

Chelsea restored their two-goal lead soon enough. Fàbregas started this move, his through-ball finding Loftus-Cheek in the box. The 20-year-old spun beautifully to elude his marker and cut the ball back once again, and Batshuayi was ready to score his second of the game from six yards.
Despite being in the ascendant as the whistle blew, Clarke opted to shake things up at half-time. His double substitution brought last season’s top scorer Matty Taylor off the bench and the switch immediately paid dividends. Trapping a long pass on his chest in the 48th minute, he pivoted and released the midfielder Stuart Sinclair past Chelsea’s high defensive line. Pedro was the man tracking back and a clumsy shove in the box drew a penalty from Keith Stroud. Harrison stepped up and coolly tucked the ball away.

Suddenly it was all Rovers. Harrison saw a piledriver go narrowly over from 18 yards and, shortly afterwards, Jermaine Easter forced a sprawling save from Asmir Begovic. Chelsea all of a sudden began to look shaky, with the energy and control visibly dropping from the home side. However, with Conte on the touchline, this situation was never going to be left to drag. First he brought on Eden Hazard, then Terry and alongside the more experienced heads such as the dominant Branislav Ivanovic, they kept a lid on any pressure. Batshuayi even had a chance to seal a hat-trick in added time but his rebound finish was adjudged to have been offside.

Clarke, who has brought Rovers from non-league to League One in two seasons was pleased with his side’s efforts. “It was a compliment that Chelsea played a strong side,” he said. “We rode our luck a lot but the character of the lads showed, they had a right good go. No bones about it, though, Chelsea deserved to win the game.”

========================

Telegraph:

Chelsea 3 Bristol Rovers 2: Antonio Conte survives scare after Italian is handed early lesson
 Sam Wallace, chief football writer, at stamford bridge

There are not many sides in the world who score one goal against teams managed by Antonio Conte, so to go to Stamford Bridge and score twice against his Chelsea is no mean achievement if, like Bristol Rovers, you happen to play your football in League One.

The club that came up from League Two in third place last season gave Chelsea’s new Italian manager perhaps his most profound lesson yet in the ways of English football: a club 58 places and two divisions below his own and yet they fought for the whole 90 minutes. More than once in this game it looked like manager Darrell Clarke’s side were finished - but they fought to stay in the tie.
Their second goal, from Ellis Harrison from the penalty spot, meant that it was a nervous second half for Chelsea and one in which Conte eventually brought on Eden Hazard, John Terry and Oscar from a very strong bench.

Michy Batshuayi, the £31 million man from Marseille, scored twice for Chelsea, and there was another from Victor Moses but twice trailing by a two-goal margin, Rovers never gave up.
Afterwards, Conte accepted that his defence needed improvement with the club chasing Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly. There was an injury for left-back Ola Aina which Conte said he hoped was not serious. “I think it’s right to pay the player in the right way. If a player is a great player it is important to pay him in the right way.” He added: “I don’t think when you concede two goals in this situation, a free-kick and a penalty [it is good]. We must understand that when you have the opportunity to kill the game, you must kill the game.” Victory gives Chelsea a place in the third round of the EFL Cup, and with no European commitments this is a competition they will seek to win this season. Certainly they will have to be better than they were against Rovers when their early domination gave way and there were times when the midfield especially looked weak.

Clarke paid tribute afterwards to his team’s determination, many of whom followed him from his previous job in non-league and are in just their second season of league football. “It just goes to show there are good players in the lower leagues. Sometimes you just need the opportunity.” There was a first start for Batshuayi for his new club. Playing just behind him, his first minutes of the season was Ruben Loftus-Cheek, occupying the No 10 role and performing well in the first half, albeit against a different standard of opponent than Chelsea are accustomed to.

Conte urged his players on as if this were the second leg of a Champions League semi-final rather than the second round of a competition he probably had not heard of until a few weeks ago. On 29 minutes when Loftus-Cheek glanced over his shoulder and played in Nemanja Matic down the left channel. He crossed for Batshuayi to belt on in on the volley with his left foot.

The second followed soon after when Cesar Azpilicueta stretched to keep in Pedro’s cross from the right and from close range Victor Moses scored. It was his first goal for Chelsea since May 2013 when he scored in the Europa League semi-final second leg 3-1 win over Basel. That was a long time ago and three seasons on loan for the now 25-year-old means that he is a strange fit at Chelsea but Conte seems to like what he has to offer for now.

The Chelsea manager was desperately trying to reorganise his defence three minutes later ahead of a free kick from the right from Chris Lines which was met well by Peter Hartley who headed it past Asmir Begovic. Batshuayi scored a second, and Chelsea’s third, from Loftus-Cheek’s pass after he had been picked out from midfield by Cesc Fabregas four minutes before half-time.

The Rovers manager Clarke made two changes at the break, bringing on the 34-year-old striker Jermaine Easter and another forward, Matty Taylor, and within two minutes the away team had their second goal. This time it was the excellent midfielder Stuart Sinclair who drove forward into the Chelsea area and was brought down by Pedro for a penalty.

That was converted in front of the travelling fans by the Wales Under-21 striker Ellis Harrison and improbably, Rovers were back in the tie. Soon after Harrison hit the bar with a volley. Easter struck another shot just over the bar. Chelsea were rattled and it showed in Conte’s pensiveness on the touchline. Batshuayi had a late third goal disallowed and Conte’s team prevailed in the end.

Match details

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Begovic; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Aina; Fabregas, Matic; Moses, Loftus-Cheek, Pedro; Batshuayi.
Subs: Courtois (g), Oscar, Hazard, Costa, Terry, Chalobah, Solanke.

Bristol Rovers (4-1-4-1): Mildenhall; Leadbitter, Lockyer, Hartley, Brown; Lines; Bodin, Sinclair, Clarke, James; Harrison.

Subs: Puddy (g), Taylor, Clarke, Easter, Montano, Broom, Gaffney.
Referee: Keith Stroud.

====================

Mail:

Chelsea 3-2 Bristol Rovers: Michy Batshuayi marks full debut with a brace as League One visitors refuse to back down at Stamford Bridge

By MATT BARLOW

Having seen his Chelsea survive an EFL Cup scare and suffer another defensive injury, Antonio Conte cleared the way for John Terry to discuss an international recall with the England manager.
Conte revealed he would not stand between his captain and Sam Allardyce if that is really what Terry wants.
There is nothing to suggest he does want to add to his haul of 78 caps when he will be 36 in December and fighting for his club future.

Nevertheless, Conte said: 'I am a former coach of a national team and because of that I know this situation. I prefer it to be solved between Sam Allardyce and John Terry. I think it's the right way.
'I can tell you John has a great attitude and is working very hard and I am happy with his commitment.'

Terry came off the bench near the end of this 3-2 win against Bristol Rovers, to replace young full-back Ola Aina, injured on his debut to add to the defensive woes.
'I hope Aina's injury is not a serious injury,' said Conte, who is trying to find ways of strengthening his squad.

'We remain with only four defenders for the back line. We are a bit worried.
'About this, the market I prefer to speak with the club and I repeat and we stay in contact every day. We are trying to find the right solution to improve this team.'
Perhaps owner Roman Abramovich, looking down from his corporate box, will have seen enough of a wobble to release an extra few million from the vaults for a central defender before next week's deadline.

A centre half and a left-back are fast becoming matters of some urgency.
Twice Rovers slipped two goals behind but refused to wilt and responded, first with a header by Peter Hartley from a set-piece, and then a penalty conceded by Pedro and converted by Ellis Harrison.
They even threatened an equaliser before Eden Hazard, Oscar and Terry came off the bench and soothed the nerves.

Beyond these defensive issues there were two more goals for Michy Batshuayi and a first Chelsea goal in more than three years for Victor Moses.
Conte's team were largely dominant. Despite making six changes they were strong and came out bristling with purpose and something to prove.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek, influential in the No 10 role, saw an early effort deflected wide.
Batshuayi, having scored his first Chelsea goal at Watford, forced the first save of many from Steve Mildenhall.
This was an inventive chip from Batshuayi who should have found the net with far simpler chance soon after.

He rolled clear of his marker, clear on goal only to drag a shot wide.
Loftus-Cheek thumped a shot against the foot of a post with a low drive from the edge of the penalty area.

Rovers took heart from their resistance but as soon as they inched out of defence they went behind to two goals in as many minutes.

First, Loftus-Cheek held up the ball, Matic drove to the line and cut a cross to Batshuayi who hooked the opener high into the net from eight yards.

Seconds later it was 2-0. Pedro's deep cross was turned back into the centre by Cesar Azpilicueta, raiding forward from right-back, and Moses tapped in a simple finish from close range.
The League One team took it as a cue to respond. From a free-kick, expertly delivered by Chris Lines, centre-half Hartley climbed above Loftus-Cheek and headed past Asmir Begovic.

Three goals in six minutes and Rovers' lone striker Harrison almost equalised, heading wide.
Five minutes before half-time and Chelsea restored the two-goal margin.
Again Loftus-Cheek was influential, taking a pass from Cesc Fabregas and evading Hartley before presenting Batshuayi with a chance he could not miss.

Bristol Rovers made two attacking changes at half-time, sending on Jermaine Easter and Matty Taylor, and were soon back in the game.
Taylor won the ball from Aina and released Stuart Sinclair, who was bundled over by Pedro, scrambling back to cover.

Referee Keith Stroud awarded a penalty and Harrison smashed it past Begovic.
Ten minutes into the second half and Harrison clipped the bar with a fierce half-volley from the edge of the box.
Chelsea were wobbling and required a fingertip save at full-stretch from Begovic to deny Easter. Sinclair pulled a low shot wide from 20 yards.

At the other end, Batshuayi twice went close to a hat-trick goal and thought he had the match-ball when forcing a cross from Hazard into the goal at the second attempt.
Off he dashed to celebrate but the offside flag killed his delight.



==========================

Watford 2-1

Independent:

Watford 1 Chelsea 2

Michy Batshuayi and Diego Costa complete Blues comeback to secure victory

Strikers with second-half strikes to maintain Antonio Conte's perfect record

As Chelsea's equalising goal went in ten minutes from the end at Vicarage Road, Antonio Conte, the more volatile of two demonstrative Italian managers on the touchline, raced towards his team, demanding that they return immediately to their own half and go after a winner.

Eight minutes later it materialised, and this time Conte's celebrations were almost as exuberant as against West Ham on Monday night. Once again it was Diego Costa who had prompted them with the decisive goal, racing away onto a pass from Cesc Fabregas, who has lost his place but came on to set up both goals.

It had been necessary to send for attacking reinforcements after falling behind, with Victor Moses and Michy Batshuayi joining the fray as well to contribute to the improvement after Etienne Capoue had put Watford in front.

The home side deserved it at that stage, for Chelsea had been poor. N'Golo Kante from the champions Leicester did his job in front of the back four, Makelele-fashion, restricting Watford to few other chances but until falling behind his side lacked the necessary urgency.

Costa was even involved in the Watford goal, and received a booking because of it. Fouled, he thought – though referee Jon Moss did not – as Watford broke down the right he was then shown a second yellow card of the season for dissent as Capoue thrashed Adlene Guedioura's cross into the top corner of the net.

It was the former Tottenham man's second goal in successive games after failing to score even one in 36 appearances last season.

Watford were pushed back thereafter, as Chelsea finally added some penetration to their flicks and feints. They were convinced that Craig Cathcart's hand made illegal contact with the ball following a corner as the pressure built and it took until the 80th minute to find an equalising goal.
Fabregas found Eden Hazard for a low drive that Heurelho Gomes could only push out, giving expensive recruit Batshuayi a tap-in from six yards.

Eight minutes later Walter Mazarri's 3-5-2 formation failed him as two of the back three stood and watched Costa home onto Fabregas's pass, running on to beat Gomes, who could not have been pleased with either goal .

There was even time for Batshuayi to shoot against the bar, although a heavier defeat would have been hard on Watford.

The first half had brought a single save at each end, and those in the first few minutes and the last. Thibaut Courtois got down smartly to block a strong drive by left wing-back Jose Holebas and just before the interval Hazard's low free-kick was easily held.
Driving rain and wind added to the spectators' discomfort but they had their money's worth in the end, if not in the manner home supporters had hoped for.

Watford have now won only one home game in eight and will have to be careful how they integrate £40m worth of new recruits, with games against West Ham, Arsenal and Manchester United looming.
Mazzarri was pleased with the way they played, but disappointed at what he felt were two errors for the goals. “We complicated our life,” he said. “I think we can hold our heads high. But tonight I'm not going to sleep very well.”

Conte should have no trouble on that score after a second successive win. “A good impact from the subs and I'm pleased, for this shows great spirit,” he said.

“The start (of the season) is important to change the situation compared to last season.”

He is well on the way.

Watford (3-5-2): Gomes; Cathcart, Prodl, Britos; Amrabat, Guedioura (Vydra, 88), Capoue Doucoure, 84), Behrami, Holebas (Zuniga, 89); Ighalo, Deeney.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (c), Azpilicueta; Kante; Pedro (Moses, 70), Oscar (Batshuayi, 73), Matic (Fabregas, 77), Hazard; Diego Costa.

========================

Guardian:

Chelsea’s Diego Costa pounces late to sink battling Watford

Dominic Fifield

A week into Antonio Conte’s Premier League career and, at first glance, life at Chelsea is proving all rather predictable. This was a second successive win secured late, courtesy of a goal from Diego Costa, with Watford left as deflated as West Ham United had been five days earlier. Dig deeper, though, and the visitors’ ability to recover from a rather disjointed display and claim success felt rather more significant. It was a demonstration of clout.

Conte, for all his frustrations with the transfer market and his intention still to recruit, had the depth of quality on his bench to erode the hosts’ authority. He could fling on Michy Batshuayi, plucked from Marseille for £33.1m this summer, in partnership with Costa to force Chelsea level, and inject Victor Moses’s energy on the flank where Pedro Rodríguez had been rather aimless. Most of all, he could introduce the class and invention of Cesc Fàbregas, against opponents who had just started to doubt themselves, to provide a winner.

Fàbregas, unused on Monday, was flung on for the final 12 minutes here and in effect changed the complexion of the game. Watford were distracted by his presence, infuriated by the needle the Spaniard injects into the challenge and wary of his ability to thread a pass through the clutter. Where Eden Hazard had previously been forced deep to seek out the ball and exert any kind of influence, now the Belgian felt liberated, with Fàbregas drawing the attention elsewhere. It was Hazard’s low shot, spat from distance, that Heurelho Gomes spilled for Batshuayi to ram in the equaliser.

The striker already boasts a goal, an assist and a shot thundered against the woodwork in stoppage time, from 22 minutes as a Premier League player. Yet, while he is already forging a reputation in this league, Fàbregas is seeking to justify his. His most significant contribution here was reserved until three minutes from time. Collecting possession in a blur just outside his own penalty area, the midfielder sprayed a glorious angled pass downfield that split the back-tracking Craig Cathcart and Sebastian Prödl for a galloping Costa to gather. The striker trundled on and slipped his shot through Gomes’s legs as the goalkeeper advanced.

“We all know Cesc, that he is a great player with a great technique, always with a good pass and assist,” said Conte. “I made this substitution because, at that moment, I saw Watford were thinking only about defending. So I was happy with Cesc’s impact, and I’m pleased with his attitude. He’s working very hard in training to show he deserves to play. If I see that attitude and commitment, I’m very happy.”

Both provider and scorer had been engulfed by gleeful team-mates while Conte celebrated manically on the sidelines. It had taken Chelsea six matches to register six points last term. This year, they boast that tally after two.

The seated Walter Mazzarri glanced briefly in his compatriot’s direction, reluctant as he was to offer up a reaction. These two have history from their time in charge of Napoli and Juventus respectively pursuing the Scudetto back home and, for a while here, the Watford manager must have dared to believe he could condemn Conte to his first defeat in the English game. His team, comfortable with the three-man defence he had used in Naples, had posed a threat through Nordin Amrabat and José Holebas down the flanks and, having gone close through Odion Ighalo, eventually led.

Adlène Guedioura, outstanding in combination with Amrabat, swung over a cross that looped beyond Troy Deeney to reach Étienne Capoue, unmarked on the far side of the penalty area. The angle was unkind but the Frenchman, benefiting from Gary Cahill’s flicker of hesitation, collected and crunched a left-footed shot high into the top corner beyond Thibaut Courtois’s outstretched hand. It was Capoue’s second goal in successive games – he had scored only once in his previous 57 outings – though neither has yielded a win.

This team have now surrendered leads in their first two games of the campaign, though they will have been encouraged by confirmation of the signings of Younès Kaboul and, more eye-catchingly, Roberto Pereyra.

“I’m not going to sleep very well, but we can hold our heads high,” Mazzarri said. “We played much better than we did at Southampton, where we’d played only 20 minutes like I’d wanted us to play. Today we managed 70.” That is progress. It is just not quite as marked as that of Chelsea under Conte.

=========================

Telegraph:

Watford 1 Chelsea 2: Diego Costa scores late winner for second time in five days

Gerry Cox, vicarage road

Love him or loathe him, you cannot keep Diego Costa out of the news.

The Spain striker scored a late winner for the second time in five days as Chelsea came from behind to win at Watford and keep up their 100 per cent record under Antonio Conte.

Costa was in the headlines after Monday's victory over West Ham, not just for scoring the winning goal with three minutes remaining but for being lucky to avoid yet another red card.

This time there was no such controversy, but simply a well-taken and devastating goal to sink Watford, who had taken the lead 10 minutes after half-time with a superb goal from Etienne Capoue, also his second in the past week.

But Michy Batshuayi went on as one of three late substitutes to equalise for Chelsea with 10 minutes remaining, and then another replacement, Cesc Fabregas, sent Costa clear to score the winner.

It was harsh on Watford, who had made much of the running and thought they were on course for a rare win over Chelsea. “I'm very disappointed,” said Walter Mazzarri. “We were unlucky. In the first half we could have scored a couple of goals but we complicated our own life. Both goals were from our mistakes.”

In the build-up, much was made of the rivalry bordering on enmity between Conte and Mazzarri from their days in Italy, but the two managers exchanged pleasantries in the tunnel and shook hands politely before proceeding to prowl their technical areas animatedly.

Watford had the two best chances to open the scoring, first when Jose Holebas forced a good save from Thibaut Courtois with an angled shot, and then when Odion Ighalo put the ball over the bar from close range following a powerful run down the right wing by Nordin Amrabat.

Holebas cleared the ball off his own goal-line, getting to Eden Hazard's low cross just ahead of Costa, as Chelsea failed to test Heurelho Gomes, and shortly after half-time Watford opened the scoring with a beauty from Capoue. Adlene Guedioura swung over a deep cross, everyone in the centre of goal missed the ball, but Capoue controlled it expertly on his chest before firing a spectacular left-footed volley into the top corner. Perhaps Courtois should not have been beaten at his near post, but the sheer ferocity of Capoue's strike made it almost impossible to save.

Conte reacted by making changes to his shape and personnel, with Hazard switching to the right wing and three substitutions in the space of eight minutes. They paid off quickly as Fabregas supplied Hazard with a shooting chance from 30 yards out and, although Gomes stopped the shot, he could not hold the ball and Batshuayi was quickest to react, slipping the rebound past the keeper from close range.

Fabregas, who had not featured in the first 168 minutes of Chelsea's season, then set up the winning goal with a superb long pass out of defence. Costa sprinted from the halfway line, drew Gomes and tucked the ball past him to complete victory.

“I'd prefer if he scored earlier,” joked Conte, who was delighted with the way his substitutions worked. “It was the same against West Ham, as opponents pay for their efforts at the end of the game. I'm pleased for (Victor) Moses, Cesc and Batshuayi because their impact was very good. It shows a great spirit, the right attitude and commitment. It's a good family and a good team.”

==========================

Mail:

Watford 1-2 Chelsea: Diego Costa and Michy Batshuayi secure comeback win after Etienne Capoue's stunner had put the Hornets ahead

By ADAM CRAFTON FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY

As Michy Batshuayi strike hit the back of the Watford net, Chelsea's players headed over towards the corner flag.

Batshuayi was delighted, sliding in his first Chelsea goal. His team-mates were relieved, letting everything out after eighty minutes of frustration. They were all pouring over as Chelsea supporters rejoiced in the stands.

Antonio Conte, however, was in no mood yet for celebrations. He flew out of his technical area, gesturing frantically for his players to retreat back into their own half and find a goal that turned one point into three.

It was a telling insight into the mentality of this fiercely competitive coach. A draw simply would not do.

'After the equaliser, I didn't want any celebrations,' the Chelsea manager explained. 'We were 1-1 and drawing. I pushed the players on. Then I saw the will from the players.

'At the start of this season, it's important to change the mentality from last season. We know it is not easy. We are trying with all our strength.'

In truth, however, the decisive moment of this game arrived a couple of moments before that crucial first goal. With 78 minutes on the clock, ironic cheers echoed out from the small corner of this stadium where the Chelsea fans were cocooned.

Their side were trailing 1-0, falling behind in the second half to the sweetest of strikes from Watford's Etienne Capoue. For Chelsea, the old fragilities of last season appeared to have resurfaced. Their headline acts were ponderous and chances were at a premium.

And there was Cesc Fabregas waiting on the touchline, about to enter the fray. He had been on the bench once again, as he was on the opening evening of the season against West Ham, as the Brazilian Oscar was preferred in the advanced midfield position.

Chelsea missed his wit and invention and their supporters knew it.

The gleeful cheer was not a show of disobedience towards new coach Antonio Conte but after 77 minutes of hard toil against this combative Watford side, those fans craved some midfield magic.
Fabregas himself maybe felt he had a point to prove - and how he made it.

Within three minutes of his arrival, they had equalised, as Batshuayi capitalised on an error by Heurelho Gomes, the goalkeeper parrying a Hazard strike into the path of the Belgian forward, who scored his first Chelsea goal.

Watford will be concerned once more by the Brazilian goalkeeper, whose concentration lapse led to Watford dropping points at Southampton last weekend.

'In Italy, we would say we complicated our lives on our own,' Watford coach Walter Mazzarri said. 'Both the goals were our mistakes. We were not focused on both of those plays. We have to keep the ball and play better. We had opportunity to make life simpler.'

On 87 minutes, the turnaround was complete and Chelsea owed their late winner to the most inspired pass by Fabregas. The Spaniard collected the ball in his own half, looked up, and sensed opportunity. The Watford line was high, too high with Diego Costa around.

Fabregas pitched the ball clinically through to the forward, who had the freedom of the Watford half to bear down on goal and slip the ball through the legs of Gomes.

'We all know Cesc is a great player with great technical skill,' Conte said. 'He has a great pass. I made this substitution because I wanted more quality and I saw Watford were thinking only to defend the goal. I'm pleased for Cesc. His attitude and his work-rate is great during training to show he deserves to play. I want to see this. I want the players to show me they deserve to start the game. I'm very happy. I'm a very happy manager.'

It was some turnaround. For a long time, this threatened to be a rude awakening for new coach Antonio Conte against a spirited Watford side.

Among the visiting supporters, spirits had been lifted by the dramatic nature of victory over West Ham, the frenzied celebration and the high-fives as the Italian acquainted himself with the locals.
This result, however, was perhaps even more encouraging, as Chelsea demonstrated clear signs that their steely resolve is returning and the scarring of last season is finally easing up.

Chelsea would not have won this game last season. This, we should not forget, is a side that won back-to-back games on only one occasion last season so consecutive victories over West Ham and Watford should not be taken lightly.

For all the talk of revival under Guus Hiddink, Conte has also inherited a team is a side that ended last season with only two wins in their final ten games - against Aston Villa and Bournemouth - so to borrow the parlance of Louis van Gaal, this may well be a process towards redemption.

This, therefore, would have been a damaging result, particularly on a weekend that the two Manchester clubs had already served notice of their title-winning intent. Conte would not have wanted to fall into the slipstream, swimming against the tide of Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola's polished sides.

Watford made this hard work for Chelsea. They were purposeful from the off, crunching into the fifty-fifty tackles, hustling and harrying Chelsea's star names into submission. On the touchline, their new Italian coach Walter Mazzarri was a jack-in-the-box, furiously appealing every decision. The fourth official had to position himself at the front of the technical area towards the end of the first half, ensuring Mazzarri didn't venture out from his box any longer. Referee Jon Moss came over to emphasise the point.

Mazzarri set his side up in a 3-5-2 formation and it worked a treat for long periods. The three central defenders niggled Diego Costa, who barely worked a clear-cut opportunity until his goal late on. In the central acres, Valon Behrami and Adlene Guedioura matched N'Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic for diligence and work-rate. And that takes some doing.

This was a game that ended dramatically but started in underwhelming fashion. For a long time, caution appeared to grip these two sides, neither manager doing much to dispel the stereotypes some may hold of Italian football.

There were brief glimpses of goal. Watford were first to strike on target, as Jose Holebas found himself in space on the inside left channel, bearing down on goal and firing a strike against the legs of Thibaut Courtois in the Chelsea goal.

At the other end, only occasionally did Eden Hazard come to life. The Belgian sashayed his way into the box and Holebas did superbly to clear as Costa slid in.

On the right wing for Watford, Nordin Amrabat was a constant menace, his sheer desire and will forcing his side up the pitch at time. He won possession and shrugged off Cesar Azpilicueta, sliding a ball across goal but Odion Ighalo poked over the top.

As the first-half mellowed into mediocrity amid pouring rain, there was more excitement to be found in the technical area. These two Italian coaches wear their hearts on their sleeve, directing their sides relentlessly. Conte was not scared off by the rain, putting on his cagoule and matching fluorescent cap to bark out instructions.

The second-half started slowly and then finally, from nothing, a breakthrough. Guedioura's cross drifted over from the right-hand side. Crucially, Branislav Ivanovic had vacated his space, sucked in by the cross into a more central position. Etienne Capoue held back intelligently, controlling with panache, before thundering a left-footed strike with into the roof of Courtois' goal.

Chelsea became anxious, those old frailties of last season remerging. Azpilicueta miscontrolled and the ball slid out of play. Hazard broke through, crossing tamely into Gomes' arms. Watford defended stubbornly. Conte's voice became more hoarse, his shouts audible from the Press Box at the very top of the stand.

And then Fabregas entered the fray and he, one would suspect, will not be on the bench for much longer.

Watford 3-1-4-2: Gomes 5, Cathcart 6, Prodl 6, Britos 6.5; Amrabat 7, Behrami 6, Guedioura 6.5 (Vydra 88), Capoue 7.5 (Doucoure 84), Holebas 6.5 (Zuniga 90); Deeney 6, Ighalo 5.5
Subs not used: Pantilimon, Nyom, Anya, Hoban.
Goal: Capoue 55
Booked: Deeney, Britos, Holebas, Behrami

Chelsea 4-1-4-1: Courtois 6, Ivanovic 5,5, Terry 6.5, Cahill 6, Azpilicueta 6.5; Matic 5.5 (Fabregas 77), Kante 6; Pedro 5 (Moses 70), Oscar 5.5 (Batshuayi 71), Hazard 7; Costa 7.5
Subs not used: Begovic, Loftus-Cheek, Chalobah, Aina
Goals: Batshuayi 80, Costa 87
Booked: Cahill, Hazard, Costa

Referee: Jon Moss

West Ham 2-1

Independent:
Chelsea 2 West Ham United 1

Diego Costa strikes late to hand Antonio Conte winning start
The Blues were not at their best but managed to grind out a result against Slaven Bilic's men nonetheless

Jack Pitt-Brooke Stamford Bridge

It was in the last minute of this high-octane low-quality match that Chelsea finally won it. They had just gifted their lead away to West Ham United’s first chance of the match, after long balls to Andy Carroll finally paid off. Chelsea could have been reduced to nine men with first Diego Costa and then N’Golo Kante let off with obvious yellow card offences having each already been booked. Costa, then, with seconds of normal time left, beat Adrian from distance. Welcome to the Premier League Antonio Conte.

As a crash-course in English football this was perfect for Chelsea’s new coach. His whole managerial career has taken place in Italy and with the Italian national team. This was the opposite of that careful thoughtful tactical football. It was messy, chaotic and imprecise, played out under lights in a derby atmosphere. And it was Chelsea, deservedly, who won it at the end.

Conte ran off around the technical area when Costa won the game. On the final whistle he strode onto the pitch to bear-hug every one of his players. At this stage of the season performances often matter more than results, but Chelsea is a club that needs to remember how to win again. Conte wants to teach the players his idea of football, but that will take time. For now he just needs to make them believe in him.

Eventually Conte wants his Chelsea team to play aggressive, direct, athletic football, in his favoured 4-2-4 system. Chelsea are nowhere near being able to do that yet, not least because they have not signed enough players. Kante was the only change here from the Chelsea team that drew 2-2 with Swansea City on opening weekend last summer, when Jose Mourinho complained about his team doctor and everything started to unravel.

Here Kante was Chelsea’s best player, the man who looked most at ease with the demands Conte has made. Anchoring midfield in a 4-3-3, he missed his first tackle, on Andy Carroll, but after then won almost everything else. Oscar, Willian and Diego Costa tried to play at the same tempo too, but in the first half Chelsea struggled to create chances. It will take time to find the right balance between intensity and imagination, and here they did have it right.

Chelsea did always have men bursting into the box, but did not always have enough quality. Branislav Ivanovic forced a save from Adrian, Oscar went down in the box unrewarded before Eden Hazard, cutting in from the left, whistled a shot just wide of the far post.

But if Chelsea were anxious that they had missed their first-half chance then they need not have been. Because four minutes into the second half West Ham gifted them the easiest goal they will score this season. Michail Antonio skewed a clearance to Cesar Azpilcueta then fouled him as he ran into the box. Hazard converted the penalty and Bilic dragged off a humiliated Antonio, who trudged straight down the tunnel. Bilic could have avoided the problem by playing a specialist right-back from the start.

This was when Chelsea should have stepped it up but, still finding their way as a team, they let West Ham back into the game. With Andre Ayew limping out of his debut, Dimitri Payet on the bench and Manuel Lanzini at the Olympics, this was a West Ham team shorn of all their creative quality. Their only plan was long balls to Andy Carroll and they could barely even pick him out for the first hour.
But when they eventually started to find Carroll, with 13 minutes left, he won them a free-kick.

Payet, finally on, won the corner. And it fell to James Collins on the edge of the box, who somehow found the top corner of the net. It was West Ham’s first chance, but a fair punishment for a Chelsea side who had taken their eyes off what they were meant to be doing.

Conte had to throw everything at West Ham to get back into the game, and introduced Pedro, Victor Moses and new signing Michy Batshuayi from the bench. West Ham gifted them possession and Matic picked out Batshuayi with a long ball. He won the flick on and it fell to Costa, 20 yards from goal, with neithr West Ham centre-back coming out to challenge. Costa looked up, gathered himself, and found the bottom corner.

Costa was lucky to be on the pitch, having got away with an earlier foul on Adrian, having already been booked, that would earn a red card more often than a yellow. Kante, too, could have gone for a bad trip on Payet in the middle of the pitch. But both survived and Chelsea went on to win it. Later in the Conte era they will play better than this, and they will need to. But there are worse ways to start.

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Guardian:

Chelsea’s Diego Costa sinks West Ham to give Antonio Conte debut victory
Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge

Antonio Conte has his lift-off and, in the afterglow of a restorative victory, Chelsea feel like a club revived. The 10th permanent managerial appointment of Roman Abramovich’s ownership ended this ferocious derby leaping in delight on the touchline, high-fiving the fans then burying himself in the front row of supporters in the east stand, as this arena erupted all around to celebrate the winner. After all last season’s traumas, the locals will ignore the inevitable controversy which accompanied success. One game in and already Conte is adored.

It was Diego Costa, inevitably, whose contribution had Slaven Bilic and his crestfallen West Ham players enraged. The Spain forward had already been booked for berating the referee, Anthony Taylor, following the first-half non-award of a penalty when, midway through the second period, he attempted to close down Adrián, slid in and planted his left foot into the inside of the goalkeeper’s right calf. The official took his time before determining no second caution would be flashed, let alone the red card for which plenty of the visitors were calling. There was an inevitability thereafter about where this dramatic occasion would veer.

The game had entered its final minute, West Ham comfortable in the parity earned by James Collins’s fine finish, when possession was lost wastefully, the substitute Michy Batshuayi flicked on a punt forward and Costa collected just outside the penalty area. Both Collins and Winston Reid hesitated, allowing the striker time to take aim with the low shot fizzing through the clutter of centre-halves and into the far corner of Adrián’s net. The visitors sank to their knees in deflation, Bilic infuriated on the sidelines. “The winning start was vital,” said John Terry. “That is the fight and the commitment we want. We dug in for a London derby. That is great for the management.”

They have missed evenings like this in these parts. Chelsea had beaten only five teams in the Premier League here last season, surrendering to as many visitors en route, to offer some context to Conte’s immediate impact even with virtually identical personnel. N’Golo Kanté for Cesc Fàbregas was his only alteration to the side, then champions, who had begun the opening game of the last campaign under José Mourinho.

Yet Eden Hazard, who was to thump home the first goal of the Conte era from the penalty spot, was unrecognisable from the player who had taken over eight months to open his account last season. A “great talent” with a “fantastic attitude” was the Italian’s assessment. Just as significant was the fact that Costa, for all the trademark accompanying snarl, has his timing back.

Chelsea merited this success, even if it was squeezed out late and with the visitors, disrupted by the thigh injury which forced their debutant, André Ayew, from the fray, justifiably bemoaning the leniency of the officialdom. In truth, Bilic’s team had flattered to deceive during a bright opening quarter, the visitors lacking Dimitri Payet’s invention until the latter stages when that early urgency had long since been eclipsed and, eventually, overrun. Bilic was brutally honest in his post-match assessment. “Chelsea were much more aggressive, winning balls and second balls,” he said, “and their front four were on fire.”

Oscar argued that his early penalty appeal was justified, for all that he appeared to dangle his leg to seek out contact from Reid’s challenge. Branislav Ivanovic was denied and Hazard curled just wide, before West Ham eventually self-destructed. Michail Antonio, still a makeshift full-back despite the occasional successes he enjoyed in defence last year, collected on the edge of the area early in the second half and attempted to dribble away from danger, merely presenting the ball to César Azpilicueta in the process. The challenge which followed inside the box was panicked and born of desperation. Hazard converted with Conte’s celebrations as manic as those in the stands. Antonio was swiftly withdrawn.

“I liked the great intensity of my players,” said Conte. “We know we can improve through work but, today, it was very important to start with a victory. When a new manager arrives in a new club, he tries to bring with him his philosophy of football. We are working only one month together but tonight I saw the right intensity. It’s important to bring something different from last season.” This was a Chelsea side reminded of its underlying qualities.

It should have been more comfortable thereafter, the home side flooding forward with greater structure to their lineup and more fluency to their attacks, only for Adrián’s excellence to keep them at bay. But, while the lead was slender, the propensity to crack remained. Bilic was eventually forced to introduce Payet, the Frenchman’s fitness not quite up to scratch after his exertions at Euro 2016, and it was from his corner that West Ham equalised. Enner Valencia’s shot was blocked by Azpilicueta and Collins was quickest to react inside the box.

For 12 minutes thereafter Chelsea wondered if last year’s frailties might be exposed again. Then Costa, reprieved from his challenge, claimed the spoils and Conte had his springboard.

===================================

Telegraph:

Chelsea 2 West Ham 1: Costa grabs late winner after avoiding controversial second booking
Jason Burt, chief football correspondent, stamford bridge 

Antonio Conte launched himself into the crowd; Diego Costa launched himself at West Ham United goalkeeper Adrián – but avoided a red card – and Chelsea’s new season with their dervish of a new manager had lift-off.

Jürgen Klopp’s “heavy metal” football has a thrash metal rival in west London.
This was a full-blooded, raw meat London derby in which West Ham United were pinned back, battered at times, but will come away with a sense of injustice that they were eventually beaten. There were two cracker-jack managers on the touchline and this was a whizz-bang of a match.

Those technical areas will be tinderboxes this season throughout the Premier League with such huge personalities and big managers in charge and Slaven Bilic is no exception. And neither certainly is Conte who demanded the same extraordinary intensity from his players as he does from himself. There is a new, exhausting and exacting darling of Stamford Bridge.

And an old devil as well. Costa was, well, Costa. He snarled and snapped – and scored. This was not the disinterested, sulking player of the last campaign though, who craved a move back to Atlético ­Madrid, but the brooding menace of the season before, even if he brought the same baggage with him. It is in his DNA; the fuel that fires him.

Having been booked for dissent, after protesting as referee Anthony Taylor waved away Oscar’s first-half penalty appeals, he caught Adrián, in the second-half, with an ugly, high challenge that raked and marked the goalkeeper’s leg. Taylor walked over, appearing to intend to show a card before perhaps realising Costa had already been cautioned, and so the striker earned an unlikely reprieve.

West Ham were stunned and they paid the price. Inevitably it had to be Costa who exacted it in one of those cruel twists of fate. Having drawn level, having then pushed on themselves, the visitors were caught as one of the three substitutes Conte threw on – and the Italian certainly went for it – Michy Batshauyi headed the ball back ­infield for Costa to collect. The ­defenders backed off, fatally, and the forward drove a low shot from outside the penalty area that had Adrián grasping at air as it spun ­beyond him and inside his far post.

The disgust was evident on Bilic’s face – but more because of the concession than the identity of its claimant, even though Chelsea played on the edge throughout with another new signing, N’Golo Kanté, booked inside three minutes and walking, or rather barrelling into, a tightrope for the rest of this ­encounter.

Costa was not the only one transformed. It had seemed the story would be the return of Eden Hazard who also went missing last season, hampered by injuries and doubts, and who did not score until April. He despatched a penalty, awarded inside a minute of the second half after the hapless Michail Antonio bundled over César Azpilicueta, and was back to his exhilarating, mercurial best having shown flashes of that during Euro 2016.

It was an awful night for Antonio who was mercilessly exposed at right-back and was hooked by Bilic after being booked for the penalty challenge. He walked straight down the tunnel, blanking and blanked by his manager.

And so two players who lost their way for Chelsea – Costa and Hazard – claimed the headlines but it was a team, also, injected with energy throughout and one that looked ­fitter and leaner. And meaner. Willian was the same, busy, relentless, creative force, while Oscar was the skilful but also snapping midfield creator-and-destroyer he can be, with Kanté certainly bringing a much-needed dimension. On the bench sat Cesc Fàbregas and there was a sense that much has to change for him to re-establish himself.

West Ham knew it would be hard. Bilic has recruited well this summer but could not start with Dimitri Payet after his exertions for France – although his team were much more threatening when the midfielder did come on – and were also without the injured Manuel Lanzini and Sofiane Feghouli, and lost record signing André Ayew early on, but were a little guilty of ­attempting to send it long too often to striker Andy Carroll who has been such a scourge of Chelsea in the past.

Not so much here. No quarter was given but chances were hard to come by before Chelsea did eke out a couple in the first half with Hazard setting off on one of those slaloming runs from deep – so typical of him but absent for so long – before his curling low shot skimmed wide. Before that, Branislav Ivanovic had drawn a smart low save from Adrián and the goalkeeper then tipped over a Willian free-kick.

Once Chelsea were ahead it seemed they would press on and claim even more goals with Willian going close with an angled low shot after another rapid turnover of ­possession. But Payet’s presence changed the dynamic and from his corner there were howls for a penalty, for handball, as a James Collins’ header struck Azpilicueta. Bizarrely the Chelsea players stopped and the ball dropped back to Collins who slammed a wonderful, crisp shot beyond Thibaut Courtois.

By now the eye was inevitably – constantly – drawn to the touchline – with Bilic and Conte becoming ­increasingly involved as the contest rose to a crescendo. By now both teams were going for it, all six substitutes had been used, and it was Chelsea who got the transformative break. West Ham tried to respond with the ball skittling around the Chelsea area but the home side deserved their victory even if the identity of the scorer was less just.

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Mail:

Chelsea 2-1 West Ham: Diego Costa goes from villain to hero as late strike seals first Premier League win for new manager Antonio Conte

By MARTIN SAMUEL FOR THE DAILY MAIL

Diego Costa swung a right boot, more in desperation than expectation. The night was not going to plan at all.

There was a minute to go and Chelsea were on the brink. Not of victory, although not really of calamity, either; this was hardly an echo of last season. But they were poised to drop points to West Ham at home. And that’s not good around these parts. It would constitute an inauspicious start for manager Antonio Conte.

So Costa tried his luck. Michy Batshuayi, a £33million signing but a late arrival from the bench here, headed the ball down. Costa brought it under control and shot. The ball travelled low, through the legs of James Collins. It meant Adrian, the West Ham goalkeeper, saw it late. Too late. In at the far corner it went. The game would be won, after all. The Conte era was off to a flyer. And so was Conte.

Down the touchline he ran, high-fiving a row of outstretched hands. This is why the foreign coaches come. It’s not just the money. It’s the Premier League. Not the best, not always the classiest — but there really is nothing like it for drama, for excitement, for sound, for fury.

Should Costa have been on the field? Well, that’s another story. Booked in the first half for dissent, he should have received a second yellow for a late lunge on Adrian with 25 minutes to go. The ball was a good yard away when he hit West Ham’s goalkeeper, late and high.

Anywhere else on the field, it would have been a booking. Had Costa not already been booked, it may well have been a booking, too. Yes, Adrian was struggling to bring the ball under control and was fair game. Costa was entitled to make a challenge, and a robust one, too.

But he cannot play the man if he does. So Anthony Taylor, the referee who had seemed so strict in the first half, messed up or lost his nerve. We applaud the Premier League crackdown on dissent, which brought Costa’s first yellow. But it’s all well and good giving referees protection; referees have to ensure that players get it, too.

Still, the best team won and Conte will have been impressed with his team’s resolve. More disturbing is the fact it took pretty much a single West Ham attack to break them down. In the 77th minute, they won a free-kick and, from it, a corner. They had barely been inside Chelsea’s penalty area until that moment, but Chelsea cracked.

They had looked so comfortable, too. So in control. West Ham were at arm’s length. Eden Hazard was running the game. Chelsea looked quick, often slick, and energetic. Watched by England manager Sam Allardyce, Andy Carroll was getting no joy from Conte’s central defenders, nor N’Golo Kante sweeping in front of them. True, it had needed an horrendous mistake from Michail Antonio and a penalty to give them the lead, but Chelsea were good for it. If there was to be a second goal in the game, it was going to the boys in blue.

West Ham's club-record signing Andre Ayew limped off after just 35 minutes with a muscle injury
Then Dimitri Payet came on, and changed the dynamic. Suddenly, Chelsea looked less assured, vulnerable, much like last season. West Ham won a free-kick, then another.

The second was in Payet’s range, just outside the area to the right. Stamford Bridge seemed edgy. He hit the wall, to a relieved cheer, but the ball went out for a corner. And, from there, calamity struck Conte’s men. Chelsea have not kept a clean sheet at home in the league since November; and it will be hard to win the title unless that changes.

Payet swung the corner to Collins. His glancing header may have struck Cesar Azpilicueta’s arm but as several West Ham players appealed Enner Valencia continued playing and clipped the ball back to Collins. He shot, first time, past Thibaut Courtois.

Collins celebrated deliriously, the travelling fans serenading the ‘Ginger Pele’. Someone will have to explain it all to Conte later, when he has calmed down. They may have to explain that this is fairly standard for the Premier League, too, because for a manager used to the order of Serie A, it is going to take some getting used to.

Good grief, it was frantic at times. A game of few chances but plenty of action and early yellow cards. Not so many late ones, though, Taylor displaying the inconsistency for which Premier League officials are renowned. So Kante was booked after three minutes for a foul on Carroll, but not late on for the same challenge on Payet.

As for Costa, if there is to be an instant reckoning for dissent, the penny needs to drop and quick if Chelsea’s striker is not to spend more time suspended than a circus trapeze act. In the 19th minute, Oscar dispossessed Mark Noble, turned and ran on goal. He passed Winston Reid on the outside and there was contact, but it was minimal and barely impeded his run.

Oscar fell, dramatically. A bit soft. Taylor was having none of it. On the touchline, Conte hopped around like a live prawn on a hot plate. Costa chased 40 yards down the pitch to berate Taylor. Big mistake. There is zero tolerance of dissent this season and he became the second name in the book. Third was Collins for kicking Costa; something several of his team-mates may feel like doing if he doesn’t learn to keep his mouth shut.

West Ham were tenacious but, without Payet in the starting line-up and after losing Andre Ayew to a right leg injury after 34 minutes, posed little threat. The home team had the best of the chances.
In the 12th minute, a delightful backheel from Oscar found Branislav Ivanovic on the overlap. He cut inside Cheikhou Kouyate and hit a snap shot, low, at the near post, needing Adrian to have his wits about him to keep it out.

Hazard also came close, making enormous ground on the left after 31 minutes, darting inside and striking a shot just wide of the far post. With virtually the last kick of the first half, Willian struck a free-kick from 25 yards that was deftly flicked over the bar.
Something had to change and Slaven Bilic, the West Ham manager, could be seen in conversation with Payet shortly before the second half began — but it was too late. Within a minute of the restart, Antonio had given away a penalty.

Two mistakes for the price of one. First, he gave the ball straight to Azpilicueta just outside the West Ham area. Then, attempting to limit the damage, he went in on him clumsily as he attacked and sent him tumbling. No doubt in Taylor’s mind this time and Hazard stepped up and smashed his shot high into the roof of the net.

Six minutes later, Antonio was taken off for Sam Byram and Bilic did not even look at him as he marched down the tunnel. It was a foolish, petulant display by the player. Antonio may see himself as more winger than full back, but good wingers don’t pass the ball to the opposition and then foul them in the penalty area. Bilic had every right to be angry

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