Thursday, November 30, 2017

Swansea City 1-0



Telegraph:

Chelsea 1 Swansea 0: Blues record narrow win as Antonio Conte sent to stands

Sam Wallace

It is traditional at Chelsea that when the breakthrough arrives against stubborn opponents, Antonio Conte celebrates by launching himself head-first into the home fans although when the goal at last came against Swansea City, the Italian was already alone in the home dressing room.

Conte had been dismissed and was on his own back stage with one of his three assistant coaches, Angelo Alessio, assuming the duties of excitable touchline motivator when Antonio Rudiger headed in Chelsea’s goal 10 minutes into the second half. Conte had gone in a moment of rage at the end of the first half when he screamed in the face of Lee Mason, the fourth official, and was swiftly dispatched by referee Neil Swarbrick.

Comte said afterwards that he later apologised to the officials and will hope to avoid a touchline ban for Saturday’s home game against Newcastle. “I saw that Swansea were time-wasting and I said this a few times to the fourth official,” Conte said. “I didn’t see anything had changed. I was frustrated about this and I tried to tell him again. Then the referee took his decision.” He admitted, with a nice command of the understatement, that he had been “animated”.

Against a Swansea City team that have won none of their last six league games and failed to score in nine of their 14 league appearances, it always seemed that Chelsea would get there with or without their manager on the touchline. What will have hurt was Raheem Sterling’s late winner for Manchester City which meant that by the end of the night, the gap between Chelsea and the leaders remained 11 points.

Given his high-octane touchline demeanour, Conte might feel that a red card such as this is a risk he runs every week and even despite his rage he knew that he had overstepped the mark. He lost his rag just two minutes before the break when a Pedro effort clipped not one but two Swansea players on its way out and was still given as a goal-kick by the referee Swarbrick.

The Italian manager, incandescent with rage, was straight in the face of Lee Mason, never one for confrontation at the best of times. The Italian’s words were clearly audible even 10 rows back in the pressbox, although to Mason it was more about the aggressive proximity.

Mason had no hesitation in calling over Swarbrick immediately who ordered Conte to the stands where, as always seems to happen in these episodes, the departing manager was at a loss where he was supposed to go. Finally Conte was told that a seat behind the dugout was not allowed and he went down the tunnel, but not before he had given Mason another piece of his mind.

Whether he gets a ban depends on what is in Swarbrick’s report. On balance this was a successful evening for which Conte picked a Chelsea team without César Azpilicueta for the first time after 74 consecutive league games going back to December 2015. Eden Hazard came on as a second half substitute and Chelsea never had to get out of third gear.

There was a fine performance from Alfie Mawson and Mike Van der Hoorn in the centre of the Swansea defence and behind them Lukasz Fabianski was reliable. As for the rest of Swansea, they had no width in this team with Renato Sanches and Jordan Ayew tucked in tight alongside Wilfried Bony and all of them chasing shadows. The club with the lowest number of goals in the division, seven in 14 games, did not manage a single shot on target.

These are difficult days for Sanches, the Portuguese prodigy who was part of the Euro 2016 winning team, and has got a lot of the stick. He passed the ball straight out of play on 33 minutes and generally looked shattered during the rare periods when Swansea actually had the ball. He came off at half-time.

“He had a poor half,” Clement said later. “He’s struggling for confidence and form but we believe we are the right environment to get him out of it.” As the 20-year-old looked on moodily from the bench a N’Golo Kanté shot deflected off Bony and Rudiger got a head to it to score at the back post.

Clement lamented that moment as one in which his players switched off momentarily from the constant pressure of defending. He began his press conference with a tribute to his late friend Dermot Drummy who was remembered with a minute’s applause before the match. Then it was back to the business of football, with Swansea away at Stoke City on Saturday and a game that Clement knows he can ill-afford to lose.


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Mail:

Chelsea 1-0 Swansea City: Antonio Rudiger scores first Premier League goal for the hosts after manager Antonio Conte sees red

By Sami Mokbel

Antonio Conte lost it. Thankfully for the Chelsea manager, his players didn't.

The thought of injustice was too much for Conte, who was sent off for an incensed tirade at fourth official Lee Mason after his team weren't awarded a corner.

But the real injustice would have occurred if Chelsea had left Stamford Bridge on Wednesday with anything other than victory.

In the end, Antonio Rudiger's first Premier League goal for the club was enough to secure victory.

The narrow scoreline doesn't paint an accurate picture. Chelsea, who weren't at their best, could easily have scored seven or eight. Conte will wince when he sees replays of his diatribe at Mason. It was unnecessary.

Indeed, Conte moved quickly to apologise, seeking out Mason and referee Neil Swarbrick in the tunnel after the final whistle.

'I think it's normal, it's right to apologise for what happened during the game,' said Conte. 'I saw that Swansea were wasting time. I said this a few times to the fourth official and I did not see anything change. I was frustrated for this situation. For sure, I made a mistake.'

At least Conte's players kept their cool, though Manchester City's last-gasp winner took some of the gloss off this win. City's march to the title is the last thing on Swansea manager Paul Clement's mind. Defeat against his former club on Wednesday night extended his side's sorry run to one win in 11 Premier League games, a sequence that leaves his job in jeopardy.

Firing Clement after this loss would be harsh. But defeats in their next two fixtures against Stoke and West Bromwich will leave the ex-Chelsea assistant in serious trouble. The moments before kick-off, however, were all about another former Chelsea coach. Dermot Drummy, passed away earlier this week and a rapturous minute's applause was accompanied by an emotional video montage of the former Crawley Town manager's time with the Blues.

Chelsea managed 21 shots, 11 of those coming in the first half. Yet, somehow, it was goalless at the break.

You could sense the anxiety growing with every squandered opportunity. Conte relented to the frustration in the 42nd minute. Swansea had just been wrongly awarded a goal-kick after Willian's low cross ricocheted off Swansea centre back off Alfie Mawson. Conte was already at boiling point and this decision pushed him over the edge. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich watched from the stands as his manager howled in the face of Mason, demanding the fourth official inform Swarbrick of Swansea's tactics.

Mason called Swarbrick over and the official immediately dismissed the Italian, who took up position behind the home dugout. Conte faces the prospect of disciplinary action from the FA.

You would imagine Conte's reaction would not have been so furious if his team had taken one of the hatful of openings they created. Willian, Alvaro Morata and Marcos Alonso were the most guilty figures in blue, missing excellent chances.

Boos rang round Stamford Bridge at half-time. Swarbrick and Mason were the target of home supporters' angst, but the Chelsea faithful would have been far from impressed with their team's composure in front of goal. But if you think Conte was having a bad day, spare a though for Swansea midfielder Renato Sanches, who was substituted at the break following a torrid first half.

Chelsea assistant coach Angelo Alessio occupied the technical area for the second half as the Blues continued to dominate. Finally, in the 55th minute, Chelsea scored the winner.

It took a significant slice of fortune, though: N'Golo Kante's drive from the edge of the area took a deflection off Wilfried Bony into Rudiger's path, and the Germany defender had the simplest of tasks to nod the ball home.

Relief. Somewhere in Stamford Bridge, their manager was puffing out his cheeks.


CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois 6; Cahill 6.5, Christensen 6.5, Rudiger 7; Zappacosta 6.5 (Moses 75), Kante 7, Fabregas 8, Alonso 7.5; Willian 7 (Drinkwater 81), Morata 6.5, Pedro 7 (Hazard 80)

Subs not used: Caballero, Bakayoko, Azpilicueta, Ampadu

Manager: Conte 4

Goal: Rudiger 55'

Booked: Morata


SWANSEA (4-3-1-2): Fabianski 8.5; Naughton 6.5, Hoorn 7.5, Mawson 8, Olsson 6.5; Ki 6, Mesa 5 (McBurnie 65, 5.5), Carroll 6; Sanches 4 (Fer 46, 5); Bony 5, Ayew 5 (Routledge 85).

Subs not used: Nordfeldt, Dyer, Clucas, Rangel

Manager: Clement 5.5

Ref: Neil Swarbrick 4

Att: 41,365


MOTM: Fabianski

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Guardian:

Antonio Conte sent off before Rüdiger header sees Chelsea past Swansea City

Chelsea 1 - 0 Swansea

Ed Aarons at Stamford Bridge

These are nervous times for Paul Clement. In a week during which two of Swansea City’s relegation rivals will appoint new managers, a narrow away defeat against the reigning champions, courtesy of Antonio Rüdiger’s second-half header, does not sound like the worst result.

Yet the manner of this performance – Swansea barely mustered a shot in anger – and with the Welsh club now the only team in the bottom five not to have parted company with their manager this season, it is clear that Clement’s time is running out fast.

The sending off of his counterpart Antonio Conte just before half-time for a bizarre tantrum at the fourth official had perhaps given Clement a glimmer of hope that this could be his night on his return to Stamford Bridge. Those hopes were dashed when Chelsea finally took the lead and never looked like surrendering it as they maintained their faint chances of retaining the title they won with such style last season.

“The most disappointing thing was the nature of the goal – there were players that had their backs turned, they weren’t in the right position,” Clement said. “What I was pleased about was that we didn’t fold and in the last 10 minutes we started to come back into the game and the players had the belief that they could create something. It was disappointing because we are desperate for points and on another night we could have got something.”

Clement selected the same team that drew with Bournemouth on Saturday, with a third consecutive start in midfield for Renato Sanches, the Portugal international on loan from Bayern Munich, with Jordan Ayew also tasked with providing Wilfried Bony with support in attack.

For the first time in a Premier League match since he arrived at the club, Conte opted to leave César Azpilicueta on the bench. Rüdiger took his place, with Eden Hazard also surprisingly left on the bench – after his master class at Liverpool – in favour of Willian and a recall for Cesc Fàbregas in place of Danny Drinkwater.

This was Clement’s second return with Swansea to the club where he spent more than a decade working as a youth coach. Before the match, tributes were paid to his former colleague Dermot Drummy, with whom Clement worked for Chelsea’s Under-18s side. He admitted afterwards that the had been “devastated” by the news of Drummy’s death on Tuesday, with fate dictating that he would be back in southwest London the following day.

Swansea’s owners are rumoured to have sounded out Tony Pulis over his potential availability should they decide to dispense with Clement, although on this evidence, even the Welshman would have his work cut out solving Swansea’s defensive issues as Chelsea repeatedly created chances throughout the first period. Álvaro Morata came closest to breading the deadlock with a header in the 22nd minute that was turned over by Lukas Fabianski. The Swansea goalkeeper produced an even better save after Morata connected on the volley with Fàbregas’s pinpoint cross, while Marcos Alonso wasted another great opportunity from a corner.

When Alfie Mawson’s touch diverted a cross and the referee Neil Swarbrick awarded a goal-kick, Conte’s frustrations boiled over. He was sent to the stands after shouting directly in the face of the fourth official Lee Mason as Swansea somehow made it to the break with parity.

“After the game it’s right to apologise for what happened,” said Conte, who watched the rest of the game from the dressing room. “I saw that Swansea were wasting time and I said this a few times to the fourth official but I didn’t see that something had changed. I was frustrated about this situation and tried to tell him again and the referee took this decision. For sure I made a mistake but during the game I suffered with my players. It’s a pity.”

It was no surprise to see Leroy Fer replace Sanches at half time given the number of times the 20-year-old had given the ball away in a hapless opening 45 minutes, with Clement later admitting Sanches is struggling with confidence. But within 10 minutes of the restart, Chelsea were in front thanks a slice of good fortune as N’Golo Kanté’s shot from just outside the box deflected off Bony and straight into the path of Rüdiger to head home.

The return of Victor Moses after six weeks out with a hamstring injury – swiftly followed by the introduction of Hazard and Drinkwater – was Chelsea’s attempt to kill off the game. The change almost had the desired effect as Swansea were once again forced to scramble the ball away from under their own crossbar after good work from the Belgian.

At the other end, the substitute Wayne Routledge had a golden opportunity to rescue something from the game but his cross was, like Swansea, severely lacking in quality.

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Independent:

Chelsea dominate but rely on Antonio Rudiger to see them past Swansea

Chelsea 1 Swansea 0: The Blues were in control for the whole game but struggled to find the net

Ben Burrows

A routine home win courtesy of an anything but routine source. When Chelsea shelled out £34m for Antonio Rudiger in July they did so not for his goalscoring prowess. But when your club record signing is having an off day and your star man is only waiting in the wings sometimes you need another to take centre stage and Rudiger was that on a bitingly-chilly evening at Stamford Bridge, a first Premier League goal enough for a precious three points.

Manager Antonio Conte wasn’t around to see it, however, the always fiery Italian having  a night to forget of his own but the Blues hung on stay on the pace in the top four and title races.

The match began on a sombre note, the stadium standing as one to honour the late Dermot Drummy, a much-loved former coach here, who tragically died on Monday. Chelsea were soon into their stride, however, and despite the absence of Eden Hazard, given a breather after his dazzling display at Anfield at the weekend, started on the front foot, beginning an aerial assault which would, eventually at the umpteenth time of asking, batter the visitors into submission.

Even without Cesar Azpilicueta, rested to snap a 74-game streak of successive league starts, Chelsea’s intentions were clear from the outset. Davide Zappacosta and Marcos Alonso, given the freedom of both flanks by a meek Swansea defence, whipped ball after ball into the box, Morata waiting menacingly for any scraps on which to feed. Willian teased while Pedro, operating in Hazard’s usual left sided spot, probed.

It seemed only a matter of time for the south Welsh dam to break but it continued to hold, if not remotely firmly. Morata tested the ever busy Lukasz Fabianski with an improvised volley before Alonso snatched at a presentable chance from 18-yards.

If crossing was the game’s theme on the pitch then Conte’s increased incredulity at fourth official Lee Mason was the growing one off it. Even before his 43rd-minute dismissal the Italian had grown more and more livid at what he perceived to be the gratuitous time-wasting efforts of the visitors. When a clear deflection behind from Alfie Mawson’s outstretched leg was awarded as a goal kick, enough was enough. Conte exploded and Neil Swarbrick  sent him on his way.

Swansea’s draw with Bournemouth halted a four-match losing run but this remains a poor side and a lack of cutting edge belied by only three away goals all season was all too clear to see here with captain Wilfried Bony a willing but far too isolated figure up front all night long.

Renato Sanches paid the price for his side’s paucity in attack, the Portuguese summer signing hooked at the break after an AWOL 45 minutes. Conte, now in absentia, could have been forgiven for making a change of his own at the break, especially given the options available to him on his bench, but he was soon rewarded for his patience just 10 minutes after the interval.

Another ball from wide was cut inside from the right to N’Golo Kante whose shot was deflected into the path of Rudiger who couldn’t miss. The resistance was broken. Chelsea were ahead.

The floodgates looked ready to fly open, Alonso first side-footing too close to Fabianski before Morata twice should’ve done better with a close-range header and minutes later a one-on-one scooped harmlessly over.

A second goal could well have finished the Swans, but instead of rolling over they redoubled their efforts with Jordan Ayew and half-time introduction Leroy Fer finally giving Bony the company in the final third he craved so often earlier on.

Victor Moses made his long-awaited return after a lengthy lay-off, before Danny Drinkwater and man of the moment Hazard also entered the fray to sure up the points. Morata, enduring one of those nights that even the greats have, swung and missed at two more glimpses as the hosts failed to add the cushion their dominance deserved, but Conte, deep within the bowels of Bridge, won’t have cared a jot. The Blues are back to winning ways and still in the hunt.

Chelsea: Courtois, Rudiger, Christensen, Cahill, Zappacosta (Moses 75), Fabregas, Kante, Alonso, Willian (Drinkwater 81) , Pedro (Hazard 81), Morata.

Unused subs: Caballero, Bakayoko, Azpilicueta, Ampadu.

Swansea: Fabianski, Naughton, van der Hoorn, Mawson, Olsson, Ki, Roque (McBurnie 65), Carroll, Sanches (Fer 45), Bony, Ayew (Routledge 84).

Unused subs: Dyer, Nordfeldt, Clucas, Rangel.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)


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Sun:

RUDI GOOD JOB

Chelsea 1 Swansea 0: Antonio Rudiger secures points after Antonio Conte is sent to the stand

Blues eventually find a way past the heroic Lukasz Fabianski in the visiting net as the German heads home ten minutes after their manager was given his marching orders

By Andy Dillon

ANTONIO CONTE gave a couple of his stars a night off but it did not mean the rest of them could sleepwalk to victory.

With the exception of keeper Lukas Fabianski, Swansea were so awful it should have been a tougher task sitting on the bench than tearing them to shreds.

Yet Chelsea made terribly hard work of it until Antonio Rudiger finally put the ball in the back of the net to maintain the champions’ momentum in their bid to keep pace with Premier League leaders Manchester City.

Even then, it took a lucky deflection off the head of City striker Wilfried Bony to put the chance his way for the defender to score his first league goal for the club since signing in the summer.

On a frustrating night for Chelsea on many levels, they missed a series of much easier opportunities to put the result to bed with poor finishing and excellent keeping from Fabianski getting in the way.

Conte was also sent to the stands four minutes before half time for losing his rag over a disputed corner but you get the feeling Chelsea’s fuming manager was actually taking out his frustrations with his players on the officials.

By half time Chelsea had amassed six genuine attempts on goal with perhaps the closest of them all coming from Swansea defender Alfie Mawson, whose scuffed attempt to clear a cross from Willian rebounded off the back of his leg and skidded just past his own goal post.

It proved the flashpoint for the best action so far. Conte was so incensed that ref Neil Swarbrick gave a goal kick instead of a corner that the Italian lost the plot.

He screamed in the face of Lee Mason, so close that the fourth official would have felt the Chelsea manager’s hot breath on his face and the full force of his frustration.

It was way over the top and in Italian yet Mason was having none of it. You do not need to be bilingual to get the jist of what furious Conte was banging on about.

Mason called immediately for Swarbrick to step in. The ref pointed Conte to the stands, although the guilty man merely stomped off to sit a few rows behind his dugout – still hurling his heated opinion at the officials.

Well, if half the team were having the evening off, why not the manager? Assistant coach Angelo Alessio took over duties of shouting at the players from the technical area. And they seemed to need a wake up call of some sorts.

Despite dominating in every aspect of play Chelsea went in at half time goalless and as fed up as the manager.

Even without key players Eden Hazard and Cesar Azpilicueta who were on the bench, it was one way traffic, albeit at the speed of London rush hour.

With only 11 minutes on the clock Willian had taken the first shot at Swansea’s goal. His curling free kick from just outside the box swerved just wide of the left hand post.

Swansea keeper Lukas Fabianksi was kept busy but had to make only one spectacular save, leaping to tip over a volleyed shot from Alvaro Morata on 28 minutes.

Davide Zappacosta tested him too, as did Pedro and Morata again. Chelsea’s players were queuing up to take pot shots at goal.

In contrast Swansea, with only one goal in the last five games, continued to struggle in the final third.

Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois did not have a save to make in the first half. Swansea barely got into the home side’s area and were depressingly feeble weak up front in the absence of leading scorer Tammy Abraham - on loan from Chelsea and therefore ineligible for the match.

Azpilicueta was ‘dropped’ for the first time for a Premier League game since Conte took over in the summer of 2016. That is a gruelling 51 game run.

But Conte is mindful that from here on in, the fixtures come thick and fast with a 12.30pm kick off against Newcastle on Saturday, followed by the final Group Champions League match against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

A London derby at West Ham, then Huddersfield and Carabao Cup action follows in the next three weeks. Conte is preserving energy levels and from last night’s sluggish performance he needs to.

Conte and Fabianski seemed to be the only two people wide awake at Stamford Bridge. Having saved from Morata once in the first half, he produced another great tip wide of the goal from the Spanish forward in the 63rd minute.

But City’s impressive keeper was helpless to prevent Rudgier breaking the deadlock from a set-piece.

Cesc Fabregas curled a free kick to the far side of the box from in front of the East Stand and his ball pinged off the unsuspecting Bony, meaning that Rudiger could not be offside as he pounced on the deflection and headed in ten minutes into the second half.

It was hardly a classic goal but it was hardly a classic match.

And to cap it all guilty Conte missed it having seen enough and deciding to sit out the second half in the Chelsea dressing room.


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Express:

Chelsea 1 - Swansea 0: Antonio Rudiger header seals win as Antonio Conte sees red

ANTONIO CONTE was sent off for a heated rant at the fourth official – and that was about as passionate as it got at Stamford Bridge.

By TONY BANKS

Chelsea registered their fifth win in their last six league games as they kept up their pursuit of Manchester City at the top of the table, thanks to Antoine Rudiger’s second-half header.

But it was laboured stuff and Conte lost his temper and ranted at fourth official Lee Mason as referee Neil Swarbrick failed to award his side a corner. The Italian, whose red card was his first in English football, now faces a touchline ban.

Struggling Swansea, whose manager Paul Clement is under increasing pressure, had only one shot on target and should have been seen off far easier in front of a watching Roman Abramovich.

Conte took a gamble in leaving Eden Hazard on the bench and also resting the usually indefatigable defender Cesar Azpilicueta, after 74 consecutive Premier League games.

Clement’s team went into the match having lost seven of their last nine games and having not scored in their last three. To make matters worse, top scorer Tammy Abraham was ineligible, on loan from Chelsea for the season.

And Chelsea’s players wore black armbands in honour of former youth coach Dermot Drummy, who died on Monday.

Conte’s team started brightly, as Willian’s free-kick was missed by everyone and flew just wide of the far post. Then Davide Zappacosta’s shot was saved by Lukasz Fabianski. Pedro, recalled to the attack, twice forced the Polish goalkeeper into saves, as did Alvaro Morata with a firm header.

Then from a lovely chip by Cesc Fabregas, Morata produced a volley that Fabianski did well to tip over the bar. Chelsea were utterly dominant, as Marcos Alonso headed into the side netting.

Conte was growing increasingly frustrated on the touchline at his side’s inability to break through, with Swansea seemingly content to sit and soak up the pressure.

Then Pedro’s prod from Willian’s cross somehow trickled past the far post and as referee Neil Swarbrick wrongly gave a goal kick – and Conte exploded.

The Italian ranted face to face at fourth official Lee Mason, yelling: “Tell him about the corner, tell him about the corner.”

Mason called over Swarbrick and there was more ranting from the Italian and the referee sent the Chelsea manager off. A fuming Conte went to sit behind the bench but was then told to move.

It was perhaps a surprise Conte went, given his fiery touchline antics. Coach Angelo Alessio took over the touchline duties from Conte - who watched from a monitor in the dressing room - as Chelsea kept pressing, but the frustration continued as Pedro blazed over when he should have done better.

And then at last came the breakthrough. N’Golo Kante fired in a shot from the edge of the area, the ball deflected off Wilfried Bony and Rudiger pounced to thump home a header for his first league goal for Chelsea.

Alfie Mawson, who seemed at times to be holding Chelsea at bay on his own, then somehow cleared Alonso’s shot off the line.

Fabianski produced another excellent save to tip Morata’s header over the bar and then the goalkeeper kept out Alonso’s low effort.


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Star:

Chelsea 1 Swansea 0: Rudiger nets first Premier League goal as Blues earn victory

CHELSEA boss Antonio Conte was dramatically sent to the stands after losing his rag against Swansea at Stamford Bridge.

By Chris Hatherall

It’s no wonder Conte was wound up, because he knew this was a match that Chelsea really had to win if they wanted to step up their title bid.

And they did so, finally cracking Swansea’s resistance in the 55th minute.

A shot by N’Golo Kante was deflected into the path of defender Antonio Rudiger, who headed past Lukasz Fabianski for his first Premier League strike.

The match heralded the start of a run of seven games against teams 10th or lower in the Premier League table and that’s a big opportunity if the Blues are to have any hope of defending their crown.


Even so, Conte took the gamble of resting star player Eden Hazard, leaving him on the bench alongside Cesar Azpilicueta.

In fact, Willian, Pedro, Rudiger and Cesc Fabregas all earned recalls as the Italian dramatically rotated his squad.

Perhaps the knowledge that Swansea hadn’t won at Stamford Bridge since 1925 gave him confidence.

There were three penalty shouts in the first half, two against Mike van der Hoorn and one when Renato Sanches tangled with Marcos Alonso.

Willian almost opened the scoring when his free-kick from the left evaded everyone but just flew wide of the far post.

The pressure is again mounting on Swans boss Paul Clement, a former Chelsea coach, after last weekend’s goalless draw against Bournemouth ended a run of four defeats in a row.


CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois; Rudiger, Cahill, Christensen; Zappacosta, Fabregas, Kante, Alonso; Willian, Morata, Pedro. Subs: Caballero, Drinkwater, Hazard, Bakayoko, Moses, Azpilicueta, Ampadu.

SWANSEA (4-3-3): Fabianski; Naughton, Van der Hoorn, Mawson, Olsson; Ki, Mesa, Carroll; Ayew, Bony, Sanches. Subs: Nordfeldt, Fer, Dyer, Routledge, Clucas, Rangel, McBurnie.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick



Liverpool 1-1



Mail:

Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea: Willian lobs Simon Mignolet with audacious effort to cancel out Mohamed Salah's opener as the spoils are shared at Anfield

By Rob Draper

It became the duel of the one who got away and the one who chose to stay. Liverpool and Chelsea contested the points at Anfield on Saturday but it was hard to turn the eye away from the two outstanding performers in Mohamed Salah and Eden Hazard.

Hazard, the one who stayed, dominated the first half, bewitching Liverpool and threatening to lead Chelsea to victory. Salah, the player sold by Chelsea in 2016 after two years away on loan, had his moment in the second half, adding to his burgeoning reputation.

And he looked to have won Liverpool the game with his calm 65th- minute strike which was the zenith of another fine display. It wasn't to be. The Premier League champions would get a little lucky on 85 minutes when a Willian cross looped over Simon Mignolet.


But you could argue that Chelsea had earned that. Excellent in the first half, when Hazard was exquisite, they played their part in an absorbing encounter which entertained throughout. Both teams had delightful moments and both demonstrated the weaknesses which will, in all probability leave them short of a League title this season.

By this afternoon they could be 14 points and 11 points respectively behind Manchester City, after 13 games played. But neither should be discouraged by the point, even though Liverpool will feel an important victory was wrested away from them and Jurgen Klopp acknowledged as much.

'In our situation, if we and the other clubs would really think about Manchester City we would be all really crazy,' he said. 'How could we get Manchester City? I didn't think a second about Man City. What I thought was that we really should have won. And then we would have three points more.

'The position is still OK but we have to improve. We can do better but the boys did well. A lot of things could have happened. The boys did really well so I am happy about that but not happy about the result. Most parts of the game were good but it doesn't feel like that.'


Antonio Conte, whose team endured a midweek Champions League trip to Azerbaijan, saw it somewhat differently.

'Liverpool was lucky to score and then to draw,' he said. He was closer to the mark when he added: 'I think we played in a really good way. We had a tactical play. We must be pleased for the game after a long travel and no rest for my players.

'I was very happy to see a great reaction of my players, with the way they fight and don't accept a bad result. We tried also to win the game, so I think we must be pleased, despite the draw.'

Conte had fielded as solid a midfield as is possible in Danny Drinkwater, N'Golo Kante and Tiemoue Bakayoko, with their jaunt to Baku meaning they had come here first and foremost to be hard to beat.

However, because of one man's dominance, it didn't turn out that way in the first half. Hazard has been unplayable of late. In the opening exchanges he consistently befuddled James Milner and Jordan Henderson. Deft touches would leave the Englishmen looking foolish, which they aren't; Hazard is simply too good for most players when in this mood.

'Wow!' was Klopp's reaction to the Belgian. 'Not too bad, to be honest. It was not the most thankful job to defend him alone.'


Individual moments stood out, like when, with a simple roll of the shoulders and swift switch of his centre of gravity, he eased away from Henderson in the 10th minute before embarking on a dribble which took him past four players.

Or the moment on 18 minutes when Drinkwater dropped a lofted ball, which is his trademark pass, into his path. Hazard saw it coming over his shoulder and brought it down dead with his foot as if were using the palm of his hand.

He then played in Drinkwater on 23 minutes and Mignolet had to rush from his line to smother the chance. Moments later Hazard played the pass which provided a shooting chance for Davide Zappacosta, which Mignolet parried away.

It wasn't until the 41st minute that Liverpool created a moment of genuine danger, Salah slithering away to unleash a shot just wide of Thibaut Courtois' post.

Liverpool, with Daniel Sturridge, preferred to Roberto Firmino and troubling his former club, responded well after the break though Hazard continued to threaten and twice Zappacosta almost found Alvaro Morata.

But Chelsea were beginning to tire and Liverpool took the lead on 65 minutes. Philippe Coutinho grasped the ball and surged goal-wards. Chelsea, who until this point had been so solid with Cesar Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen excellent, took a step back.

Coutinho slipped the ball into the box and Bakayoko made the fatal error, mis-controlling and allowing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to get the merest of touches to deliver it into the path of Salah. Eight yards out, a point to prove and in outstanding form, the Egyptian showed perfect poise as he struck it low past Courtois. He declined to celebrate, presumably in deference to the horrific terrorist attack in his home country on Friday.

On came Cesc Fabregas, Pedro and then Willian, with Marcos Alonso volleying a super chance high over the bar on 83 minutes.

Klopp would argue that the ref prevented him making his own crucial substitution just before the equaliser. It came from Willian, who had been on the pitch for just three minutes. Cutting inside the Brazilian lifted a cross goalwards, the ball looping high and closer to goal than he intended and catching out Mignolet, dipping under the crossbar.

Salah almost had the last word with an added-time strike which Courtois did well to push away. But by then, Chelsea had made their point and refused to yield.


LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Mignolet 6; Gomez 6, Matip 7, Klavan 5, Moreno 6; Milner 6, Henderson 6, Coutinho 7 (Lallana 6 88min); Salah 8, Sturridge 5 (Wijnaldum 6 66min), Oxlade-Chamberlain 6 (Mane 88min)

SUBS UNUSED: Karius, Firmino, Robertson, Alexander-Arnold

GOALS: Salah 65


CHELSEA (3-5-1-1): Courtois 6; Azpilicueta 7, Christensen 6, Cahill 5; Zappacosta 5 (Willian 7 82min), Kante 7, Bakayoko 5 (Pedro 5 76min), Drinkwater 6 (Fabregas 7 74min), Alonso 5; Hazard 8; Morata 7

SUBS UNUSED: Caballero, Rudiger, Moses, David Luiz


REFEREE: Michael Oliver

ATTENDANCE: 53,225

Ratings by Timothy Abraham




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


Telegraph:

Liverpool 1 Chelsea 1: Willian's wayward cross finds the net to rescue visitors

Sam Wallace

In the parallel universe which Jurgen Klopp imagined post-match, Ragnor Klavan was in exactly the right place to block Willian’s unconventional equalising goal, and from there one can only presume that Liverpool won the game, chalking up a statement victory over the champions.

Back in the real world, the cross that the Brazilian substitute hit to the far post looped over Simon Mignolet, vindicating Antonio Conte’s three second-half changes, and as ever Chelsea found a way to salvage something from a match they might have lost. Strictly speaking this was ground conceded in the Premier League title race to Manchester United, and probably Manchester City too, but you would not have known it from the way Antonio Conte celebrated at the end.

They scored their equaliser with five minutes of regulation time remaining, just when Liverpool were beginning to believe that the Premier League’s top goalscorer Mohamed Salah had given them a major victory. The Egyptian has ten goals in the league and is in bewitching form, the closest thing that Liverpool have to Chelsea’s star player Eden Hazard who was outstanding in the first half but never got the goal he threatened to score.

Klopp was left to bemoan what he said was referee Michael Oliver’s decision to block Liverpool’s late substitutions and attendant tactical changes because he thought they were an attempt to waste time. Klopp said it was that which prevented him from switching to a five-man defence for the closing stages. From the footage, with Adam Lallana and Sadio Mane warming up, it seemed that perhaps they were not as ready as Klopp thought they were.

“We wanted to bring a player on and you have to give advice [to the player] and he [Oliver] says ‘No’, and after the game I was not happy about it,” Klopp said. “I wanted to change. We did afterwards and went to five at the back. In my mind Ragnor Klavan would have been exactly in the position where Willian crossed the ball for the goal and we could have blocked the cross.


“It doesn’t feel too good when you can’t change the system because the ref thought it was time-play [time-wasting]. I have no idea why. The assistant next to me was prepared, I was prepared, the player was prepared. The ref said, ‘The goal was four minutes after you wanted to change’. Right!”

At full time, Klopp, by then on the pitch, found himself obliged to calm down the diminutive Mane, towering over his Senegalese striker like a patient parent guiding his dissenting child out the toy department. Klopp said that Mane was angry because he had been admonished for failing to carry out a tactical change that his manager had demanded of him. Mane had said it had not happened because Salah had been determined to hold his position.

“Mo [Salah] already had 90 minutes in his legs so it would have made more sense that Sadio is closer to right wing,” Klopp said. “It’s not a big thing. He could have done it in the dressing room, it would have been the same thing and everything is sorted.”

.
The mood was very much that this could have been so much better for Liverpool, and Klopp seemed regretful despite his reference to much worse things happening in this “crazy world”, a reference no doubt to the terrorist attack on the mosque in Sinai in Salah’s home nation. The player seemed to moderate his goal celebration for that reason. One presumes it was not out of deference to Chelsea, where he had a largely unhappy spell.

Klopp was asked whether Salah was in the right frame of mind to play and his answer was frank. “It’s not the place to talk about this,” he said. “Our life in football as professionals is [that] nobody cares how we feel. We have to deliver. Obviously he was able to do that.”

Klopp made the big decision to rest Mane and only introduce him late on, presumably on the basis that he is still coming back to fitness. Conte had done much the same after the mid-week Champions League trip to Azerbaijan, keeping Cesc Fabregas, Willian and Pedro on the bench and then unleashing them late. He started with Danny Drinkwater and Tiemoue Bakayoko in midfield, pointing out that it was important for these players to be trusted in big games.

“I am very happy to see a great reaction from my players,” Conte said.

“They had a great desire to fight and not accept a bad result against Liverpool. We drew level and tried to win the game. We must be pleased despite the draw.”

As for Willian’s cross that ended up in the back of Mignolet’s net, Conte said that it mattered little what the Brazilian intended, only what the consequences were. They have not lost in the league since that shock defeat to Crystal Palace on Oct 14 and you can that whatever their problems, this side have the grit that has distinguished Chelsea teams of the last 14 years.

Klopp selected Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Daniel Sturridge ahead of Mane and Roberto Firmino, and Oxlade-Chamberlain did have a major role in the Salah goal. In the first half, Salah turned Gary Cahill before Andreas Christensen got across to block the shot. In the last five minutes before the break Salah curled a left-foot shot just outside of Thibaut Courtois’s right-hand post. Although Philippe Coutinho was key in creating the goal for Salah, it was noticeable just how much the Egyptian is currently eclipsing his Brazilian team-mate.


Out of possession, Conte’s formation switched to a five-man defence and Chelsea were hard to break down. At the start of the second half, Hazard went over on the edge of the Liverpool area, his ankle connecting with James Milner’s foot. The momentum of his fall suggested that he had waited for the contact and acted accordingly and Oliver shook his head and waved the play on.

The goal came for Liverpool when at last Coutinho forced the issue. The Brazilian drove into the box and the ball broke away from him, fatally pushed into the path of Oxlade-Chamberlain by Bakayoko’s wayward touch. The Englishman who rejected Chelsea prodded the ball forward, and the Egyptian rejected by Chelsea did the rest, beating Courtois from close range.

In the moments after the goal Klopp substituted Sturridge, moved Salah to a central position and brought Georginio Wijnaldum into midfield but it was Willian, chipping the ball back across goal and over Mignolet, who had the decisive final touch.

FK Qarabag 4-0



Telegraph:

FK Qarabag 0 Chelsea 4: Willian bags a brace in Baku as Antonio Conte's men breeze into knockout stages

Sam Dean

Antonio Conte said the preparations for Chelsea’s trip to Liverpool would continue on a sleepless flight home from Baku after his side breezed into the Champions League knockout stages with a 4-0 win over 10-man Qarabag.

Conte has spent much of the past week complaining about Chelsea’s fixture scheduling, saying more “respect” must be shown to his side after they were given a Saturday meeting with Liverpool barely two days after their 2,500-mile trip back from the easternmost corner of Azerbaijan.

The Chelsea manager was further enraged by the fact that Liverpool have had an extra day to prepare following their 3-3 draw with Sevilla on Tuesday night.

“We have to work during the flight to prepare the game against Liverpool,” Conte said. “But I must be honest, with my staff, we started also before to prepare the game against Liverpool, not to arrive at the last moment.

“For sure, to have only one day to rest and prepare this big game is not simple, not easy. I think also it’s not right.”

Conte has been particularly upset that it is the second time this season they have been forced to play on the Saturday after a European game on the Wednesday. On the first occasion, they lost 1-0 at home to Manchester City.

“I don’t want to complain about this situation, but this is the reality,” Conte said. “Now we have to travel for five-and-a-half hours. And then try to rest for one day and prepare the game against Liverpool, another big game like the City game.”

Conte was at least pleased that his side were able to dismiss the challenge of Qarabag so comfortably in Baku, even if they were given a helping hand by two generous refereeing decisions.

The penalties were converted by first Eden Hazard and then Cesc Fabregas, while two excellent goals from Willian on his 200th Chelsea appearance caused further misery for Qarabag, who lost their captain Rashad Sadygov to a red card after just 20 minutes.

The victory means that there is now no pressure on Chelsea’s final game in the Champions League group stage, against Atletico Madrid, which will allow Conte to rotate his squad during a hectic run of fixtures.

“After tonight (Wednesday), we must be pleased that we reached our first target: to go through into the next round of the Champions League,” Conte said.


“To avoid the Atletico game becoming decisive, for us, is very important. It will be a good chance also to have another rotation with my players. It is very positive for us in a game that I knew very well would not be easy.”

Both Atletico and Roma have faced difficult evenings at the Baku Olympic Stadium this season, but there were no such concerns for Chelsea, despite a nervy start in which Qarabag midfielder Michel struck the bar.

Shortly afterwards, Willian collapsed to the ground in the penalty box under the close attention of Sadygov. Portuguese referee Manuel De Sousa not only saw enough to award the penalty, but also to show Sadygov the red card.

With him went Qarabag’s gameplan, despite their bizarre attempt to call a sort of time-out and hold a team meeting on the side of the pitch while Hazard waited to take the penalty. The situation was made more comical by the enthusiastic efforts of Qarabag goalkeeper Ibrahim Sehic to join the huddle before he was frantically waved back.


It was no distraction to Hazard, at least, who calmly rolled in his sixth goal in seven games. Willian, for his part, said there was a “little bit” of contact. “For me it was a penalty,” he said to reporters afterwards. “I don’t think for you guys it is, but for me it was a penalty.”

Qarabag manager Gurban Gurbanov was furious. “The red card did not allow us to show our best game,” he said. “Our fans didn’t deserve it. The players were shocked by the decision. Maybe if we were not a small country and a small team, the decision might have been different.”

From there, Chelsea never needed to leave second gear. But if there was controversy and anger over the first goal, even the Qarabag fans would have been able to appreciate the quality of Chelsea’s second.


Fabregas picked out Pedro, who flicked the ball artfully into the path of Willian. From there it went to Hazard and, before Qarabag knew what was happening, back to Willian. The Brazilian could hardly miss.

It could have been three long before the second contentious penalty decision was awarded, with Pedro and Hazard both missing openings after the break. When it did arrive, it was thanks to Willian again, who was awarded a penalty for a seemingly innocuous shirt pull by defender Gara Garayev. Fabregas did the rest from the spot, even though he was made to retake the penalty.

At this point Chelsea were in cruise control. They looked to be happy with their lot until the last five minutes, when Willian fired home his second with a thunderous strike from outside the box.



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



Mail:


Qarabag 0-4 Chelsea: Willian, Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas secure progression to knockout stages as Antonio Conte's side breeze past 10-man minnows

By Sami Mokbel for the Daily Mail


Antonio Conte is writing his own script. When Chelsea lost to Burnley on the opening day of the Premier League season you got the impression it was the beginning of the end.

Four months later, Conte - thanks to a routine win over Qarabag on Wednesday night - has guided his team to the last 16 of the Champions League.

Back among Europe's elite - exactly where Roman Abramovich expects his expensively-assembled squad to be.


Chelsea's second goal was a well-crafted team effort, started by Thibaut Courtois and finished by Willian down the other end just 19 seconds later. Click HERE for more from Sportsmail's excellent Match Zone service.

Nine points behind domestic leaders Manchester City is a far from ideal position to be in going into December.

But Chelsea's title defence has been far from a disaster. All in all, this is very unlike Chelsea. What happened to the second-season managerial curse?

A season of success followed by one of failure, eventually leading to the manager's sacking? We've seen the movie enough times to know the ending.

Questions continue to linger over Conte's job security and his relationship with the real decision makers at Stamford Bridge. But maybe, just maybe, Conte can become the one that sticks.

He is consistently delivering; those above him in the Chelsea food chain will do well to remember that.


Here in Baku, the Blues were indebted to two hugely debatable penalties and the controversial sending off of Qarabag skipper Rashad Sadygov.

But, make no mistake, Chelsea would have won this game no matter what. In the end it was four - Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas' penalties supplementing Willian's brace.

But it should have been double that goal tally, Chelsea squandering a host of chances against the Azerbaijani champions.

The big news before kick-off saw the recall of David Luiz to the Chelsea starting XI following a training ground flare-up with his manager which saw him miss the last two game.

Only time will tell if Luiz can work his way back into Conte's domestic plans, but, for now, the Brazilian is off the naughty step.


Luiz was one of four changes from the side that brushed West Brom aside so emphatically on Saturday, Conte clearly keeping an one eye on Saturday's showdown against Liverpool.

Not that the changes would have filled Qarabag with any more optimism: seasoned internationals Willian, Antonio Rudiger and Pedro the other three alterations.

However, from the opening 15 minutes, it was hard to tell which team were overwhelming favourites.

Buoyed by the exuberant home support, Qarabag started brightly showing no sign of an inferiority complex.

They were unlucky not to take a 14th-minute lead as Michel rattled the bar from close range after Chelsea's back-four parted like the Red Sea.


The decibel levels soared; Qarabag - on the biggest night of their history - sensed one of the most profound Champions League shocks of all time.

Five minutes later the cheers turned to jeers.

The boos were aimed at Portuguese referee Manuel De Sousa, who had just awarded Chelsea a 20th-minute penalty after Willian fell in the box under pressure from Sadygov.

The home side were incensed. Television replays suggest they have a case.

But if they were livid at the penalty, then you only imagine their fury at De Sousa when he brandished a red card.

The Qarabag skipper couldn't believe it, stood staring into thin air with his hands on his head. His team-mates were taking a more proactive approach, angrily remonstrating with the Portuguese official.

The injustice was all too much for manager Gurban Gurbanov, who called all his players to the touchline for an impromptu team talk. Perhaps they were praying for a miracle as they huddled in together.

Not that Hazard was bothered, sending Ibrahim Sehic the wrong way to put Chelsea ahead.

The Olympic Stadium fell quiet; the home crowd knew this was over as contest. The sense of injustice made it even more difficult to swallow for the Azerbaijanis.

Hazard and Luiz both went close with headers to double Chelsea's advantage before the Blues eventually scored a second nine minutes before the break.

Willian took the glory, cooly slotting past Sehic but Hazard's audacious flick to set up the Brazil international was exquisite.

Pedro and Hazard were thwarted by Sehic soon after the restart; though the misses didn't matter. This game was over after De Sousa's 20th-minute intervention.

Conte soon turned his attentions to Anfield, bringing off Marcos Alonso, N'Golo Kante and Hazard for Gary Cahill, Danny Drinkwater and Alvaro Morata, respectively.

The second half was dying a death, that was until De Sousa's third controversial ruling of the night.

Willian, jockeyed by Gara Garayev, looked to be going down a blind alley - only for De Sousa to spot the slightest of shirt pulls.

The protests weren't as vociferous this time; Qarabag players more bewildered than angry on this occasion.

Cesc Fabregas, after being asked to retake his first successful effort, fired past Sehic to extend Chelsea's lead before Willian completed the cakewalk in the 85th minute.



Sunday, November 19, 2017

West Bromich Albion 4-0



Telegraph:

West Brom 0 Chelsea 4: Tony Pulis faces sack as Baggies battered and boos ring out at Hawthorns

Matt Law

Tony Pulis has built a career on being a fighter, but he sounded like a beaten man after watching West Bromwich Albion fall to a humiliating fourth successive Premier League defeat that left him on the brink of the sack.

With the club’s Chinese owner Guochuan Lai in the stands, the West Brom fans could not have made their feelings any clearer as they worked their way through a list of “Pulis out” chants that increased in volume after each Chelsea goal.

Pulis himself chose not to argue against the calls for his head and admitted that West Brom chairman John Williams had spoken to him in the dressing-room following the latest loss, but would not reveal what was said. There was certainly no suggestion he had received any reassurance over his position and it seems like a question of when and not if the axe falls.

“What is the right decision for the football club, that’s the most important thing,” said Pulis. “It’s not about me, the chairman or the owner. This club will be here long after I have gone.
“I have been in the game long enough to know what happens if you get on a bad run and a decision has to be made that is right for the club.”

Pulis travelled straight down to Bournemouth to meet with friends on Saturday night and added: “I met with the owner last night (Friday) and he is a really good person. John Williams came in the dressing-room after the game, but what we spoke about will remain private. We will see what happens.”

Pulis had used his programme notes to try to remind the West Brom fans, and possibly Lai, what he feels he has achieved during his time at the club. But the only fact that mattered to the fans who chanted “Tony Pulis, get out of our club” was that this was an 11th game in all competitions without a victory. They want a change and they want it now.
West Brom’s difficulty is the fact they first need somebody to get them out of a relegation scrap and Pulis would normally be considered the perfect man for that particular job.

Andre Villas-Boas and Roberto di Matteo were both sacked by Chelsea following defeats to West Brom, but current head coach Antonio Conte must love a trip to the Black Country. Conte’s Chelsea team clinched the Premier League title at The Hawthorns in May thanks to a last-gasp goal from Michy Batshuayi, but this game was over after just 38 minutes.

Having started brightly, West Brom collapsed once they went behind in the 17th minute to an Alvaro Morata goal. Eden Hazard’s shot was well saved by Ben Foster and Chelsea’s record signing reacted quickest to steer the ball into the net. Hazard celebrated the goal by going to the home fans, who had accused him of feigning injury a few minutes earlier.

The Belgian got his ultimate revenge by finishing off a wonderful move to double Chelsea’s lead shortly afterwards. A Cesc Fabregas pass was beautifully flicked through by Morata and Hazard beat Foster to the ball to score. The assist was the 12th Premier League goal Morata had been involved in since joining the Blues, scoring eight times and making four others.

Hearing the West Brom fans join the Chelsea travelling support in singing “You’re getting sacked in the morning” will have hurt Pulis, but not as much as the manner in which his team conceded a third before half-time. Fabregas found Marcos Alonso completely unmarked at the back post with a free-kick and the left-back could not really miss. For a man who prides himself on set-piece organisation, that felt like game over for Pulis.

Alonso’s goal sparked chants of “Get out of our club” and “Tony Pulis, your football is s***, with boos ringing out around The Hawthorns when the half-time whistle went.

Needing a miracle to get his team back into the match, Pulis sent on defensive midfielder Claudio Yacob for the second period but it was not long until things got even worse. Foster managed to stop one Hazard shot with his legs, but the forward netted his second and Chelsea’s fourth goal just after the hour mark, and, once again, it was far too easy. Fabregas played a perfect pass over the West Brom midfield for Hazard, who held off Ahmed Hegazi and checked back before firing the ball into the net.

The goal sparked a mass exodus among the home fans and those who stayed attempted to reinforce their point to Lai by chanting “We want Pulis out.” It will be a surprise if they do not get their wish.
A comfortable win was the perfect preparation for a Champions League trip to Qarabag for Chelsea, but Conte is unhappy with the fixture scheduling.

“We are going to play against Qarabag and we will land at 5am or 6am on Thursday morning, and then we play a great game against Liverpool on Saturday,” said Conte. “Is it normal? I don’t think so. If someone wants more balance then they must pay great attention to the fixtures.”

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

Mail:

West Brom 0-4 Chelsea: Pressure builds on Tony Pulis as Baggies are battered by Eden Hazard double with Alvaro Morata and Marcos Alonso also scoring

By Laurie Whitwell

All the components that would see Tony Pulis sacked by West Bromwich Albion arrived in a desolate defeat to Chelsea that left the manager of a thousand games wearing a thousand-yard stare.
When Eden Hazard added a fourth Chelsea goal in the 63rd minute, Pulis' fixed face read like he knows his fate. It was the moment that prompted an exodus by home fans and further calls for Pulis to go.

The most damning element to this 4-0 loss however was the players, who seemingly conceded defeat as soon as Chelsea went ahead in the first half. The second period felt much like a practice game, with West Brom simply going through the motions rather than putting up a fight for their beleaguered boss.

If, as expected, this becomes Pulis' last match in charge it would be a sorry end for a man who guided West Brom to 10th last term and in parts brought entertaining football in his near three-year reign.
But with Guochuan Lai, West Brom's owner, watching in the stands beside chairman John Williams, the writing looks on the wall.
West Brom's run extended to two wins from 21 Premier League games and though they are not yet in the relegation zone, kept afloat by a point, they will fall below the dreaded dotted line should West Ham beat Watford at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

For Antonio Conte, no stranger to speculation himself, this was a victory that had travelling supporters singing his name repeatedly. A fourth Premier League win in a row shows the Italian still has whatever it was that took Chelsea to last season's title and though a successful defence may be out of reach they are perhaps the best-equipped team to challenge Manchester City.

The focus though, will all be on Pulis, whose post-match press conference sounded like a farewell speech.
He said: 'The big thing is this is not about me, it's not about the chairman, the owners or anything else. It's about the football club and what is the right decision for the football club.'
Asked if the right decision would be for him to be relieved of his duties, Pulis said: 'I've been in the game long enough to know if you get bad runs that's what happens.
'I met with the Chinese owners last night. They are wonderful people but I know as much as anyone you have to get results.

'John came into the dressing room as he always does. What we spoke about is private, and he's a good man. We'll have to see what happens.'
Pulis' programme notes had read almost like a pitch for his next job, a detailed defence of his West Brom tenure, and in the opening exchanges his team showed energy to match. Salomon Rondon even headed past Thibaut Courtois, but the flag was up for offside.

However Chelsea sucked the life from West Brom by opening the scoring in the 17th minute. Hazard twisted free of Gareth Barry and struck a potent shot that swirled in the air and forced Ben Foster to parry. Alvaro Morata made converting the rebound look easier than it was, for his eighth Premier League goal of the campaign.
Instead of celebrating Hazard complained to referee Jon Moss about a hefty earlier challenge from Barry that left him on the floor, and still riled moments later the Belgian charged in late on Grzegorz Krychowiak to earn the clearest of bookings.

Six minutes later he was charging through West Brom's defence. Cesc Fabregas had fired a pass up to Morata, who beautifully flicked the ball on so Hazard was in. Foster was hasty in coming out and Hazard rounded to convert.
That brought the first sounds of dissent from home fans and in the 38th minute they grew louder when West Brom conceded in an area of the game that Pulis can usually depend on.
Fabregas had a free-kick by the area and simply chipped the ball to the far post, where Marcos Alonso was waiting unmarked to volley in from a tight angle. It was a good finish but the lack of defensive rigour was disquieting.
At half-time Pulis sent on Claudio Yacob, who may not have seemed the most obvious catalyst for a comeback, but did engender a positive reaction from the crowd given his years of service.

But what followed was a 45-minute procession where the only question was how many Conte's team would score.
Hazard saw a shot saved by Foster, then Morata the same. In the 63rd minute the fourth arrived and again the simplicity tore away at Pulis' reputation for being hard to break down.
Fabregas chipped a fine ball over the top to Hazard, who collected, drifted inside Ahmed Hegazi, and promptly buried a finish into the corner of the net.
That sparked a steady flow of people leaving and at the final whistle those who had stayed grew angry in their chants for 'Pulis out'. There would not be any surprise to see the call heeded.

WBA (3-5-1-1): Foster 5; Hegazi 4, McAuley 6, Evans 6; Phillips 6.5 (McClean 84), Livermore 6, Barry 6, Krychowiak 3 (Yacob 46, 6), Gibbs 5; Rodriguez 5 (Burke 70, 5); Rondon 4
Unused subs: Myhill, Nyom, Brunt, Robson-Kanu
Bookings: Rondon 55, Yacob 89
Manager: Tony Pulis 6

Chelsea (3-5-1-1): Courtois 7; Azpilicueta 7, Christensen 7.5, Cahill 7; Zappacosta 7, Bakayoko 7, Kante 7 (Willian 77), Fabregas 8 (Drinkwater 68, 6), Alonso 7; Hazard 9 (Pedro 71, 6); Morata 8
Unused subs: Caballero, Rudiger, David Luiz, Ampadu
Goals: Morata 17, Hazard 23, 63, Alonso 38
Bookings: Hazard 19, Fabregas 50, Morata 90
Manager: Antonio Conte 8

MoM: Hazard
Referee: Jon Moss 7
Attendane: 23,592


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

Independent:

West Bromwich Albion fans call for Tony Pulis' head as Hazard-inspired Chelsea run riot at the Hawthorns

West Brom 0 Chelsea 4: The Hawthorns crowd wanted Pulis' head after an embarrassing first half where Chelsea scored three unanswered goals, adding another after the break

Steve Madeley

Eden Hazard led the way as Chelsea cruised to victory at The Hawthorns to leave West Brom head coach Tony Pulis on the brink.

Hazard scored a goal in each half with his second on 62 minutes sending thousands of Albion fans streaming for the exits while those that remained called for Pulis’s head.
The Belgian also played a major hand in Alvaro Morata’s opener while Marcos Alonso also found the net as Antonio Conte’s men coasted to victory.

Their win left Pulis with just two wins from his last 21 Premier League games with angry fans amid a generally subdued Hawthorns atmosphere demanding his removal.
With owner Guochuan Lai travelling from China to watch the game and Baggies directors known to be concerned at the alarming slump in form, Pulis faces a fight to remain in charge for next weekend’s trip to Tottenham.

Yet it was the Baggies who made the brightest start with three early crosses from Matt Phillips, deployed as a right wing-back, causing problems for the champions.
The first two narrowly evaded waiting team-mates but the third was headed into the net by the towering Salomon Rondon with the aid of a fumble from Thibaut Courtois, only for an offside flag to put paid to any celebrations.

A spirited forward run by Jay Rodriguez brought more hope for the hosts with his through-ball directed towards Rondon, but the Venezuelan was dispossessed by Cesar Azpilicueta.

Chelsea had struggled to turn possession into chances but on 14 minutes they went close when Tiemoue Bakayoko turned Gareth McAuley on the edge of the box and saw a shot deflected wide.
Just three minutes later the visitors were ahead as Hazard, who had been down injured, got back to his feet and hit a shot that was parried by goalkeeper Ben Foster, only for Morata to turn in the rebound.
And once they were behind, Pulis’s side capitulated.
Marcos Alonso dragged a shot wide for the visitors, who then made it 2-0 on 23 minutes.

It was poor, static defending from the hosts but the flick from Morata to turn a Cesc Fabregas pass into the path of Hazard was sublime.
The Belgium did the rest, rounding Foster and finding the gaping net.
After appearing shellshocked in the immediate aftermath of the goals, West Brom applied a little pressure with Jake Livermore firing over the crossbar and Ahmed Hegazi heading just wide from a Gareth Barry corner.

The third goal arrived seven minutes before half-time when Hegazi wrestled Morata to the floor, Fabregas delivered a free-kick and Albion left Alonso unmarked to score at the far post.
Rondon made some headway early in the second half for Albion with Jay Rodriguez shooting narrowly wide before Gary Cahill made a vital challenge to snuff out another Rondon run.
But Chelsea were soon back on the front foot with Fabregas booked harshly by referee Jon Moss for diving when he appeared to collide with Gareth McAuley in the West Brom box.

There was little reaction to Pulis’s plight from his players in the second half despite a half-time change in system and personnel that saw the combative Claudio Yacob replacing the ineffective Grzegorz Krychowiak.
Hazard added to their pain with 28 minutes remaining as more statuesque home defending allowed him to collect a difficult high ball.

From there he sidestepped Hegazi and McAuley before bending a shot past a helpless Ben Foster.
That led to a mass exodus from home supporters but those who stayed mustered brief chants of ‘we want Pulis out’.
There were some louder chants of 'Pulis Out' as clock ticked over to 90 minutes and choruses of 'Tony Pulis, your football is s***'.

West Brom (3-5-2): Foster; McAuley, Evans, Hegazi; Phillips (McClean 84), Livermore, Krychowiak (Yacob HT), Barry, Gibbs; Rondon, Rodriguez (Burke 70). Subs not used: Myhill, Nyom, Robson-Kanu, Brunt. Booked: Rondon, Yacob.

Chelsea (3-4-3): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill; Zappacosta, Kante (William 77), Bakayoko, Alonso; Hazard (Pedro 70), Fabregas (Drinkwater 67); Morata. Subs not used: Caballero, Rudiger, David Luiz, Ampadu. Booked: Hazard, Fabregas, Morata.
Referee: Jonathan Moss (West Yorkshire)


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

Observer:

Tony Pulis on the brink after four-goal Chelsea hammer West Brom
West Brom 0 - 4 Chelsea

Stuart James at The Hawthorns

The message was loud and clear as the home supporters spelt out to Guochuan Lai, the club’s Chinese owner, exactly what they think of Tony Pulis. Anger and frustration has been bubbling away here for a while, yet this was the afternoon when patience finally snapped. “We want Pulis out,” was chanted repeatedly by a fanbase that is no longer willing to tolerate the sight of him in charge of a team in freefall.

“You’re getting sacked in the morning” and “Tony Pulis, your football is shit” also reverberated as Chelsea brutally exposed the brittle confidence in a side that has now won two of their past 21 Premier League matches and collected 12 points in the process. It is relegation form and Pulis appears powerless to arrest the slide.

Lai had scheduled this visit around six weeks ago but it could not have been more timely and it was tempting to wonder what was going through his mind as he watched such a listless performance on the pitch and listened to the scathing criticism of Pulis from the stands. Pulis’s position felt untenable come the end and the 59-year-old sounded like a man who is resigned to his fate when he attended the post-match press conference,

The empty seats before the game told a story – faith was lost in these parts a long time ago – and so did the sight of many others leaving with 27 minutes remaining. Eden Hazard had just scored his second and Chelsea’s fourth as they coasted to a fourth successive Premier League victory.
This had turned into an exercise in damage limitation for Albion long before half-time. Chelsea were 3-0 up after only 38 minutes and, as well as the Premier League champions played at times, it was alarming to see a team managed by Pulis defending so shambolically. There was so much time and space for Chelsea to exploit and the visitors were not going to pass up the opportunity.

Álvaro Morata continued his excellent start to the season, netting Chelsea’s first from close range and setting up the second for Hazard, taking his tally to eight goals and four assists in the league. Marcos Alonso then scored Chelsea’s third, taking advantage of some appalling marking from a set-piece, before Hazard added the goal that reflected the gulf in quality between the two sides.

Antonio Conte will have few easier afternoons in the dugout. “The game became easy because we started very well,” said Chelsea’s manager, who senses that his team are finding some form. “Last season we won 13 games in a row and I must be honest, in this league it’s not simple to have this type of run, because every game you have to play with great concentration. But four wins in a row is important for us and our confidence. We started this season with many problems but we are trying slowly to find the right solution.”

Morata certainly seems like the answer up front. The Spaniard’s opening goal was routine enough but it was an exquisite flick he produced from Cesc Fàbregas’s pass to set Hazard free for Chelsea’s second. Hazard rounded Ben Foster with the minimum of fuss, rolled the ball into the empty net and already, with 23 minutes gone, it felt like there was no way back for Albion.
That feeling was reinforced when Alonso added the third. Fàbregas, who was involved in three of Chelsea’s four goals, delivered a free-kick from wide on the left and it is no exaggeration to say that there was no defender within five yards of Alonso, who volleyed high into the roof of the net with the angle against him at the far post.

Toothless up front, overrun in midfield and wide open at the back, Albion were all over the place and it was no surprise when Chelsea grabbed a fourth. Fàbregas’s fine lofted pass released Hazard in behind and the Belgian twisted away from Ahmed Hegazi before dispatching a low shot into the bottom corner. The game was up for Albion. And it surely is for Pulis, too.

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

Star:

West Brom 0 Chelsea 4: Blues run riot at the Hawthorns and pile the pressure on Tony Pulis

TONY PULIS was clinging to his job by his fingernails – and that was before they were savaged by the champions.
By Peter Oakes at The Hawthorns

It will take a miracle for him to survive and at this rate if he does stay on and cannot turn it around quickly then the Baggies are boing, boing down.
Albion owner Guochuan Lai is as hard to read as any Chinese billionaire and did not show his feelings as he had a first-hand view of his side’s capitulation.
But you can only imagine the thoughts swirling around the head of Lai as Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas and Alvaro Morata took West Brom apart.

It was an embarrassing humiliation for Pulis and what is even more worrying than the scoreline is the fact that Chelsea did not have to work that hard.
Pulis’ teams have never been easy on the eye but always had a toughness and unwillingness to be a soft touch for anyone. Not anymore as this latest mauling means they have gone 11 games without a win.
Hazard got the ball rolling in only the 17th minute, ghosting through a couple of weak challenges and forcing Ben Foster down to his right. The goalkeeper got a hand to it but could only scoop it into Morata’s feet and the Spaniard made it eight Premier League goals so far.

Six minutes later the roles were reversed as the striker’s slick flick gave the Belgian the chance to evade the onrushing Foster and finish calmly.
Then Fabregas’ free-kick sailed over everyone to Marcos Alonso who bundled it over the line at the far post. A measure of Albion’s awful display – they were booed off at half-time and full-time – came within a minute of the restart with the biggest cheer of the day for interval substitute Claudio Yacob actually winning a tackle!
The Argentinean scrapper has been in the Premier League cold since the opening game of the season – one of only two the Baggies have won – but he was powerless as Hazard made it four in the 62nd minute.

Eagle-eyed Fabregas spotted him as the furthest man forward and picked him out with a floated pass. Centre-backs Ahmed Hegazi and Gareth McAuley stood off the playmaker who had time to pick his spot.
Albion did give Chelsea the odd problem with high balls and set-pieces but Jay Rodriguez headed tamely straight at Thibaut Courtois from eight yards out.
At least the Baggies looked more up for it after the break without ever troubling Courtois. But they were still susceptible, Foster getting his foot to another Hazard effort.

The only time Chelsea boss Antonio Conte had a fright was in the dying minutes as Morata was booked for a tackle and then foolishly kicked the ball away. A few referees would have sent him packing but Jon Moss just spoke to skipper Cesar Azpilicueta and had a stern word with the striker.
Pulis said: “I think we have got better players this year than last year, I think the squad is stronger but we need results and we have not got the results we want.
“I have been in the game long enough to know if you get bad results. Everything’s about now and not what you have done in the past.

“I’m disappointed that we haven’t got the results we were hoping for and I think the players worked hard but the goals were awful, the four goals were really poor goals.
“You have to defend better, it’s not just the first, it’s the second one, the third one and the fourth one – they shouldn’t be goals we are conceding.”
Conte slammed fixtures bosses and believes they could cost Chelsea the title. The Blues face a 6,000-mile round trip to Baku to face Azerbaijan champions Qarabag on Wednesday ahead of Saturday night’s showdown away to Liverpool.

They had to cope with a similar sleep-depriving journey at the start of October when they won 2-1 at Atletico Madrid before losing 1-0 at home to Manchester City.
Conte said: “We came back at 5am on the Thursday and played on the Saturday.
“They must pay more attention to these type of fixtures and give other teams the same facility. If we had won against Manchester City the distance between us is not so great.
“Now we have to play on Wednesday night and then get back to London at five or six o’clock in the morning and then we have another great game on the Saturday.
“Is it normal? If someone wants more balance in this league they must pay great attention to the fixtures.”

But at least the Italian was able to rest Hazard, N’Golo Kante and Fabregas, bringing them off early.
He added: “Wednesday’s game is the most important game of the season because we have the possibility with a win to go through to the next round in the Champions League.
“To start an important week this way was very important for our confidence. This game became easy because we started very well with great focus and played very well.”

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

Sun:

BLUES CRUISE West Brom 0 Chelsea 4: Blues batter Baggies as Alvaro Morata and Eden Hazard run amok in hammering at the Hawthorns

Antonio Conte's men jumped up to second in the Premier League after hot start saw game sealed well before half-time

By Andrew Dillon and Dave Fraser

EDEN HAZARD took a kick on the leg and then well and truly put the boot into West Brom.
Chelsea’s little dynamo scored a goal and set up another as the Premier League champions ran riot on the ground where they clinched the title last season.
And in doing so they nudged under-pressure Albion boss Tony Pulis closer to the sack after his team crumbled right in front of the club’s watching Chinese owners.
Capitulation, boos from the home fans and seeing them streaming for the exits even before half time made the afternoon even more painful.
And all after a relatively bright start in which Salomon Rondon had the ball in the net after only four minutes only for it to be ruled fractionally offside.

It was soon after that Hazard felt the pain of Gareth Barry’s studs down the side of his leg, just above the ankle. And it turned the match.
Hazard got angry but channeled his frustration into a spellbinding virtuoso half hour performance in which Chelsea went out and won the game.
On 17 minutes the little Belgian ran into the Albion box, turning Ahmed Hegazi neatly. Hazard’s powerful shot was stopped but not held by keeper Ben Foster.
Alvaro Morata reacted quickest and rammed the rebound into an empty net to give Chelsea the lead.
Six minutes later Morata returned the favour, flicking a tidy pass through the centre circle into Hazard’s path with a deft move of his right ankle.

Hazard was set free to race clear, beat Foster to the ball and then bury his shot again into an unguarded net for two-nil.
It was all over seven minutes before half time when Morata won a free kick on the edge of the box.
Fabregas lifted the cross over everybody except left wing back Marcos Alonso, out of position on the right but still totally unmarked at the far post to volley in the softest of goals.
Chelsea fans taunted Pulis with chants about getting the sack - and Baggies fans joined in.
Hazard scored his second and Chelsea’s fourth in the 62nd minute when more ragged defending allowed him time to pick his spot and shoot from 18 yards.

STATS, FACTS, GOALS & LOLS
Ahead of kick-off, West Brom had lost 16 of their 22 Premier League games against Chelsea, their joint-highest total (Arsenal and Manchester City).
Chelsea had won on their two most-recent visits to The Hawthorns, even securing the 2016-17 Premier League title thanks to a Michy Batshuayi goal in May.
The game was Antonio Conte's 50th Premier League match.
Marcos Alonso squeezes in Chelsea's third before half-time at West Brom
Ahead of the game, Morata had been directly involved in ten goals in ten league games for Chelsea... before scoring and adding an assist in the West Brom game.
Eden Hazard has scored five Premier League goals against West Brom - his joint-most against any team (level with Bournemouth).

WHAT THEY SAID
Chelsea star Eden Hazard: "Manchester City are winning a lot of games but we want to close the gap. You never know in the Premier League.
"Last year we won 12 or 13 games in a row so why not again? We have to be ready for that."

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

Mirror:
West Brom 0-4 Chelsea: Hazard inspires Blues to easy win as pressure cranks up on Pulis - 5 talking points
The champions sprinted to a 3-0 first-half lead as they moved up to second place in the table

ByJames Nursey

Tony Pulis' West Brom reign is close to breaking point after this heavy home beating by champions Chelsea .
Alvaro Morata, Eden Hazard and Marcos Alonso were on target for Chelsea in the first half.

It extends Albion's dire run to just two wins in 21 games under Pulis.
Home fans called for his head as the Baggies were jeered off at half-time and the final whistle.
Morata struck in the 17th minute after Hazard had a shot saved before the Spaniard flicked the ball for Hazard to net himself with a cool finish.

While defender Alonso was inexplicably unmarked at the back post to volley in Cesc Fabregas' free-kick in the 38th minute.
After the break Hazard produced his second fine finish of the match from Fabregas' ball before Antonio Conte subbed some of his stars.

1. Hazard revels in winding up WBA

Hazard annoyed the home fans as he went down injured in the first half before slowly getting up and quickly inspiring the visitors into the lead. Hazard stayed down as Albion played on but rose to his feet to jeers from the home support. He then saw his left-foot shot from outside the area palmed away from Ben Foster for Morata to convert in the 17th minute. Then Hazard got on the scoresheet himself in the 23rd minute after a clever flick by Morata. He celebrated with a knee-slide infront of the home fans in the Birmingham Road End which did not go down well. He also produced another fine finish in the second half.

2. Recall for bad-boy Luiz

Chelsea's £34million defender David Luiz was left in the stands for the champions' previous game at home to Manchester United. The Brazilian,30, paid the price for questioning Conte's tactics. Chelsea named the same starting XI from the win over United but Luiz was back on the bench at The Hawthorns as Conte begins to re-integrate him back into the squad.

3. Pulis pens his point

Under-fire Tony Pulis used his programme notes to launch a stiff defence of his reign at WBA.
He emphasised how he has turned the club around since joining in 2015 , when they were in the drop zone, by shipping out various dud signings, blooding youngsters and working with the out-going and in-coming board to help sell the club, while it continues to make a profit.

4. Krychowiak struggles

Polish midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak was hailed as a huge coup by both Pulis and pundits when he arrived from PSG on loan in August after previously costing the Paris club around £28m a year earlier. Pulis has given him every chance but he has simply not made an impact. He was fortunate to keep his place for Chelsea's visit as he made his 10th start but was subbed at half-time and replaced by the popular Claudio Yacob , who got stuck in and was well received by the crowd.
5. Drinkwater plays

Danny Drinkwater got pelters for turning down an England call-up for friendlies against Germany and Brazil as he continues his rehabilitation after recent injury problems.
He came in for some heavy criticism for his apparent snub and the haters will be unimpressed to see he was fit to come on as sub here - as Jose Mourinho predicted when he complained about Phil Jones' injury - to replace Fabregas who helped create three goals

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

Birmingham Express and Star:

West Brom 0 Chelsea 4

By Matt Wilson

Baggies boss Tony Pulis is on the brink tonight following a damaging 4-0 rout at home to the champions.

Chants of 'You're getting sacked in the morning', 'Your football is s**t' and 'Pulis out' were directed his way from disillusioned Albion fans who watched their team slip to their fourth straight defeat.
Three first half goals knocked the stuffing out of the home side, who actually started brightly before a clinical Chelsea team turned on the style, but home fans were streaming out by the hour mark when the fourth went in.

Those that stayed made their feelings felt at full-time with further calls for the head coach to be sacked, and with owner Guochuan Lai watching on alongside chairman John Williams after jetting in from China for the game, Pulis's job now hangs in the balance.

It is now 11 games without a win in all competitions, and just two victories in the past 21 league games - the worst run in his managerial career.
It was telling that the most threatening player going forward was Matt Phillips and the defensive player who showed the most fight was substitute Claudio Yacob - two players who have been unable to get in the team recently.

Before the game, Pulis hit back at the fans in his programme notes by starting a staunch defence of his time at The Hawthorns with the words, 'Talking about reminding people...'
It came after the away end had turned on him at Huddersfield, but despite the muted build-up inside The Hawthorns before the game, Albion's fans were soon getting behind their team thanks to a bright start.
Pulis kept faith in the 5-3-2 formation that has struggled in recent weeks, but brought Phillips in for Allan Nyom at right wing-back and Salomon Rondon in for Hal Robson-Kanu up front - and it was working in the opening stages.

Jake Livermore created the first opening three minutes in by skipping away from two Chelsea midfielders before finding Phillips on the wing.
His low cross nearly found Rondon but was turned away, but it came back in and was headed on target by Jay Rodriguez.
A minute later Rondon had the ball in the net with a header from a Phillips cross that Thibaut Courtois fumbled into his net, but the Venezuelan had strayed half a yard offside and it was correctly ruled out.

That bright start lifted the mood at the ground, and the home crowd were soon roaring on their team.
Minutes later Rodriguez slipped Rondon through on goal but Albion's No.9 was muscled off the ball too easily and the chance went begging.
It proved costly, because 17 minutes in, the visiting champions took the lead.
Eden Hazard, who had just been complaining of injury, sprung back to life and drove towards goal before fizzing a low shot towards the the far corner.

Foster did well to get a glove onto it, but he could only push it out to Morata, who gleefully tucked hom the rebound for his eighth league goal of the season.
If that goal was a kick in the teeth, the next one just seven minutes later knocked the stuffing out of Albion - and it was a clinical and classy move from Chelsea.

Cesc Fabregas fired the ball into Morata with his back to goal 35 yards out, but his gorgeous first-time flick on was enough to entice Foster off his line and into a footrace with Hazard.
The Belgian won it, and rounded the keeper with ease before tucking home Chelsea's second and celebrating with glee in front of the Birmingham Road End who had been booing him moments previously for making the most of a challenge.

Albion didn't give up though, and Phillips in particular looked threatening down the right. Unafraid to run at messrs Alonso and Cahill, his performance on the wing made you wonder why it had taken this long for Pulis to pick him.
And the crowd didn't turn at 2-0, they realised their team had been cut open by a superior team.

No, the goal that really took the sting out of the game and left the fans fuming was the third, eight minutes before half-time. Because unlike the first two, it was san inexcusable goal to concede.
Fabregas clipped a routine free-kick to the back post where Alonso was criminally unmarked, and so the Spaniard guided the ball into the roof of the net unchallenged.
After that, Albion's players were walking around shell-shocked until half-time - potentially aware of the gravitas of the scoreline.

Pulis dragged Paris Saint-Germain loanee Grzegorz Krychowiak off at half-time and replaced him with Claudio Yacob, who immediately added more fight than the Pole.
A tackle that won the ball from Fabregas in midfield drew the loudest cheer of the day from the home end, and when he rounded on the Spaniard for diving in the Baggies box, it was warmly received by supporters.

The Argentinian was obviously up for it, because he had a set-to with Morata soon after, just before Rondon was also booked for diving in the box.
Despite Yacob's attempts to ruffle a few feathers, the champions were in complete control, and they made it four shortly after the hour mark with another simple goal.
Fabregas's ball over the top was a straight one, but it found Hazard in acres, and the Belgian checked back inside Hegazi before curling his second goal of the afternoon into the far corner.
That prompted a mass exodus of Albion fans with half an hour still to go and more chants of 'Pulis Out' from the Smethwick End.

The Baggies boss sent Oliver Burke on with 15 minutes to go, and then gave James McClean seven minutes to make a difference.
The winger immediately stole the ball of Davide Zappacosta and rushed towards Courtois one-on-one, but just as those fans who had stayed started to beleive they would be rewarded with a consolation, McClean screwed his shot wide of the post.
What happens now is up to Lai and Williams.

KEY MOMENTS

05 Rondon heads Phillips's left-footed cross into the net, but it's correctly ruled out for offside.
17 GOAL CHELSEA - Morata tucks home the rebound after Foster does well to save Hazard's fizzing low shot.
23 GOAL CHELSEA - Fabregas fires the ball into Morata, whose glorious flick-on entices Foster to come out, but Hazard beats him to it and rounds the keeper ebfore finding the net.
37 GOAL CHELSEA - Fabregas clips a free-kick to the back post and an unmarked Alonso guides it unchallenged into the roof of the net.
63 GOAL CHELSEA - A simple ball over the top from Fabregas finds Hazard. He cuts back inside Hegazi before finding the net with ease.

MAN OF THE MATCH
Eden Hazard - Had a hand in three goals, scoring two of them.

POSITION IN THE TABLE
17th, with 10 points from 12 games.

TEAMS
Albion (5-3-2): Foster; Gibbs, McAuley, Hegazi, Evans (c), Phillips (McClean 84); Barry, Livermore, Krychowiak (Yacob 45); Rodriguez (Burke 70), Rondon. Unused subs: Myhill, Nyom, Brunt, Robson-Kanu.
Chelsea (3-5-2): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill (c); Zappacosta, Bakayoko, Kante (Willian 77), Fabregas (Drinkwater 67), Alonso; Hazard, Morata. Unused subs: Caballero, Rudiger, David Luiz, Amapdu, Pedro.
Referee: Jon Moss (Horsforth)
Attendance: 23,592 (2,733 away)

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




Saturday, November 11, 2017

Manchester United 1-0



Guardian:

Chelsea 1 - 0 Man Utd

Álvaro Morata heads Chelsea to victory over Manchester United


Dominic Fifield


This is the kind of result to stifle talk of crisis at Chelsea. The Premier League’s summit may remain distant but the joyous din which erupted inside the ground at the final whistle was an outpouring of relief. Antonio Conte celebrated manically, fists raised in triumph towards those in the upper tier of the East stand, before striding out on to the pitch to acknowledge each side of the ground in turn. José Mourinho waited near the tunnel to shake his counterpart’s hand but eventually gave up. He looked distinctly unimpressed to be enduring Conte’s moment.

It may seem vaguely ludicrous that a head coach who has now overseen 37 wins from his 49 Premier League games in charge could be considered under pressure but Conte had needed this victory. That humiliation in Rome in midweek had left him embattled, with suggestions the hierarchy had not taken kindly to the realism with which he has approached a cluttered campaign, and the first murmurings of discontent within the playing squad surfacing with every setback.


Yet against imposing opponents in Manchester United, and not for the first time since he arrived in England, his major decisions paid off: his side played with the same system, style and swagger as at Atlético Madrid in September; N’Golo Kanté’s reintegration in midfield was key to a second clean sheet in nine games; Andreas Christensen, preferred to David Luiz in the middle of the back three, was mightily impressive.

The Brazilian had worn heavy strapping on his right leg at the Stadio Olimpico but had been omitted here for “tactical reasons”, according to Conte, with the implication it was down to shoddy form. The Italian had pointed pre-match to Christensen’s early-season displays and to the fact “the club likes to bring in a young player” when it came to Ethan Ampadu, a 17-year-old without any experience of top-flight football, being preferred on the bench over David Luiz.


After the match Conte suggested David Luiz would have “to work really hard, or [risk to] be on the bench or in the stand”. As it was, the defender sat behind the dugouts next to his compatriot Kenedy, whose yawn in Thursday’s debrief had been noted, and watched his team-mates put in their most convincing display for more than a month. It will be intriguing to see how such a charismatic figure now forces his way back into the fold. Certainly his team-mates have demonstrated they can do without him.

It was tempting to wonder whether Mourinho’s presence in the dugout had merely coaxed the best from Chelsea, as it once did so often when he was on the payroll. His current team never showed any real control on this occasion, their few chances squeezed out on the break – they mustered only two on target all afternoon – until a late rally which threatened to earn them an equaliser they would not have merited. Their own gap from Manchester City is now eight points, which “is not the same as eight points in the Portuguese league, La Liga, the Bundesliga”‚ according to the manager.


The disappointment was in their inability to wound their hosts, with Marouane Fellaini’s late volley, turned away smartly by Thibaut Courtois, the closest they came to reward. Marcus Rashford’s was a pesky presence but there was no real rhythm to their approach and, without their injured absentees, they were forced too often into retreat. Romelu Lukaku, one spin and shot from distance aside, was isolated and contained. Teams far less imposing than United have created considerably more against these opponents this term, and that ended up feeling rather damning.

Admittedly Kanté’s energetic presence was significant and inevitably bolstered Chelsea’s collective. The champions had kept only one clean sheet during his six-game absence, with a hamstring injury sustained on international duty with France. Yet it was the home side’s attacking play which truly caught the eye. Their goal had been forged in familiar fashion, César Azpilicueta flinging over one of those trademark diagonal crosses from which Diego Costa and Álvaro Morata have benefited in recent times. The Spaniard met it emphatically, having trundled unnoticed into the space between United’s centre-halves with Chris Smalling drawn towards Tiémoué Bakayoko’s run, to plant his header beyond a static David de Gea and leave Mourinho cursing another miserable homecoming.


But Chelsea should have had more to show for their dominance. The excellent Eden Hazard, whose ankles had been kicked raw by the end, was denied regularly by De Gea, Cesc Fàbregas nodded into the side-netting from close range, Bakayoko missed two glorious opportunities and the referee, Anthony Taylor, penalised Morata for a push on Phil Jones early on after the defender had inadvertently conjured a volley as he crumpled clumsily which arrowed the ball into the top corner.

Each miss had left Conte agonised on the touchline, his impatience drawing warnings from the fourth official, Craig Pawson, for encroachment as Mourinho watched on, presumably wondering if he would be treated quite so leniently. But this was the Italian’s day. “We can win or lose but our spirit must be this,” said Conte. “We started this season with a lot of problems. We were up and down. But this game showed that, if we want it, we can do it.”



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


Telegraph:

Chelsea 1 Manchester United 0: Antonio Conte comes out on top as Alvaro Morata scores winning header

Jason Burt


This was the afternoon when Chelsea reignited their season and, maybe, sent the Premier League torch on its way back towards Manchester. Not to United, who were beaten here, their dull limitations exposed by Chelsea’s vibrancy, but across the city to the Etihad Stadium.

An eight-point lead has been established going into the international break, nine in effect when Manchester City’s vastly superior goal difference is factored in, and even though we are only 11 rounds of matches into this campaign, it is already appearing to be a formidable gap to close.

Of course, it can happen, Jose Mourinho said so, and a serial winner such as the United manager should know, but the words of Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte before this predictably spiky encounter were the most prescient: the “big problem”, he said, were City. “If they continue in this way, it will be very difficult to fight for the title,” Conte had said.

City are continuing in this way, sweeping aside Arsenal, despite Arsene Wenger’s protestations of incompetence from the officials, and cheating from City, and it may soon begin to be an almighty tussle simply to finish in the top four behind them. Either way, Chelsea could not afford to lose this fixture, Conte could not afford to lose it, for sure, given his position, given the tension and given his antipathy towards his predecessor, Mourinho. There was always that edge.

It was there before kick-off, when Conte did not look Mourinho in the eye as the United manager offered his hand, and it was there at the final whistle when the Italian fist-pumped in delight before studiously marching away on to the pitch. He simply did not want to acknowledge, to receive, to interact with, Mourinho who has got under his skin but did not get the points.

“Antonio, Antonio,” rang round Stamford Bridge and it washed away some of the angst that had resurfaced with the chaotic Champions League defeat away to Roma and which had provoked recriminations and inquests and led to David Luiz being unceremoniously dumped from the team and his future questioned.


Given Luiz’s status, his popularity with the Chelsea hierarchy, it was a decision that might have deeper consequences although his replacement, Andreas Christensen, 21, was outstanding. Maybe Conte should trust in youth a little more, also. But, in truth, the biggest difference was the return of N’Golo Kante who has been sorely missed for six matches with a damaged hamstring – Chelsea only won three of those games, and only one convincingly – and eclipsed Nemanja Matic. So much has been made of Matic’s controversial move to United but his importance to Chelsea has been overblown as Kante proved on this dominant occasion.

It was not the only direct matchup with consequences with a comparison to be made between Alvaro Morata and Romelu Lukaku, the two big-money strikers, neither of whom has scored for six matches. And Morata could as easily have lined up for United as Lukaku could have gone back to Chelsea. Instead it was the other way round and Morata came out on top.

His towering header settled it and although he spurned a number of other chances, making a terrible hash of an injury-time opportunity when he was set clear on goal by substitute Willian, before falling over, the young Spaniard deserved the plaudits. In the first-half, he had cut a frustrated figure, even appearing to twice to throw himself to the turf in search of punishment for the United defenders he felt had roughed him up, but then he ghosted between them to reach Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross to send an imperious, trademark header back across David De Gea and high into the net.

United had lost the ball to allow that goal, Henrikh Mkhitaryan was the guilty party, and despite Mourinho’s protestations of parity between the two sides, they played a curious game. They initially went for it, they cut loose but then they, tactically, appeared to be caught between two approaches and ultimately paid the price for not continuing to go at Chelsea when they were gettable.

Chances had been traded. It was thunderous, at times, a bit too bone-jarringly frantic also, and, in fact, the ball was in the United net inside the first 10 minutes with Phil Jones volleying spectacularly past a bemused De Gea. Fortunately for United, Morata was adjudged to have pushed the United defender.


Then, at the other end, Marcus Rashford should have scored as he met Ashley Young’s cross only for him to cushion his header on to the roof of the net with Thibaut Courtois stranded. The openness continued – Tiemoue Bakayoko side-footed wastefully wide, Lukaku turned sharply but could not bend his shot around Courtois and then Cesc Fabregas headed into the side-netting from close-range as he met a rebound when De Gea had superbly beaten out a fierce drive by the impressive Eden Hazard. On half-time there was one, final clear chance as Christensen reached a corner only to head – or rather shoulder – the ball over the cross-bar. There were recriminations after that, also, among the United players and they will have continued at the interval with both managers, presumably, imploring more. But it was Chelsea who seized the initiative. United paid for their rising conservatism, in fact.

After Hazard had swept a first-time shot, from a fine Fabregas cross, straight at De Gea, Chelsea struck through Morata and United appeared shaken. It took them time – too long – to rally with Chelsea racking up more chances as United substitute Marouane Fellaini was caught in possession by Bakayoko who shot, when he should have played the ball through to Morata and then Hazard was guilty of the same offence although at least he drew a save. Finally, United created an opening with the ball dropping to Rashford on the edge of the area but he flashed a snapshot narrowly past the post. They went closer when Fellaini chested the ball down and shot low only for Courtois to push it away before, after Morata’s blunder, Rashford’s free-kick was deflected just over the bar.


But Chelsea had their win, and deservedly so while for Mourinho it is now 10 games, no victories and just one goal in away games against the other ‘top six’ clubs, as first Chelsea and United manager. That is not a good statistic for him.

And neither is the gap that has now emerged at the top of the Premier League table.



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Mail:

Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United: Alvaro Morata seals deserved win with world-class header to leave Jose Mourinho's Premier League title hopes in tatters


By Ian Ladyman

For Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, this is beginning to feel less like a football season and more an exercise in problem management.

Manchester United, it is worth pointing out, are second in the Premier League. Chelsea, after this thoroughly deserved win, are up to fourth and just a point behind.

But the feeling at both of these clubs is not one of great optimism. Issues swirl around both like smoke from a bonfire, whatever the results on the field.


United have problems surrounding their style, especially away from Old Trafford. On Mourinho’s 15-month watch, they have scored a single goal away against one of the traditional top six clubs.

After two defeats in three Premier League games, United are now eight points behind Manchester City and maybe we are finally beginning to see evidence of the limitations that seemed apparent at the end of the summer transfer window. Better – quite good, in fact – but maybe not quite good enough yet.

On Sunday, Mourinho was left to suggest that things will improve once injured players return. This from a manager who claims never to use injuries as an excuse.

As for Chelsea, Conte continues to swim against a tide that seems destined, at some stage, to wash him out of the door at Stamford Bridge.

This was an emotional, tense victory for the Italian, one earned by a towering header from Alvaro Morata and celebrated with such intensity at full-time that Conte decided he didn’t have time to shake hands with Mourinho. That was a mistake.

Afterwards, though, talk turned almost immediately from victory to his omission of the Brazilian David Luiz.

With Conte dissatisfied with Luiz’s training performances, the Chelsea manager decided to proceed without him for this game and has suggested this stance will not change anytime soon.


Victory here enabled him to get away with that. Today it looks brave, an example of a manager exercising his authority. But what happens when Conte leaves one of his big names out and his team loses?

That is when the problems will begin.

At Chelsea, managers who take on players – especially those favoured by the owner Roman Abramovich – tend to run in to difficulties very soon. Mourinho knows this better than anyone.

So this was the context within which this game was played.

If matches that do not involve rampant City already feel as though they will only influence the order of the runners-up prizes, this one was always unlikely to provide conclusive truth of the direction in which Chelsea or United are travelling.

From United we certainly didn’t really see anything that surprised us.

Mourinho’s team were competitive and drilled and were never going to be easy to beat. But they were lacking in potency when they had the ball.


Centre forward Romelu Lukaku has now not scored since the end of September, for example, and United continue to look utterly incapable of dictating play against good sides.

Only after Chelsea scored ten minutes in to the second half did United really come alive, Mourinho throwing on the big Belgian Marouane Fellaini to try to blow the house down.

Prior to that Mourinho’s team had been in the game but never in charge of it. Chelsea were better from the get-go and the way they responded to defeat in Rome in the Champions League was very impressive.

The home teams two best players were Morata and Eden Hazard. No surprise there. Morata’s play with back to goal was terrific and he was prepared to run the channels too. It was hard not to compare that to Lukaku’s rather more laboured efforts at the other end.

United survived a Phil Jones volley in to his own net early on – Morata was adjudged to have fouled him – and escaped again when the unconvincing Tiemoue Bakayoko spooned a good chance wide from 12 yards.

United goalkeeper David de Gea then beat out a waspish Hazard shot with Cesc Fabregas heading the rebound in to the side netting. At this stage all that United had to show for their occasional journeys to the other end of the field was a header over from Marcus Rashford and a shot from 18 yards by Lukaku that Thibaut Courtois saved low to his right.

Chelsea never wore the look of certain winners but a blue victory always seemed the most likely outcome. Hazard may have done better than shoot at the goalkeeper early in the second half but when Cesar Azpilicueta dropped a cross on Morata’s head soon after the way he directed the ball back across De Gea and in to the top corner was sublime.

It was a goal fit to win a big match and eventually it did so. United did press hard latterly with Fellaini working Courtois and then appealing for a penalty as he grappled with Gary Cahill.

Conte certainly should have gone to Mourinho to shake hands afterwards, no matter the previous bad blood between them. But as the dust settled later, that was not even the main post-match issue. That, in itself, spoke volumes.

Inevitably this did bring United a bit of territory as the game entered the final third. Chelsea also seemed comfortable sitting back and trying to kill the game on the break.

Ander Herrera volleyed a half chance wide from a corner and then Chris Smalling was penalised for jumping all over Courtois at another set piece.

There was something of a haphazard threat about United as they tried to get back on terms but still the more controlled attacking football came from Chelsea, albeit on the counter.

Bakayoko was lacking in composure and cleverness when a mistake by Fellaini allowed him to run clear. It would have made sense to turn on to his left to open up the goal as red shirts retreated he seemed to want to go right and when he did he was only able to shoot wide of the near post.

Hazard then had a low shot saved by De Gea after standing up Smalling in the penalty area. This had been a good afternoon for the Belgian but he had not quite been at his sharpest in front of goal.

He was eventually replaced with four minutes of normal time remaining, the Brazilian Willian sent to help shore up the game. That came immediately after a half volley from the edge of the area by Rashford had passed the wrong side of the post by about a foot.

At such a late stage of the game, Chelsea did begin to find themselves under pressure at last. United did not try to hide the gameplan as they knocked it long to Fellaini and hoped for the best.

It almost worked, too, as the Belgian controlled a cross on his chest in the 90th minute and delivered a falling volley that Courtois dropped to save. As the ball was worked wide and crossed in to the box again, Fellaini fell under a challenge from Gary Cahill. Penalty? Probably not.

Still United would not lie down and die and after Morata spurned a 93rd minute breakaway chance Mourinho’s team earned one final chance. But Rashford couldn’t keep his free-kick down and United’s rather belated attempt at a comeback was over.


Chelsea: Courtois 7.5; Azpilicueta 8, Christensen 8.5, Cahill 7; Zappacosta 6 (Rudiger 66, 6), Bakayoko 7.5, Kante 8, Fabregas 8 (Drinkwater 79), Alonso 7; Hazard 7.5 (Willian 86); Morata 8.

Subs not used: Caballero, Ampadu, Pedro, Batshuayi.

Goals: Morata 55

Bookings: Bakayoko

Manager: Antonio Conte 7


Manchester United: De Gea 7; Jones 5.5 (Fellaini 63, 5.5), Smalling 5, Bailly 5; Valencia 5, Matic 5.5, Herrera 5.5, Young 5 (Lingard 79); Mkhitaryan 4.5 (Martial 63, 6), Lukaku 4.5, Rashford 6.

Subs not used: Romero, Blind, Darmian, McTominay.

Bookings: Jones, Herrera, Fellaini


Referee: Anthony Taylor 5

Star man: Andreas Christensen


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Independent:


Alvaro Morata seals win to reinvigorate Antonio Conte's Chelsea reign yet could end Manchester United's title chances

Chelsea 1 Manchester United 0: Striker's brilliant finish is enough to secure all three points and keep Blues in touch of Premier League leaders Manchester City

Miguel Delaney

A supremely electric response from Chelsea, crowned by an even better goal from Alvaro Morata... but it may well lead to a low-key title race. Was the day that Antonio Conte properly recharged his regime the day that also killed Manchester United's - or anyone else’s - challenge for the Premier League trophy?

If that is to be the case, with Manchester City now eight points clear in first place having earlier in the day beaten Arsenal 3-1, it was actually more down to United’s previous performances than this 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.

That game against Liverpool created a pressure about this one that necessitated a change in approach, but that reactive performance against Tottenham Hotspur - that did just about pay off - was then so difficult to deviate from. Jose Mourinho’s side struggled under that pressure. Conte’s, meanwhile, revelled and revved up under theirs from the 3-0 defeat by Roma and so much speculation about the Italian's future. This was a proper response, as seen in the manager's chest-beating celebration, that has also now led to a proper run. Mourinho has lost all three of his visits to Stamford Bridge as United manager, and now looks no closer to winning the league. The run of always claiming it in his second season looks set to be broken.

Chelsea by contrast are far from broken. This game showed their resolve, and was also much more of a show than United’s last two big-six matches.

There was in fact more action in the opening 20 minutes of this than there had been in both of their games against Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. It was both as if Mourinho wanted to make a point, and had realised the desperate need for three points after City’s win. Marcus Rashford headed over from just yards out on eight minutes, and Romelu Lukaku brought a strong save from Thibaut Courtois shortly afterwards. The only problem with such proactivity - as Mourinho might well have always been fearful of - was that they were of course so much more open at the other end, and watching Chelsea create many more chances than they were.


A Phil Jones own goal was ruled out for what was adjudged a push from Morata, Eden Hazard had a close-range shot somehow saved by David De Gea before Cesc Fabregas missed the follow-up, and Tiemoue Bakayoko seemed to find himself on the end of so many sudden breaks and bursts through the midfield. He just didn’t quite have the poise to make the best of this, most noticeably skying one effort from the edge of the box.

This still represented a dilemma for Mourinho, in more than one sense. He needed to plug the hole in midfield, but that was directly connected to the crossroads he found himself in this match, and in the season.

He needed to attack, but wasn’t completely comfortable with how that left the defence. Tthe halfway house decision of getting one of the centre-halves rather than Ander Herrera to pick up Hazard directly resulted in the holes that appeared in the backline for Chelsea’s opening goal.

That should take nothing from Chelsea and his side. The high technical quality of that 54th-minute goal reflected the focus that the champions had shown all game.

So much for the disarray displayed in Rome. This was the opposite, with their bloody-mindedness on the day also the opposite of United. There was a fire about them, something that the return of the irrepressible N’Golo Kante is always going to help with. Even allowing for that, the word from their Cobham training base was that Conte had roared into the players, determined to ensure they were fully energised for this game. An example had been made of those like David Luiz, who was dropped after his performance in Rome, but it worked as the rest of them were so wondrously revved up. It could be seen in every 50-50, every break, and especially that goal.

The ball was sprayed out to Azpilicueta and, finding himself in the type of space that Mourinho would have been lived about, he predictably used that to pick out a perfect cross for Morata. The striker was in the same amount of space and duly used it too to offer a perfect header. De Gea couldn’t even begin to try and save it, as the ball flew into the corner of the net.

Chelsea and Conte had got themselves out of a corner.

Mourinho now really had to respond, really had to go for it.

He did so by taking off the player who is notionally United’s most creative, but never really gets to show it in a system where there is only ever one player ahead of him. Henrikh Mkhitaryan was taken off with Jones, and Anthony Martial and Marouane Fellaini were introduced.

It was easy to see Mourinho’s simplistic solution: knock it long for Fellaini to flick on to Martial, Rashford and Lukaku.

The only problem with that was that United couldn’t get on the ball enough to lump it forward, and  they were now open enough that it was Chelsea who looked much likelier to score. They had so many dangerous breaks, with Hazard and Bakayoko thriving on the run, as Mourinho’s side toiled to change gear.

They are always going to find that more difficult without the injured Paul Pogba, but it still came back to the dilemma from earlier in the game. If your default in such big games is to go defensive, you are going to find it then even more difficult to successfully go proactive and attacking, no matter who you have in the team.

A lot of the criticism from the Liverpool game was because of the reluctance to go at a rival that was then low and confidence and weak, and because of the damage it might do to their title challenge when City were winning all their big games.

That title challenge might already be fatally damaged, as we saw a consequence of all that here, but there are to be no consequences for Conte. Just another conquest of Mourinho