AFC Bournemouth 3-1

Observer:

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard shows Bournemouth what makes leaders tick

AFC Bournemouth 1 - 3 Chelsea

Paul Doyle at the Vitality Stadium

This was billed as a test of Chelsea’s nerve as much as of their quality; they passed it in a way that will seriously examine the strength of Tottenham Hotspur’s belief in the possibility of a collapse by Antonio Conte’s men. Bournemouth were valiant and ensured Chelsea could not simply lounge about in the south-coast sun but the league leaders ultimately subdued their hosts with the imperiousness of champions-elect.

They may need up to 15 points from their seven remaining matches to make it a mathematical certainty but any outcome that does not involve Chelsea claiming the title should probably be filed under fantasy. Not least because Conte keeps warning his players the only way it could become a reality is if they slacken off.

On top of their many other attributes there is, thanks to their manager, a savviness about Chelsea that the teams below them simply do not possess or, in the case of Spurs, seem to have developed a little too late for this campaign.

Furthermore, Chelsea are getting the breaks when it matters, such as when they opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Diego Costa’s miskick led to a slice of good fortune when the ball deflected off Adam Smith and bobbled past Artur Boruc into the net.

Scoring the first goal helped Chelsea to settle after an uncomfortable start. They had marched on to the pitch with the sound of Tottenham’s heavy boot steps clanging in their ears, along with Conte’s order not to be spooked. Any Chelsea player unnerved by Spurs’ pursuit might also have harboured concerns about Bournemouth’s home form. Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs all endured scares at the Vitality Stadium this season, none having escaped with a win.

What is more, Bournemouth are still fighting for their Premier League lives even if several other teams are more likely victims of relegation.

David Luiz was so flustered by a pinged cross from the right by Ryan Fraser in the second minute he almost shanked it into the net. The Brazilian was grateful for the sharp reflexes of Thibaut Courtois, who batted the ball to safety.

Victor Moses’s return from injury meant Conte could field his first-choice lineup and Moses soon launched Chelsea’s first attack. His cross from the right led to a blocked shot by Marcos Alonso. The Nigeria international tried again in the 17th minute, collecting a long pass by David Luiz before cutting in from his wing to zip a low pass to Costa, who spun past his marker and shot from 12 yards. It was a wonky effort that threatened to embarrass the striker until it took a benevolent deflection off Smith and made its way to the net. Luck like that works wonders against jitters.

Soon Chelsea swaggered farther ahead and flukiness was not a factor. N’Golo Kanté dissected the home defence with a pass from deep and Eden Hazard skedaddled into the box, duped Boruc into prostrating himself in front of him and then sidestepped the goalkeeper and slotted home. You could almost hear the groans from north London.

There were louder groans from the home crowd in the 29th minute when Charlie Daniels raced behind Moses and crossed for Benik Afobe, whose shot from 12 yards beat Courtois but cannoned out off the post.

Bournemouth though are too strong-minded to lapse into fatalism. They continued working to turn things in their favour and were rewarded just before half-time when King’s shot from 20 yards took a nick off David Luiz and flew into the top corner. Chelsea had food for thought to go with their half-time oranges.

They emerged for the second period in game-management mode, again intent on softening the home side’s bite by hogging the ball. Bournemouth are tenacious and when they finally regained possession in the 50th minute they immediately tried to sink their teeth into Chelsea. A fast-flowing move finished with Fraser firing just wide.

Costa should have restored Chelsea’s two-goal lead shortly after that but failed to profit from six yards after Alonso teed him up for a tap-in.

That attack was a sign Chelsea were back in control and this time they did not look like relinquishing it. From then on Bournemouth were allowed to do nothing more than scamper gamely after Conte’s side as the visitors took command.

Chelsea started to make their dominance look effortless to the point of imperiousness. Alonso confirmed that impression in the 68th minute by curling a sumptuous free-kick over a six-man wall and into the top corner. In theory there was enough time for a comeback but Chelsea played the game out with an authority that made that seem an impossibility.

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Telegraph:

Bournemouth 1 Chelsea 3: Eden Hazard's wonderful finish carries Blues ever closer to Premier League title

Sam Wallace, chief football writer, at the vitality stadium

The Premier League's last act of the day fell to Antonio Conte’s team and once more the last word goes to them too, a side capable of absorbing the pressure of the title race and winning games, although there are times when you wonder if they feel any pressure at all.

Conte said afterwards that it was not easy playing after Tottenham Hotspur had demolished Watford to cut Chelsea’s lead at the top to four points but that he enjoyed the pressure all the same, and expected his own players to cope with it. The league leaders did that with a victory that restores their lead over Spurs in second place to seven points and means that they require five wins to wrap up the title.

Conte does not bother too much with the opposition but after the game he was at pains to point out just how far his team had come in the space of eight months. This was, he reminded everyone, a team that finished 10th last year and that Chelsea’s progress since last summer had far outstripped that of Spurs.


“Don't forget that last season Tottenham fought for the title until the end. That means they are a really good team. Last season Chelsea were 10th and now we are top of the table. I think Tottenham had two or three new players [in the summer] and are stronger than last season. It's important to understand this. It's important to compare teams the right way.”

The Italian was trying to fight back against the notion that Chelsea are exactly where Chelsea should be, simply because they have won four titles in the last 12 years. It might also have been a subtle way of reminding everyone that it has been Conte who has effected the change in results.


One week on from the shock of defeat at home to Crystal Palace, Conte’s team have taken six points from two games and re-established themselves as the side to catch. As for the pressure, Conte says that he thrives on it. “I like the pressure, I live off pressure. I don't see pressure, I put pressure [on]. I think pressure gives you the best of yourself.”

For periods this was a good Bournemouth performance, especially in the latter stages of the first half when Josh King scored for the home side and they looked like they could perhaps get back into the game. But there is a rhythm to the way that Chelsea take hold of a match and this one was no different.

Adam Smith was unfortunate with a first-half own goal, before Eden Hazard bewitched Artur Boruc on the counter-attack for the second. Eventually it was the quality which told, and Marcos Alonso’s left-footed free-kick on 68 minutes sealed the result for Chelsea. It was an unsaveable strike and proof that, when the pressure is on, Conte has players who can deliver.

The travelling support sang “Tottenham Hotspur, we’re waiting for you” which may have been a nod to the FA Cup semi-final later this month. Going behind to this Chelsea team is a curse on any opponent, all of whom find themselves trying to break down a midfield that moves as one piece, suffocating the ambitions of those up against it.

It was a tough afternoon for Bournemouth who were good at times, none more than King, the former Manchester United academy boy, who looked to be more than a match even for the international defenders in Chelsea’s side.

Eddie Howe started Jack Wilshere for the second game in a row for the first time since February and there was a mixed performance from the man from Arsenal. He can still pick out a pass beautifully as he did once in the first half to Ryan Fraser from the very deep-lying position that he took up. At other times he seemed strangely immobile and was caught in possession, most critically for the second Chelsea goal

Bournemouth are now three games without a win and in the fast-changing situation in the bottom-half of the Premier League, Howe dismissed the notion that his team had no reason to fear relegation.

“Believe me, motivating the players is no problem at all. We are motivated to get as many points as we can and guard against any problems later on.”

The first Chelsea goal was a strange affair, a huge slice by Diego Costa whose left-footed shot was going well wide when it clipped the head of Adam Smith, sliding in for the block, and crept inside Boruc’s right post.

Shortly after that, Wilshere was dispossessed in midfield and the ball went from Pedro to N’Golo Kante whose pass over the top and into the left channel set Hazard free to run at goal. The problem for any goalkeeper trying to second guess a player as majestically adept with the ball on either foot as Hazard is exactly what side he is going to attempt to pass you on.

Boruc bought Hazard’s first offering, a perfectly plausible shape-up to strike it with his right, before the winger switched the ball onto his left and left the Bournemouth goalkeeper wondering where he had gone. The ball was rolled into the net by Hazard and Chelsea looked well set to win.

Benik Afobe hit the post when he took a Charlie Daniels left-wing cross first time and then three minutes before the break, the home team scored. It was a fine counter-attack. From Danny Pugh to Afobe, the ball went right to King who hit his shot first time. With the benefit of a flick off David Luiz, who was in the wrong position to make a proper tackle, the ball beat Thibaut Courtois past his left hand.

The free-kick from which Alonso scored was awarded for a very bad tackle by Steve Cook on Costa and in a more highly-charged game the Bournemouth man might have found himself dismissed.

The position of the kick was ideal for Alonso’s left foot and he swept it over the wall and into the top-left corner of the Bournemouth goal, with Boruc once again helpless to do anything about it. That, from Bournemouth’s point of view, was the story of their afternoon.


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Independent

Chelsea maintain their intensity and focus against Bournemouth to further squeeze the life out of this title race

AFC Bournemouth 1 Chelsea 3: An own-goal as well as efforts from Eden Hazard and Marcos Alonso at the Vitality Stadium saw Chelsea maintain their seven-point lead at the top

Miguel Delaney Vitality Stadium

A rampant Tottenham Hotspur may continue to dream of a title challenge but, for an extremely resolute Chelsea, that is little more than a mirage.

The prospect of Antonio Conte lifting the Premier League trophy in his first season in England becomes ever more real, and the Italian can now lift up just one hand to signify the five wins his side need for him to do it, after this 3-1 win over Bournemouth.

That is what is so impressive about this Chelsea, even if they are not as impressive as they were around October. They just keep motoring. They show that intensity and focus that their manager has spent so long talking about it.

Consider two key facts around this game. Diego Costa has stopped scoring, and that back-line has stopped keeping clean sheets. Had you been told that around December or January, you would have thought Chelsea are in real trouble, but the opposite is true.

They keep winning. They keep leading. They keep going.

It was all the more respectable here because Bournemouth were far from the kind of soft touch that might have been anticipated earlier in the season, with Harry Arter in particular putting in some industrial-strength challenges, and were more than willing to go at Chelsea in the way they did to Liverpool and Manchester United.

It was probably precisely that willingness, however, that initially made it that bit easier for Conte’s side. They had so much space to play in behind, as illustrated when David Luiz so simply but so excellently picked out the returning Victor Moses with an arched pass out to the right on 14 minutes.

Moses charged through and fed Costa and, if it summed up the kind of non-scoring run he is in that he badly miskicked, it summed up Chelsea’s run of form that the ball still found its way into the net having deflected off Adam Smith.

That was lucky but the next strike just two minutes later was luscious. With Bournemouth again playing so high, N’Golo Kante was left to lift the ball over.

Hazard took it down beautifully before almost falling down himself, but still had the grace to so elegantly send it into the corner from an angle.

Again, everything was just falling for the champions elect, like when Benik Afobe’s brilliant volley on 29 minutes hit the post, hit Thibaut Courtois and still went out.

To be fair to both sides, Chelsea did still have to stand up a stern Bournemouth response, as Eddie Howe’s side creditably refused to roll over despite the scoreline. They probably justifiably felt they didn’t deserve to be two down, and made sure they weren’t just before half-time when Joshua King’s shot deflected off David Luiz and into the top corner.

Bournemouth were back in the game, and Jack Wilshere was looking back on his game. The on-loan midfielder played a series of divine passes that so often seemed like they could open up Chelsea’s defence, and one of them should really have seen Ryan Fraser score, only for him to blaze wide.

If Bournemouth weren’t going to take chances like that, though, it meant they weren’t going to take anything from this game. Chelsea may have stopped keeping clean-sheets, but they haven’t stopped expertly shutting down games, as was precisely the case here.

In fact, one reason why they are the best team in the country is because they are by far the best at controlling the shape and pace of a game.

It as if by just moving the whole side up a few yards like a phalanx they can bend the match to their will. So, Bournemouth continued to have a lot of the ball, but could do absolutely nothing with it. There were just no avenues, no openings.


There was, however, another Chelsea goal. On 68 minutes, Marcos Alonso stepped up for a free-kick at the edge of the box after Costa had been taken down, and supremely curled the ball into the top corner.

There looks no prospect of Tottenham cornering Chelsea, no matter how good Mauricio Pochettino’s side get. The leaders are just too good at seeing games through, and look fully ready to see this title run-in out.

Others may dream. Chelsea show the hard reality of how to win titles

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Mail:

Bournemouth 1-3 Chelsea: Eden Hazard and Marcos Alonso add to Adam Smith's own goal as Antonio Conte's side restore their seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League

By Riath Al-samarrai for The Mail on Sunday

After the latest fence was cleared, it was put to Antonio Conte that Chelsea have not kept a clean sheet in the league since January. He responded with the smile of a man who knows what it is to have only trivial concerns.

That’s been his default position in this campaign of dominance where there have been precious few dramas and nothing that would constitute a crisis. A row with Diego Costa here, a defeat to Crystal Palace there – straws for the opposition to clutch at but nothing more.

And now they are in sight of the title. Just 15 points away at most.

Tottenham are doing their bit to keep it interesting and good on them. But with each fixture it is getting harder for the rational to suspend belief - Chelsea will, surely, get it done.

They are the best and have been at almost every checkpoint since Manchester City imploded in autumn. It has looked easy because it has been, and rarely has that been better illustrated than the moment partway through the first half here when David Luiz decided impulsively to change his hairstyle.

Just like that, and ever so casually, he made the call to switch from hanging loose to ponytail. Curls in his eyes? Possibly. Just as likely he wanted something to do, because by that point Chelsea were walking away with another one, two goals to the good after 20 minutes.

One was given as an Adam Smith own goal, the other was the masterful collaboration of N’golo Kante and Eden Hazard. A canter on Grand National day.


It got harder for them, in fairness to Bournemouth. They pulled one back with Josh King’s 10th goal in 11 games and made a fight of it early in the second half. But just as there was the whiff of pressure, Marcos Alonso scored a quite magnificent free-kick. Quality on tap, points flowing out all over the place.

Manchester United are next up at Old Trafford and really that is the last plausible ditch where the wheels might get stuck. And even that would require the United of old, the team that didn’t cough up draws to all comers. But those Ferguson-era sides would likely struggle against the team Conte has created, as well.

The luxuries of their calendar can’t be underplayed in all this, of course. The Chelsea bean counters won’t necessarily see beauty in a year without Champions League football, but Conte has had the rare joy and benefit of being able to keep a settled side throughout the campaign. Take his line-up here, for instance.

The Italian made two changes to the side that beat Manchester City, with Nemanja Matic and Victor Moses coming in for Kurt Zouma and Cesc Fabregas, and was able to field an 11 in which nine had started at least 25 league games. Not ideal for folk on the fringes, but when the chosen few play the way they have, why change a thing?


The first 45 minutes of this one were largely controlled by Chelsea, barring a handful of troublesome moments. One was a miscued clearance from David Luiz that forced Thibaut Cortois into a brilliant save inside the first minute, another was a Benik Afobe volley against the post and the other was King’s goal 40 minutes later. That already counted for a better return than most teams manage against Chelsea.

But what played out either side and in between those chances was predominantly in Chelsea’s favour, peaking with two goals in the space of three minutes.

The first, on 17 minutes, was was started by Luiz pinging cross-field to Moses, who took a couple of touches before squaring to Costa. With one touch he spun past Simon Francis and his second drew a heavy deflection from Smith which took the ball past Artur Boruc. It was credited as an own goal.

The second was more aesthetic. Kante broke the lines with a floated pass from central midfield, helped by some questionable positioning by Francis. The rest was done by Hazard, who dumped Boruc on his backside with a dummy before he rounded him and finished. It was his 14th league goal of the season – his best tally for a campaign.

The popular argument will surely now continue over who means more – Kante, the omnipresent, or Hazard, the wrecking ball? What a luxury to have both in the same team.

Afobe cracked a volley against the post after 28 minutes in retaliation and then King pulled a goal back. No Chelsea clean sheets since they beat Hull, if anyone cares.

For 15 minutes or so in the second half Bournemouth then looked strong. But Chelsea don’t roll over like some do. They wrapped this one up on 68 minutes, with Alonso whipping his free-kick in from 25 yards.

Conte raised two fists while Eddie Howe could do nothing but shake his head and smile. A manager of another beaten team.


AFC Bournemouth: Boruc, Adam Smith, Francis, Steve Cook, Daniels, Fraser (Gradel 84), Arter, Wilshere, Pugh (Ibe 71), King, Afobe (Mousset 77).

Subs: Brad Smith, Lewis Cook, Allsop, Cargill.

Goals: King 42

Yellow cards: Arter, Gradel


Chelsea: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Moses (Zouma 90+2), Kante, Matic, Alonso, Pedro (Willian 88), Costa, Hazard (Fabregas 84).

Subs: Begovic, Batshuayi, Terry, Chalobah.

Goals: Adam Smith og 17, Hazard 20, Alonso 68

Yellow cards: Pedro, Kante, Moses

Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)


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Express / Star :

Bournemouth 1 - Chelsea 3: Hazard and Alonso goals secure vital three points for Blues

CHELSEA remain on course to go where no club has gone before in the Premier League.

By HARRY PRATT

Victory on a sun-soaked evening at Bournemouth yesterday ensured Chelsea’s lead at the summit was back to seven points – only hours after second-placed Spurs had slashed it to four.

But while 15 more points will guarantee them a second title in three years, this current crop of Blues can go even higher.

For should they maintain a 100 per cent record over the rest of the run-in, they will finish with a record-breaking total of 96 points.

That would eclipse anything achieved by the greatest English teams of the last 24 years. The current best of 95 was set by Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea in 2005 when the Special One conquered all in his first season on these shores.

Do no bet against Conte’s troops going one better in the Italian’s own debut Premier League campaign.


With Mauricio Pochettino’s north Londoners hell-bent on pushing them all the way to the line, the Blues can ill-afford any slip-ups.

That was certainly the scenario when they arrived on the south coast yesterday for an evening showdown.

Spurs’ 4-0 romp over  Watford made victory imperative here if the visitors wanted to stay in total control of the title race.

That was not going to be easy because Bournemouth were in something of a purple patch.

And as Howe’s minnows have shown since arriving among the English elite, they have the ability to unhinge the very best – especially on their own patch.

They were actually bidding to make it three home wins on the spin for the first time in six months and equal their best-ever unbeaten sequence at this level - six games.

But if those stats were impressive, other numbers were less encouraging for Bournemouth.

They had beaten Chelsea only once in eight attempts here – in 1989 when both were in the old Second Division.

Throw in the Blues’ miserly defence under Conte this term and it was clear why the visitors were red-hot favourites.


On their travels Chelsea had conceded just 13 times – and only six since their manager went from four to three at the back.

Yet that total nearly hit 14 inside the opening 90 seconds yesterday – from the boot of David Luiz.

Ryan Fraser, who according to Howe can one day be good as Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, fired a low cross into the danger area.

Brazilian defender Luiz’s clearance was wild – and heading for the top corner until Thibaut Courtois’ finger-tip save.

Twelve minutes later, Fraser had the opportunity to break the deadlock after Jack Wilshere’s pass cut Chelsea’s rearguard in two.  But the Scottish ace’s effort lacked similar precision.

And how the Cherries paid for that miss as the Londoners responded by scoring twice in the space of three minutes.

The first was really unlucky. Diego Costa’s 17th minute drive was drifting well wide before hitting Adam Smith’s head and bouncing past wrong-footed Artur Boruc.

There was nothing fortunate about Chelsea’s second, however.

Catching their opponents on the counter, N’Golo Kante’s pass left the lightning Hazard with only the keeper to beat.

The Belgium accomplished that with a dip of the shoulder and neat finish into the far corner despite almost losing his footing.

If the away fans thought that was game over then Benik Afobe’s fierce 28th-minute blast against the post made them think again.

As did prolific Josh King just before the break when he cut the deficit with his ninth goal in nine games – a blistering 20-yarder, which flew in via Luis.

Suddenly, the outcome was in the balance. Chelsea seemed visibly shaken.

At least they did until Italian wing-back Marcos Alonso restored the two-goal lead with a wonder strike after 68 minutes.

Alonso has scored several crucial goals this season but none as good as the 25-yard free-kick that finally killed off the Cherries.


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Mirror:

Bournemouth 1-3 Chelsea: Alonso's stunning free-kick seals win over Cherries - 5 things we learned

A deflected Costa shot and a Hazard strike gave the Blues an early lead as they moved seven points clear again

JOHN CROSS

Antonio Conte saw Chelsea produce a performance of champions to restore their seven point lead at the top of the Premier League.

Eden Hazard and Marcos Alonso were on target while Diego Costa’s shot was deflected into his own net by Bournemouth's Adam Smith in a comprehensive victory for the leaders.


Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham have all failed to win at Bournemouth but Chelsea rose to the challenge after Spurs had thrashed Watford earlier in the day to close the gap.

Even Josh King making it 2-1 before half time did not stop Chelsea who were far too good for Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth.

Chelsea boss Conte was furious that referee Andre Marriner missed a clear handball by Smith in the build-up to Bournemouth’s goal and was still remonstrating with the officials at half time.

1. Chelsea show their class

This was a huge pressure game - and Chelsea responded brilliantly.

It is a difficult place as Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool have all failed to win at Bournemouth but Chelsea showed mental strength, quality and produced a performance of champions.

Eden Hazard was excellent, N’Golo Kante ran the midfield and yet Marcos Alonso stood out - and not just because of his brilliant free kick.

Alonso was magnificent down the left, excellent distribution and terrific all round performance.

He, like Chelsea, looks a class act. It just shows that Chelsea can handle the pressure - and that’s the hallmark of champions.

2. Victor Moses welcomed back

Here’s a sentence you never thought you’d read… Chelsea have really missed Victor Moses in the last two games.

His injury lay-off has really put them out of kilter, Pedro has filled in at right wing back, Cesar Azpilicueta also switched across against Manchester City on Wednesday night before they reverted back to Pedro for the second half.

Moses gives them balance, it is a position they may look to strengthen in the summer but he really has been an unsung and unlikely hero in the title challenge.

3. Keepers don’t wear caps like they used to

Back in the day, goalkeepers used to wear caps in sunshine and trackie bottoms in the winter.

You see the caps on rare occasion, but not as often as back in the old days. And Thibaut Courtois was nearly left regretting it early on with the sun still shining down on the south coast and David Luiz sliced horribly towards his own goal.

Courtois did not let the sun get in his eyes and still made a brilliant early save.

4. Where’s Nathan Ake?

The Chelsea defender was fantastic on loan at Bournemouth for the first half of the season but has barely been seen since his return to his parent club.

He was not on the bench for Chelsea, Chelsea turned down a £17m offer in January from Bournemouth to buy him and you can’t help but feel it’s all a bit of a waste.

5. Bournemouth need a defensive overhaul to take the next step

Don’t get me wrong. Eddie Howe has done brilliantly as have Bournemouth. But this back four - Simon Francis, Steve Cook, Adam Smith and Charlie Daniels - has largely seen the club through the divisions. Their strength is their unity and understanding.

But if Howe is to take the next step and start moving up the Premier League then maybe he has to be ruthless and break up his tried and trusted defence.

They generally get found out against the top teams - and that was the case again.

Player ratings

Bournemouth

Boruc 7 - Got the club’s Player of the Month for March, made more good saves.

Smith 7 - No wonder the home fans chant his name. But got away with a handball.

Francis 6 - Wholehearted but struggled against the pace and movement of Costa.

Cook 7 - Enjoying a good spell, has upped his game and was fairly solid.

Daniels 6 - Delivers such a good ball from the left, always a threat.

Fraser 6 - Terrific work rate and enthusiasm. Just needs a bit more composure.

Arter 7 - Booked. Never stops running, he’s Bournemouth’s engine room, terrific player.

Wilshere 6 - Got better as the game wore on after slow start. Tidy rather than spectacular.

Pugh 6 - Has not been influential in recent weeks, another relatively quiet game.

King 7 - What a handful. His power makes him a big threat, scored good goal.

Afobe 7 - So close to a brilliant goal, but hit the post and worked hard throughout.

Substitutes

Ibe, for Pugh, 71 mins, 6

Mousset, for Afobe, 77 mins

Gradel, for Fraser, 84 mins

Chelsea

Courtois 7 - Looks a man mountain, good saves and his presence is huge in every sense.

Moses 7 - Booked. Important return to Chelsea’s line-up, looked more solid.

Azpilicueta 7 - Another good performance, looked composed and strong defensively.

Luiz 7 - Nearly put through his own goal when he sliced the ball, but Courtois saved him.

Cahill 7 - Rock solid performance, composed defensive display and did well again.

Alonso 9 - MoTM. Superb performance, capped by a brilliant free kick.

Matic 7 - Brought in just to shore up Chelsea’s midfield and patrolled to good effect.

Kante 7 - Booked. An assist for Hazard and his defensive work was equally good.

Pedro 6 - Booked. Disappointing, fairly quiet and did not influence the game enough.

Hazard 8 - Absolutely superb, was everywhere and scored a terrific goal. Top quality.

Costa 6 - Bit of a flukey opener, worked hard but missed another big chance.


Substitutes

Fabregas, for Hazard, 84 mins



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