Swansea 5-0

Independent:

Brilliant Blues blow Swans away as Diego Costa and Oscar score two each in five-star performance
Swansea 0 Chelsea 5
Mourinho gives referees a rest from his tongue-lashings as he hails his ‘perfect’ side, who smash five as a Bony-less Swansea shoot themselves in the foot

Miguel Delaney

Chelsea didn’t need any refereeing decisions, about which Mourinho has been complaining, to go their way. Swansea were already gifting them gfoals, and the league leaders were in the mood to take full advantage.
Mourinho described his team’s performance as “perfect”. “Everything went in our direction,” he said.
That was the case from the start. Oscar gave them the lead after just 48 seconds, and both he and Diego Costa scored twice each to make it 4-0 before half-time. Perhaps this kind of response is the real point of Mourinho’s regular diatribes, to create the siege mentality that produces such searing brilliance.
Beyond that, though, this was a re-assertion of their quality. Over the past few months, the feeling has grown that Manchester City have become the form team while Chelsea have seemingly suffered from fatigue.
There was no evidence of that at the Liberty Stadium. Chelsea were back to their best, even if Swansea gave Mourinho’s side the freedom to express themselves. As atrocious as the home side were as they committed a string of individual errors, the visitors’ execution of their chances was exquisite. Within seconds of the start, Gylfi Sigurdsson’s attempt at a back-pass deflected off Tom Carroll and Oscar duly drove the ball in from distance to make it 1-0.
Chelsea were purring, for what felt like the first time since all the “Invincible” talk back in November. There was no clearer example of that than the brilliant second goal. Cesc Fabregas exchanged passes with Willian before threading the ball through for Costa to drive past Lukasz Fabianski from about 10 yards out. This was, in every sense, a fantastic return to form.
“It was the way we play,” Mourinho enthused. “I was on the bench saying that they were similar goals in terms of principles as the one we scored against Burnley in the first game of the season. The team are playing with high quality and I’m not saying it for the first time, but the team have a clear identity of playing.
“The team, I think all season, are trying to go in a certain direction.”
The game continued in one direction, with Chelsea trampling all over Swansea in triumphant fashion. On 34 minutes, Costa took advantage of a calamitous Federico Fernandez back-pass to slide the ball in for the third before, less than two minutes  later, cutting the ball back to Oscar so the Brazilian could loop in his second and Chelsea’s fourth.
As excellent as Mourinho’s side were, though, even the Portuguese admitted it mostly stemmed from one area: Swansea were missing much more than Manchester City-bound Wilfried Bony. The home side were also missing most of their first-choice midfield, and the league leaders exploited those weaknesses.
“To play without [Jonjo] Shelvey, [Leon] Britton and Ki [Sung-yueng] is the same as for us to play without Fabregas, [Nemanja] Matic and [John Obi] Mikel and obviously that area of the pitch is important for them,” Mourinho said. “They are a team who want to play football, want to play from the back. When you don’t have the players of this dynamic, it’s a problem for them. We were clever, pressed them in that area, won possession there, were aggressive. We killed the game in the first half.”
Swansea manager Garry Monk said he apologised to Mourinho for not being able to give him a game after Andre Schurrle had come off the bench to make it 5-0 after another flowing move late on. The Portuguese said he was happy with that.
The pressure is back on Manchester City today, rather than just referees.

Swansea City: (4-3-3) Fabianski; Tiendalli, Williams, Fernandez, Taylor; Sigurdsson, Carroll, Oliveira (Fulton 66); Dyer (Barrow 73), Gomis, Routledge (Emnes 32).

Chelsea: (4-2-3-1) Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Luis; Matic, Fabregas (Ramires 73); Willian (Schurrle 76), Oscar, Hazard; Costa (Remy 73).

Referee: Jonathan Moss
Man of the match: Costa (Chelsea)
Match rating: 7/10

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Observer:

Chelsea’s Diego Costa and Oscar double up in demolition of Swansea City
Joe Lovejoy

Chelsea’s away form had been giving them cause for concern, but they put it right in the most emphatic fashion, moving five points clear at the top of the Premier League by inflicting on Swansea one of their worst defeats since they arrived at elite level in 2011. Only Liverpool had previously scored five against them.
The outcome was settled before half-time, by which stage Chelsea led 4-0, with their fans chanting the name of Diego Costa, whose two goals took his personal contribution to 17 in 19 League appearances.
For Swansea, this record home defeat, not just in the Premier League but ever, leaves them with having won just two of their last eight League games, their European ambitions in increasing jeopardy.
Had the result ramped up the pressure on Manchester City, who play Arsenal today? José Mourinho thought not. He said: “They have to win, but it’s a responsibility, not a pressure. They have more experience than us, so for them it’s not a problem.”
Was this the best team Mourinho had ever had? He pondered the question before answering: “We can play fantastically well, and this was a perfect game, but if we don’t win the European Cup then in 20 years’ time nobody will remember this team. They have to win competitions for that. It is a young team with years in front of them and together we are going to try to make history.”
The capacity crowd were still pondering the team changes when Chelsea took the lead, with just 50 seconds played. A pass from Gylfi Sigurdsson failed to find its target, instead bouncing off Tom Carroll and enabling Oscar, the man of the match, to fasten on to the loose ball and run through the middle before scoring from the edge of the D.
Flattering but to deceive, the Swans threatened to equalise after two minutes, when Sigurdsson sought to atone with a 25-yarder which hit the top of Peter Cech’s right-hand post. Cech retained his place, despite the fact that Thibaut Courtois was fit again and on the bench.
Swansea gave a first start to Nelson Oliveira, signed on loan from Benfica to compensate for Wilfried Bony’s departure. Anonymous before he was substituted, it was not an occasion he will want to remember.
The League leaders were, by a street, the better, more cohesive unit and they deservedly doubled the lead in the 20th minute, when Cesc Fàbregas and Willian created the opportunity for Costa to score with a dead-eyed finish from near the penalty spot.
The Swans were outmanoeuvred and overrun in midfield, where they were emasculated by the unavailability of Jonjo Shelvey, Leon Britton and Ki Sung-yueng. Mourinho sympathised, saying: “It was difficult for them without those three. That would be the same as us playing without Fàbregas, Matic and Mikel. Midfield is an area of the pitch that is important to them because they are a team that wants to play good football.”
Before the half-hour mark Willian struck Lukasz Fabianski’s left post with a thumping shot, but Chelsea’s third was only briefly delayed. Then a dreadful back pass from Frederico Fernández out on the right, gifted possession to Costa, who finished with aplomb, left to right. Swansea were spreadeagled on the deck and two minutes later it was 4-0, when Oscar’s inviting centre saw Oscar score his second from 18 yards.
Before half-time Willian rattled the woodwork for a second time after Costa had rounded Fabianski to set him up and the interval found the Swansea manager, Garry Monk, and his team very much in damage limitation mode.
Fortunately for them, Chelsea eased up in the second half, their focus already on Tuesday’s Capital One Cup semi-final against Liverpool, and they contented themselves with just one more goal, side-footed in at close range by the substitute André Schürrle.
Given his history at Anfield, which includes Luis García’s “ghost” goal in the Champions League semi-finals, how important was the tie at Anfield? “Our next game is our most important, always,” Mourinho said, with a knowing smile.
Monk described Swansea’s anaemic contribution as “horrible”, adding: “The players are hurting and I’m hurting. I can only apologise to the fans as the team’s performance is my responsibility.”
He sought consolation in the belief that they had played badly on only three occasions all season. “Three out of 22 isn’t bad,” he said. “The bigger picture is that we’ve been good this season and I’m positive that this result isn’t going to have a negative effect on what we’re trying to do.”
The two managers were in conversation as they disappeared down the tunnel at the final whistle. What had Monk said? “I told José I was sorry I couldn’t give him a game today.”


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Telegraph:

League leaders extend their advantage over Manchester City with thumping win at Liberty Stadium
Jim White

Never mind Wilfried Bony, what Swansea City could have done with at the Liberty Stadium were a few defenders. Not to mention the odd midfielder. And a goalkeeper would have helped.
Easy barely does justice as a description for the win that secured Chelsea a five-point cushion over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, secured by a performance that Jose Mourinho described as “perfect”. Swansea, by contrast, capitulating to their worst ever defeat at the Liberty, conjured up 90 minutes of rare frailty, at times possessing all the defensive tenacity of a sheet of damp blotting paper.
If there was a conspiracy for Mourinho to rail against it was this: how did Swansea conspire to be this hapless? Against a Chelsea side at its most compelling, passing and moving with mesmerising efficiency, Garry Monk’s team spent the 90 minutes resembling King Canute, bamboozled by the waves of attack breaking about their feet.

“A horrible performance,” was Monk’s assessment. “I just said to Jose sorry I couldn’t give him a game today.” Huw Jenkins, the club chairman, wrote in the match programme of the Manchester City-bound Bony: “he will be missed, that’s for sure.” But not as much as Swansea missed the combined efforts of the injured Leon Britton, Jonjo Shelvey and Ki Sung-Yueng. Their absence obliged Monk to try to contain Chelsea with nobody in midfield who might be able to execute a tackle. Or at even get in the way of the ball.
As if Mourinho’s outfit are not effective enough in this mood, without his midfield trio, Monk’s side were a model of hospitality. If others have attempted to park the bus against Chelsea, Swansea decided to leave the doors open and the keys in the ignition.
Gylfi Sigurdsson, for instance, might be many things, but the next Javier Mascherano he isn’t. Instructed to act as cover to the back four, within a minute he had set the tone for the afternoon by casually passing the ball to Oscar on the edge of his own area. The Brazilian gleefully accepted the invitation, barely breaking stride as he smacked home the opener.
“It is very difficult to make those mistakes, especially against a Chelsea side playing like that,” Monk said.
Sigurdsson must have thought 89 minutes represented plenty of time to atone (and indeed he crashed a shot against the angle of bar and post with Petr Cech clutching the air moments later) but Chelsea were in no mood to stop there. Passing the ball with a telepathic ease, they tore gaping holes into the home side every time they advanced. And that was often.
Both Willian and Oscar had hit the bar before the visitors scored a second goal. And when it came, what a beauty it was. Cesc Fabregas, Willian and Oscar shared a wonderful one-two-three of instant cushioned passes, carving open the flat-footed home defence as if it were constructed of melting butter, before Fabregas slotted the ball through to Costa to fire home. It was the Brazilian’s 16th goal of the season, and Fabregas’s gazillionth assist.
By now Chelsea were in complete control. With the steely Nemanja Matic always there in the middle, with Willian busy in his recycling of the ball, with Hazard dazzling and shimmying, everything they did seemed to threaten goals.
And how Swansea helped them in their endeavours. After half an hour a ridiculous mistake by Federico Fernandez presented the visitors with a third. A word of advice to the unfortunate Fernandez: if you are going to thread a delicious, defence-splitting through ball to anyone, try to make sure it’s someone wearing the same colour shirt as you. And not Diego Costa.
The Argentine barely had time to hang his head in shame for his error before Oscar bundled through to smack home Costa’s perfectly weighted cutback. Chelsea were four up within 33 minutes and should have had another when Costa galloped through again, rounded Lukasz Fabianski and, after finding himself too wide, presented the ball to Willian. He set the bar shivering.
At half time, the stadium announcer revealed that a lady had come all the way from Calgary in Canada to watch the game. It was news which provoked a chuckle around the place, as the home supporters began to debate if there had ever been a more misconceived sporting trip. And things were not about to get any better. As the locals spent much of the second half chanting about “Garry Monk’s barmy army” sadly for them the barminess had not concluded. A delightful move down the right wing in the 80th minute, involving Branislav Ivanovic and the effervescent Oscar, saw the Serbian barrel towards the byline. His lovely cut back was poked home by the substitute Andre Schurrle.
It was a goal which at least could not have perturbed Monk too much: even a proper defence would have struggled to keep that one out.
“I have also lost 5-0,” said Mourinho, at his most conciliatory. “Not many times, but it’s hard. There are matches where you as manager you feel you can’t do anything. Everything goes wrong for you and everything goes perfect for the opponent. But maybe it is better to lose one game 5-0 than five 1-0.”
Given his hangdog expression at the final whistle, it is not entirely certain that Monk would agree.

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Times:

Five-star Chelsea prove stamina for long haul at expense of naive Swansea
Swansea City 0 Chelsea 5

Alyson Rudd

If you have to play the day before your closest rival in the Barclays Premier League title race then this is the way to rise to the challenge. José Mourinho took the threat posed, theoretically, by Swansea City seriously and was rewarded with a victory that swept away concerns that his core players are beginning to find their relentlessly successful season a bit tiring.
For Swansea this was not the start to life without Wilfried Bony they had hoped for. The striker had yearned for Champions League football and this performance underlined why he would not have found it by remaining in Wales. Yes, Chelsea were superior but Garry Monk’s team were naive, overly attacking and prone to making costly mistakes.
Chelsea began as vibrantly as they had been sluggish in their previous game against Newcastle United. Before a minute had passed Oscar had given Chelsea lead as he pounced, calmly, onto a mislaid pass from Gylfi Sigurdsson.
There immediately followed a burst of what can only be termed indignantly elegant football as Swansea and Sigurdsson in particular attempted to make up for the sloppy start. The Iceland playmaker was brimming with anger and bustled his way to a fine strike which had Petr Cech beaten but struck the woodwork.
Chelsea were, briefly, bedazzled by the home side’s eagerness to make amends but soon realised that Monk’s side were so very keen that they had forgotten about the key components of patience and composure.
Another Oscar shot trickled beyond Lukasz Fabianski having duped the Swansea defence and Willian struck the woodwork as Chelsea decided this was going to be one of those games where their natural inclination for conservatism need not apply.
Diego Costa scored Chelsea’s second, through the goalkeeper’s legs, after Federico Fernandez had, almost languidly, passed the ball into his path before the Spain forward made it 3-0 on 34 minutes.
Within a minute, the visitors were four ahead as Oscar doubled his tally. Willian won the ball far too easily in midfield and passed to Oscar who in turn fed Costa out on the right. The Brazil-born striker slid the ball into his team-mate as if taking part in the warm-up.
Willian hit the woodwork for a second time as Costa made a run from inside his own half, rounded the goalkeeper, thought better of trying to humiliate Ashley Williams and passed instead to the Brazilian. Indeed, Costa and Williams squared up to each other early in the second half but Jonathan Moss, the referee, decided all that was needed was an admonishment.
Sigurdsson was, by the end of the first half, pink-cheeked with a possible mixture of effort, shame and anxiety. Was this how life would be without Bony? The shorter-term and more pressing question was how Swansea could regain some dignity in the match.
Oscar came close to claiming a hat-trick as a predictably less entertaining second half progressed and Mourinho hauled off Costa for a well earned rest. Branislav Ivanovic set up André Schürrle for Chelsea’s fifth in the 80th minute.
This was Nelson Oliveira’s first start in the Premier League and the striker, on loan from Benfica, was visibly shaken by the onslaught. He kept on trying though, until his substitution in the 66th minute, and the home fans were prepared to accept that mistakes happen, the opposition can sometimes be too superior and if their team keep working there is no need to jeer. There was dignity, in the end, via that support, an increased work-rate and improved concentration but the plaudits that mattered belonged to Mourinho.

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Mail:

Swansea City 0-5 Chelsea: Blues' boys from Brazil batter Swans as Jose Mourinho's side move five points clear at the top of the table
By Matt Lawton

The only complaint Jose Mourinho could possibly have after this astonishingly one-sided contest was the fact that there was so little to complain about.
Not a hint of controversy. Not a booking he could blame on a referee. Barely a misplaced pass that might have given him an excuse to criticise one of his players.
It was, Mourinho was moved to declare, a perfect performance from his Chelsea side; a ‘perfect game’ with no possible reason to cry conspiracy or point to an ongoing campaign against his team. He could not even moan about Wilfried Bony’s transfer to Manchester City when the absence of the Ivorian striker was clearly to Chelsea’s advantage.
Instead, a stunned Liberty Stadium witnessed Chelsea returning to the campaign that remains Mourinho’s true focus beyond the diversionary tactics of his recent outbursts; the campaign to propel his side back to the summit of the English game.
However strong Manchester City might be, Chelsea will be hard to stop on this evidence. This time two first-half goals apiece for Oscar and Diego Costa and a further second-half strike from Andre Schurrle secured three more points, with some quite extraordinary defensive errors contributing to Swansea’s demise. But to suggest simply that Swansea were the architects of their own downfall would be to seriously undervalue just how wonderful a performance this was from the Premier League leaders.
Swansea were awful. ‘Horrible’ was how Garry Monk described a first 45 minutes he rated their worst of the season.
Mourinho has assembled the Chelsea side we are enjoying this season and right now they are playing as well — and as attractively — as any team in Europe.
The manager was invited to praise Costa and Oscar afterwards but he quite rightly pointed to the fact that every player in the side deserved praise. He mentioned John Terry, Filipe Luis and Branislav Ivanovic in response but he could just have easily pointed to the commanding midfield display of Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic.
The finishing of Oscar and Costa was nevertheless superb.
The opening Chelsea goal, scored after just 49 seconds, might have owed much to Gylfi Sigurdsson’s wayward pass — one seemingly intended for Ashley Williams but one that was diverted into the path of Oscar when it struck Tom Carroll — but it remained a marvellous strike.
There was the briefest glimpse of a riposte when Sigurdsson sent a shot crashing against the angle of post and crossbar in the second minute but after that Swansea pretty much folded.
When Fabregas, so composed and confident alongside the marvellous Matic, executed a delightful one-two with Willian before feeding the ball into Costa, goal number two arrived in the 20th minute. Costa, much like Oscar, produced a fierce, low finish Lukasz Fabianski was powerless to stop.
Chelsea were so in control, with Willian seeing one shot bounce off a post and another rebound off the crossbar. But when Federico Fernandez contrived in the 34th minute to knock a back-pass into the path of Costa, the Spaniard extended Chelsea’s lead with another deadly strike.
For Monk it was clearly proving very painful, Swansea’s manager watching in despair as another goal arrived within two minutes.
This time Willian sparked the move with a burst from midfield and a delightful pass out to Costa on the right flank, with Costa then delivering to the ball into the path of a rapidly advancing Oscar and so inviting the Brazilian to smash it home. He did so with ease. It enabled Chelsea to stroll through the second half, even if there was a moment when Costa and Williams threatened to become embroiled in an ugly exchange. But it remained a game without controversy and without much of a fight from the hosts.
With one eye on Tuesday’s League Cup encounter at Liverpool, Mourinho eventually made changes. But a fifth Chelsea goal, scored in the 79th minute, still came, with Eden Hazard and Ivanovic inviting Schurrle to compound Swansea’s misery from close range.
Rarely has Mourinho seemed more content.

Swansea City (4-4-2):Fabianski 5; Tiendalli 4, Fernandez 4, Williams 4.5,Taylor 4.5; Dyer 4 (Barrow 74), Carroll 4, Sigurdsson 5, Routledge 5.5 (Emnes 32, 5.5), Oliveira 4.5 (Fulton 66, 5); Gomis 5.
Subs not used: Tremmel, Rangel, Amat, Bartley.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech 6; Ivanovic 6.5, Cahill 6, Terry 6, Luis 6, Matic 7, Fabregas 7.5 (Ramires 74, 6), Willian 7.5 (Schurrle 76), Oscar 8.5, Hazard 7; Costa 8 (Remy 74, 6).
Subs not used: Courtois, Zouma, Mikel, Salah.
Scorers: Oscar (1, 36), Costa (19, 34), Schurrle (79).
Man of the match: Oscar
Referee: Jonathan Moss.
Att: 20,785.

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Mirror:

Swansea 0-5 Chelsea:

Oscar and Costa at the double for rampant Blues as Swans are blown away
Mike Walters

The visitors tore Swansea apart in a dizzying display, with Oscar and Diego Costa each bagging a brace before Schurrle put the icing on the cake
Too easy. Too easy for words.
Chelsea moved five points clear at the Premier League summit after blowing Swansea away with four goals in the opening 34 minutes at the Liberty Stadium.
Swansea were abject, and contributed generously to their own downfall, in a first half that was more one-sided than a postage stamp.
But it would be churlish to diminish the quality of Chelsea's football because they were magical at times and ruthless in all aspects of an absurdly-straightforward win on the road.
Diego Costa plundered another two goals, taking his Premier League stash for the season to 17, and in the week of the film academy nominations over in Hollywood, it was somehow appropriate that Oscar also scored twice.
Swansea were so poor that it was not easy to judge how readily they will adjust to life without £28 million refugee Wilfried Bony. The preliminary evidence suggests they will struggle too score goals.
In fairness, the Swans held out for 49 seconds before Oscar's clinical, low shot opened the floodgates, but when you play against Chelsea it usually helps to turn up in the same postcode - and Garry Monk's side failed that basic test spectacularly.
The four-man move and one-touch passing which led to Costa making it 2-0 after 19 minutes was sublime, but Federico Fernandez's gormless backpass which gifted him another was self-destruction as an art form.
Oscar buried Eden Hazard's pass, high and handsome beyond Lukasz Fabianski, 80 seconds later and substitute Andre Schurrle completed the rout 10 minutes from time.
"Boring, boring Chelsea" sang the travelling missionaries from west London sarcastically.
They also serenaded Jose Mourinho with a few thunderous refrains, and the great deity almost summoned the modesty to ignore them. Bravely, he caved in and acknowledged them. At least twice.
But it's not all about the Special One, as Jose often reminds us with his shy body language - it's about his team.
And on this evidence, they are going to win the title.
Teams
•Swansea: Fabianski, Tiendalli, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor, Carroll, Sigurdsson, Dyer, Oliveira, Routledge, Gomis
•Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Filipe Luis, Matic, Fabregas, Willian, Oscar, Hazard, Diego Costa

Next three Premier League games:
•Swansea: Southampton (A), Sunderland (H), West Brom (A)
•Chelsea: Man City (H), Aston Villa (A), Everton (H)

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Express:

Swansea 0 - Chelsea 5: Jose Mourinho's five star Blues hammer Swans
Chelsea put five past Swansea City
Harry Pratt

But then does the Blues boss really need to talk up his team’s championship credentials when they do their own talking by delivering such sensational statements of intent as the one witnessed here?
Mourinho hailed his side, saying: “That was the perfect day and the perfect performance.
“We are playing with a very high quality. The team have a clear identity now.”
The Special One’s ‘candidates’, as he called them ahead of this trip to south Wales, were at their savage, lethal best yesterday – scoring mercurial goals for fun while tearing poor Swansea to shreds.
Two goals apiece from Oscar and Diego Costa had secured a second away win in six outings for the Quadruple chasers some 10 minutes before half-time. Yes, it was that easy.
And the rout, capped by Andre Schurrle’s late effort, was surely the best possible message to send to their nearest rivals in the race for domestic glory, Manchester City.
The table-topping Blues are five points clear of Manuel Pellegrini’s men, who have a game in hand at home to Arsenal this afternoon.
Whatever the result of that clash, though, it would take a brave punter to wager against Chelsea bagging their first Premier League trophy of Mourinho’s second spell at the helm.
For while Swansea’s sloppy rearguard certainly contributed to a rapid downfall, that should take nothing away from the visitors’ free-flowing, five-star show.
Swansea’s week had been dominated by the £28million exit to Man City of African ace Wilfried Bony – a player reportedly once on Mourinho’s radar.
No question that the completion of the big-money transfer is a huge psychological blow to Garry Monk’s men.
Sure, the Ivory Coast striker would have missed this game because of the ongoing African Cup of Nations.
But knowing your top scorer over the last 18 months – and the Premier League’s most prolific in 2014 – has gone can never be a good feeling.
Mourinho’s line-up was as expected. Petr Cech kept his place in goal with regular Thibaut Courtois on the bench, recovering from a broken finger.
But it was Cech’s opposite number, Lukasz Fabianksi, who was immediately in the thick of the action – or rather picking the ball out of his net with 49 seconds gone.
Gylfi Sigurdsson’s intended pass to Ashley Williams struck team-mate Tom Carroll en route, falling into the path of Blues’ Brazilian ace Oscar.
There was only one outcome as the midfielder unleashed a low drive past the helpless Polish keeper.
If Chelsea reckoned they were in for a stroll, Sigurdsson’s response to his gaffe must have made them think again. A minute later the Icelandic playmaker rattled the woodwork.
But Swansea were to concede three more times in 19 minutes. A great exchange between Cesc Fabregas and Willian led to the unmarked Costa drilling in a second – the £32m hitman’s 16th goal in 19 league games.
Nine minutes later Costa was at it again, intercepting Federico Fernandez’s blind back-pass to make it 3-0, before he fed the superb Oscar to slam in the fourth.
And substitute Schurrle popped up in the 79th minute to make it a fantastic five.
Monk said: “I’ve said sorry to Jose that we couldn’t give them a better game. I’m hurting and my players are hurting. I apologise to the fans.”

SWANSEA: Fabianski; Tiendalli, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Sigurdsson, Carroll, Dyer (Barrow 73), Oliveira (Fulton 65), Routledge (Emes 30), Gomis.
CHELSEA: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Felipe; Matic Fabregas (Ramires 73), Willian (Schurrle 76), Oscar, Hazard, Costa (Remy (73).

MAN of MATCH: Oscar: – The boy from Brazil often goes unnoticed amid Chelsea’s array of glittering talent. Yesterday his star shone brightest.
Ref: J Moss Att: 20,785

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Star:

Swansea 0 - Chelsea 5: Blues run riot in Wales to extend lead over Man City
Harry Pratt

But then does the Blues boss really need to talk up his team's championship credentials when they do their own talking by delivering such sensational statements of intent as the one witnessed here?
The Special One's 'candidates', as he called them ahead of this trip to south Wales, were at their most savage, lethal best yesterday - scoring mercurial goals for fun while tearing poor Swansea to shreds.
Two goals apiece from Oscar and Diego Costa had secured a second away win in six outings for the Quadruple chasers some 15 minutes before half-time arrived. Yes, it was that easy.
And the one-sided rout, capped by Andre Schurrle's late effort, was surely the best message possible to send to their nearest rivals in the race for domestic glory, Manchester City.
The table-topping Blues are now FIVE points clear of Manuel Pelligrini's men, who have a game in hand ...at home to Arsenal this afternoon.
Whatever the result of that clash, though, it would take a brave punter to wager against Chelsea bagging their first Premier League trophy of Mourinho's second spell at the helm.
For while Swansea's sloppy rearguard certainly contributed to a rapid downfall, that should take nothing away from the visitors' free-flowing five-star show.
Swansea's week had been dominated by the £28million exit to Man City of African ace Wilifried Bony - a player reportedly once on Mourinho's radar. No question that the completion of the big-money transfer is a huge psychological blow to Monk's men.
Sure, the Ivory Coast striker would not have been available for this game because of the on-going African Cup of Nations. However, knowing your top scorer over the last 18 months - and the Premier League's most prolific in 2014 - has gone forever can never be a good feeling.
All of which, of course, makes the idea that the Swans could be about to off-load French forward Bafetimbi Gomis in this window utterly laughable. Gomis, 29, a free from Lyon last summer, was making his third start on the spin for the hosts, who kicked off in ninth place.
Mourinho's line-up was as expected. Petr Cech kept his place in goal with regular Thibaut Courtois on the bench, recovering from a broken finger.
But it was Cech's opposite number Lukasz Fabianksi who was immediately in the thick of the action - or rather picking the ball out of his own net with just 49 seconds gone.
Gylfi Sigurdsson's intended pass to Ashley Williams struck team-mate Tom Carroll en route, falling into the path of Blues' Brazilian ace Oscar.
From there was only one outcome as the midfielder took aim and unleashed a low drive past the helpless Polish keeper.
If Chelsea reckoned they were going to enjoy a stroll in the park, Sigurdsson response to his gaff must have made them think again. A minute later the Icelandic playmaker rattled the woodwork with a 30-yard screamer.
Sadly, that moment flattered to deceive because for the rest of the half Garry Monk's men were battered senseless - and conceded three more times in the space of 19 crazy minutes.
A marvellous exchange between Cesc Fabregas and Willian led to unmarked Costa drilling in an inevitable second. That was the £32m-hitman's 16th goal in 19 league games.
Just nine minutes later Costa was at it again, intercepting Federico Fernandez's blind back pass to make it 3-0, before he fed superb Oscar to slam in the fourth.
Amazingly, Swansea had got off lightly - given the equally impressive Willian was denied by both the post and bar during the goal fest.
With a Capitol One Cup semi-final versus Liverpool this Tuesday, Chelsea understandably took the foot off the gas in the second half.
But just for good measure substitute Schurrle popped up in the 79th minute to make it a fantastic five.

SWANSEA: Fabianski 5; Tiendalli 6, Fernandez 5, Williams 6, Taylor 5; Sigurdsson 5, Carroll 5, Dyer 5 (Barrow (73rd) 6), Oliveira 5 (Fulton 65th) 6), Routledge 5 (Emes (30th), Gomis 5
CHELSEA: Cech 6; Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Terry 7, Felipe 7; Matic 8, Fabregas 8 (Ramires 73rd) 6), Willian 8 (Schurrle 76th), Oscar 9, Hazard 8, Costa 9 (Remy (73rd) 6)

Newcastle 2-0

Independent:

Chelsea 2 Newcastle 0
Oscar and Diego Costa help Blues weather storm to take advantage of Manchester City slip
Glenn Moore

Those players took a while to find their master’s voice, but eventually delivered a statement of intent as, with Manchester City held, Chelsea moved two points clear at the Premier League summit.
Outplayed for the first 40 minutes Chelsea won at a canter, goals from Oscar and Costa killing off the game with half an hour to spare.
As pleasing for Mourinho will have been the clean sheet, Chelsea having shipped five goals at White Hart Lane in their last top flight outing. There was one intriguing change to the outfield from the team humbled at Tottenham: Gary Cahill was replaced by Kurt Zouma who made his first Premier League start. Zouma may have the name and physique of a support actor in a Jean-Claude Van Damme film, but increasingly looks a very competent centre-half.
Assistant coach Steve Holland, who was deputed by Mourinho to undertake his media duties, insisted Cahill, whose form has dipped, had not been dropped. He said: “We play for nine months and are on course to play 60-odd matches. Gary played every game over the Holiday period [five in 14 days]. The club get a lot of stick for not giving young players a go, but the manager showed faith in Kurt and he was immaculate.”
In the first half it looked as if Mourinho had omitted the wrong centre-half as John Terry was made to look uncomfortable as the visitors emerged the sharper. The inspiration was Remy Cabella who metamorphised into a latter-day Jimmy Johnstone, jinking past Chelsea defenders at will. He cut in from the left in the 18th minute, weaving past opponents then curving a shot towards the far post. Terry managed to get a leg to it, and was pleased to see the ball deflect for a corner.
Two minutes later Cabella tricked past a brace in the inside-right channel only to be felled by Branislav Ivanovic. Yoan Gouffran’s thunderous free-kick was parried by Petr Cech (who had replaced Thibaut Courtois as the Belgian had a hand injury). Chelsea countered but after Eden Hazard set up Costa the striker unexpectedly attempted to return the pass enabling Jack Colback to clear.
Cabella continued to look inspired and ghosted past Terry in the 32nd minute before bringing a fine save from Cech. Moussa Sissoko was next to square up and glide by the Chelsea skipper. His shot thumped against the outside of the post.
There was a sense that Newcastle would rue the missed chances. So it proved. Two minutes from the break Fabricio Coloccini gave away a corner. With the centre-half still out of position Willian took the kick quickly finding Ivanovic who cut back for Oscar. His precise shot beat the double Dutch combination of Daryl Janmaat and Tim Krul on the line.
“The players switched off,” said Newcastle caretaker manager John Carver, “but when you play top players they do seem to think a bit quicker and will punish you.”
The teams headed into one of those odd half-time breaks in which the leading team gets the hairdryer. “Jose was very clear to the players what he wanted them to do,” said Holland. He wanted greater urgency with Newcastle being pressed higher up the pitch and more assertiveness in possession.
Chelsea might soon have had a penalty when Costa’s cross struck Coloccini’s arm. The referee disagreed, even after Chelsea surrounded him. Holland was loathe to pursue the issue given his boss’s impending hearing, but made it clear Chelsea felt it should have been a penalty.
Just before the hour Costa made the debate academic, clinically finishing after Hazard and Oscar sublimely combined. Costa would have struck again but for a 67th-minute challenge by Vurnon Anita, then a 79th-minute clearance by Coloccini, but with Newcastle spent the two-goal cushion was ample.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Azpilicueta (Felip Luis, 37); Fabregas, Matic; Willian, Oscar (Ramires, 78), Hazard; Costa (Remy, 84).
Newcastle United (4-4-1-1): Krul; Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett; Anita, Colback, Cabella, Gouffran (Ameobi, 61); Sissoko (Riviere, 84); Perez.

Referee: Roger East.
Man of the match: Fabregas (Chelsea)
Match rating: 7

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

Observer:

Diego Costa adds gloss to a sluggish Chelsea win against Newcastle United
Jacob Steinberg

As Chelsea’s players walked down the tunnel at the end of this occasionally jittery but ultimately comfortable victory against Newcastle United, Stamford Bridge reverberated to cheers as news of Manchester City’s draw at Everton came over the PA. There is daylight between Chelsea and their closest rivals once more and, though José Mourinho was dissatisfied with some aspects of his side’s performance, the bottom line is that they are two points clear of City and the title is still theirs to lose.
If City were hoping that Chelsea’s debacle against Tottenham Hotspur on New Year’s Day would spark a crisis in west London, they were sorely mistaken.
Newcastle were certainly troublesome opponents in the first half and John Carver, their caretaker manager, did not shy away from acclaiming his chances of being appointed on a permanent basis, but the result was never in doubt once Oscar calmed Chelsea’s nerves shortly before half-time. The best sides win when they are not playing well, whereas Newcastle played well but lost for the sixth time in their past eight matches.
Mourinho was not happy with Chelsea’s lethargy before Oscar’s goal, although he left it up to his assistant, Steve Holland, to reveal that some constructive criticism was dealt out during the interval. The Football Association’s decision to charge Mourinho with misconduct following his comments about a campaign against Chelsea means that we might not hear from him much in the next few weeks. “José was very clear with what he wanted them to improve, and the players did that,” Holland said. “He wanted the team to play further up the pitch and be more aggressive and assertive.”
Mourinho’s assessment was as accurate as ever. Chelsea’s aura of invincibility has received a few too many dents for his liking in recent weeks and it was strange to see them outplayed by Newcastle during a first half when the men in blue shirts seemed allergic to keeping the ball.
Chelsea were fortunate that Newcastle were not more ruthless and that Petr Cech, who was making a rare start in goal because of Thibaut Courtois’s thumb injury, showed no signs of any rust. The expectation was that Newcastle would be on the end of a fearsome backlash from Chelsea, but Cech was forced to remind us of his outstanding qualities more often than Mourinho would have anticipated.
Newcastle were inspired by the memory of their victory against Chelsea at St James’ Park last month and they did not sit back. Instead, driven on by the surges from midfield of Moussa Sissoko and the impish dribbling of Rémy Cabella, they were adventurous and dominant for long spells, despite being deprived of several key players because of injuries and the Africa Cup of Nations.
Yoan Gouffran’s firm free-kick was beaten away by Cech, Sissoko crashed a shot against the outside of the post after skipping past John Terry with surprising ease and the Chelsea captain also hung out a leg to deflect Cabella’s curling shot just past the left post.
Cabella’s quick feet, daring and ability to ghost past defenders made him Newcastle’s biggest threat and he had their clearest chance. Eden Hazard lost possession and the ball broke to Cabella, who drifted past Terry and then curled a shot towards the bottom-right corner from the edge of the area.
Cech was a sizeable obstacle, but he was not being afforded much protection from his defence. Gary Cahill paid the price for his part in that 5-3 defeat at Tottenham and was replaced by Kurt Zouma, but Chelsea were still unusually open, and their problems increased when César Azpilicueta limped off with a groin injury.
Carver was reflecting on the effectiveness of his gameplan at that point and he must have been encouraged to see Mourinho lose his temper with Diego Costa for his lack of movement as a pass from Cesc Fàbregas sailed out of play.
There were flashes from Chelsea, however, such as a volley from Oscar that looped wide, and Newcastle’s failure to take their chances made them vulnerable.
The disappointment for Newcastle was that Oscar’s goal was so avoidable. They were not alive to the danger when Chelsea won a corner on the right and Willian quickly tapped it to Branislav Ivanovic, who laid the ball on a plate for Oscar at the far post.
Chelsea were liberated after the goal, playing with greater freedom and authority, and Costa doubled their lead when he finished off a stunning move in the 59th minute. The ball was in the air when Oscar backheeled Hazard’s pass into Costa’s path and he drilled a low shot past the Newcastle goalkeeper, Tim Krul, to score his 15th goal of the season and secure Chelsea’s 10th consecutive league victory at home.
The groans that had been audible from the Chelsea fans in the first half were replaced by triumphant chants about being top of the league, long before Roger East’s final whistle.

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

Telegraph:

Chelsea 2 Newcastle United 0 match report: Diego Costa keeps Blues flying high at the top
Oscar also strikes as Jose Mourinho's side go two points clear
Jason Burt

A tenth straight home win for Chelsea but this was not as simple as A, B, C for Jose Mourinho’s side even if, with Manchester City drawing, it meant they are no longer on top of the Premier League only by virtue of alphabetical order.
The gap has been extended to two points with City the next league visitors to Stamford Bridge at the end of this month. By then, hopefully, Mourinho will have ended his self-imposed media silence.
That imposition has come as a result of the Football Association misconduct charge Mourinho faces for claiming there is a “campaign” to influence refereeing decisions against Chelsea.
Mourinho did not share his thoughts on this encounter – but then he did not have to. His touchline demeanour said it all. The Chelsea manager was clearly less than enamoured with his side’s first-half performance against Newcastle United who arrived without a manager, out of the cups and apparently with little to play for now this season, but who took the game to the title favourites.
John Carver, the caretaker, has now overseen three matches and not gained a victory but this was by far the most encouraging of the performances.
Inevitably he does not know what the future holds for him. Carver has thrown his hat in the ring to become the new head coach but as yet has not spoken to Newcastle owner Mike Ashley. Instead Carver has been told to soldier on by managing director Lee Charnley and hopes to earn one more chance to stake his claim with next Saturday’s fixture at home to Southampton.
Newcastle’s ambitions this campaign – every campaign their fans might say – may well be limited but they have to end any sense of drift. “I’ve no idea when they will make a decision but if the guys play like that then hopefully they will make the right decision,” Carver said (i.e. 'give me the job’).
Carver eked out probably Remy Cabella’s best performance for Newcastle with the 5ft 7in former Montpellier midfielder the most eye-catching player of the opening half-hour.
Twice Cabella breezed past John Terry as if he was not there and forced a fine low save by Petr Cech – in goal as Thibaut Courtois had damaged his thumb in the 5-3 defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur.
That loss clearly appeared to have affected Chelsea and, possibly, also cost Gary Cahill his place – given the torrid evening he was given by Harry Kane – although this was denied by assistant manager Steve Holland.
It was 20-year-old Kurt Zouma who partnered Terry in the heart of the defence and this, Holland said, was because of Chelsea’s heavy fixture schedule.
Nevertheless, Chelsea should have fallen behind when Newcastle broke once more and Moussa Sissoko, coveted by other clubs, ran down the left. Again it was Terry who was easily evaded, and the midfielder’s fierce rising drive cannoned off the angle of post and crossbar.
So what did Mourinho say at half-time?
“The manager reminded one or two of them of what was required,” Holland said. “What was his mood? Normal. He’s a highly experienced manager who knows what to say and when to say it.” That mood may have been lifted slightly – ever so slightly – because Chelsea undeservedly had taken the lead by then. It owed everything to Willian’s quick thinking and a lack of game management from Newcastle.
A corner was conceded but the ball only trickled out of play, rather than being sent to 'Row Z’. Willian was able to take a quick corner to pick out the run of Branislav Ivanovic who swept the ball across goal. There was Oscar, who had struggled up until that point, to side-foot it into the net off the boot of Tim Krul who had returned to the Newcastle goal after 10 games out through injury.
Would there be another penalty controversy? Chelsea were incensed not to be awarded a spot-kick by referee Roger East when Diego Costa’s cross struck Fabricio Coloccini, from close-range, on the arm. So incensed – with Cesc Fabregas, who had a running dialogue with the referee, leading the protests – that Mourinho sent his assistant Rui Faria down the tunnel to check the replays so he could berate the fourth official Michael Jones.
Newcastle had their complaints too, not least when Nemanja Matic caught Cabella in the throat. “Overzealous,” was Carver’s summary. “He [Cabella] is only six stone soaking wet and I was a bit concerned with him when he went down,” he added.
Chelsea were soothed by a sumptuous second goal. It was started and finished by Costa with Oscar eventually delivering a wonderful back-heeled flick to the striker who ran along the goal to shoot low back across Krul to claim his 15th league strike of the season – one ahead of Sergio Agüero.
Later Costa, by now energised, threatening, hungry for more, exercised the same move to again beat Krul – only for Coloccini to stretch and divert the ball over the crossbar.
“Listen, we took the game to Chelsea in the first-half and I have been involved in this club and other clubs that have come here and that’s one of the most positive performances I have seen coming to Stamford Bridge,” Carver claimed. His argument was sound. But Newcastle were still easily beaten as Chelsea regained their stride and with it a clear lead in the Premier League.

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

Times:

Chelsea 2 Newcastle 0: Chelsea clear at the top
David Walsh
      
PERHAPS it is on days such as this that titles are won. Average performance, but the right result and achieved with hardly a ripple on the stress scale. Then, to make the day better, your nearest rivals drop two points, leaving you alone at the top.
Even Jose Moan-inho wasn’t complaining yesterday. We know that from Steve Holland, who did the talking afterwards while the Special One continued his self-imposed public-speaking ban. He is facing an FA charge over comments about a “campaign against Chelsea” and so is denying us his charisma and post-match charm.
We will survive and he will grow tired of not hearing his own voice, and post-match Stamford Bridge will be livelier for his return. Holland said he thought the referee Roger East had a good game, which means his boss was also happy. To East’s credit, he wasn’t much swayed by Chelsea’s recent calls for better treatment from match officials. He didn’t give them much and didn’t afford Eden Hazard the protection that, according to Mourinho and Holland, is needed to save his career.
Daryl Janmaat, the Dutch full-back, made a couple of old-fashioned tackles and for a time in the first half, Hazard began to see the 50-50 ball as a lost cause. That was when Newcastle were impressive and their attacking midfielder Remy Cabella was the best player on the pitch.
Cabella cost Newcastle an estimated £7m from Montpellier and he is so slight you feared the wind might blow him over here. Not a bit of it. During the first half he went past Chelsea defenders like they were lamp posts.
John Carver, the Magpies’ caretaker manager, singled him out for praise. “I thought he was outstanding,” he said.
“He is a player who can bring Newcastle fans to the edge of their seats, I know he had me on the edge of mine.”
Newcastle had half-chances during a first half in which they were the better side. Petr Cech saved well from Cabella, Moussa Sissoko struck a fierce shot that ricocheted wide off the post and Cech was happy to block Yoan Gouffran’s free kick. The last thing Newcastle needed was to give away a goal before half-time, which was precisely what they did.
Fabricio Coloccini conceded a corner, Branislav Ivanovic saw an opportunity and sprinted towards the byline, and Willian picked him out with a quickly taken corner. Ivanovic crossed, Newcastle were at sixes and sevens and No 8 Oscar scored. Two minutes before the interval, you felt the game had been decided.
Unluckily for his players yesterday, Mourinho’s silence is confined to media duties. According to Holland, he had some harsh things to say at the interval and didn’t mind naming the two players he felt weren’t performing. You’d guess the targets were Oscar and Hazard, the former misplaced a lot of passes while the latter hadn’t warmed to the challenge Janmaat offered.
All that changed in the second half and Chelsea’s mostly humdrum performance was rescued by a goal of pure class. Hazard dinked a neat ball through to Oscar and, as three defenders moved towards the Brazilian, he executed a clever flick to turn the ball back to Diego Costa.
It gave the big man more time than he needs and, moving the ball to his right, he rifled a shot into the left corner. He stood with his arms in the air and then remembered the brilliance of the flick, going to Oscar and wrapping his big arms around him to tell us where the credit should go.
One final point worth making. Gary Cahill was on the bench yesterday, 20-year-old Kurt Zouma in his place. Zouma had an excellent game and was probably Chelsea’s best defender. “He was immaculate today,” said Holland, and from that you knew the Special One was pleased with the young one.

Star man: Remy Cabella (Newcastle)

Chelsea: Cech 6, Ivanovic 7, Zouma 7, Terry 6, Azpilicueta 5 (Luiz 37min, 5), Fabregas 6, Matic 7, Willian 6, Oscar 7 (Ramires 79min, 6), Hazard 6, Costa 7 (Remy 84min, 6)
Newcastle: Krul 6, Janmaat 6, Coloccini 5, Williamson 6, Dummett 6, Colback 7, Anita 7, Cabella 7, Sissoko 6 (Riviere 84min, 6), Gouffran 6 (Ameobi 63min, 6), Perez 4

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

Mail:

Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle: Jose Mourinho watches Oscar and Diego Costa complete comfortable win against John Carver's Magpies
By Rob Draper

They were not scintillating, though Eden Hazard’s chipped pass and Oscar’s flick for Diego Costa’s goal will bear multiple replays. At times, however, Newcastle stretched them and even bettered them.
Yet while Manchester City were dropping points against Everton, Chelsea were ruthlessly exploiting mistakes. Sterner tests lie ahead but this is a Newcastle team who beat them a month ago, so this victory was an important step on the way to proving their resilience.
Mourinho was again not speaking publicly, his FA charge given as the reason, so it was left to his assistant Steve Holland to explain how the improvement had been obtained at half time. ‘Jose was very clear to the players what he wanted from them to improve and the players did that, they responded very well,’ he said.
‘Jose wanted the team to press further up the pitch and to be mentally more aggressive and assertive with or without the ball and to play at a quicker tempo and they did that.’
This may be John Carver’s last match in charge — a draw and two defeats hardly represents compelling credentials since Alan Pardew’s departure — with Remi Garde in discussion with the club, but at least his side went down fighting after the debacle of last Saturday’s FA Cup defeat when they were booed by their own fans.
And if Garde is to be installed he will at least find a compatriot who finally appears up for the fight. Remy Cabella had made 21 appearances for Newcastle prior to this game and, for £12million, he has produced zero goals thus far. And yet, in the first half, he was unrecognisable.
John Terry suffered but so too did Cesar Azipilicueta, with two of the most consistent defenders so far this season made to look ordinary. The Spaniard was withdrawn in the 37th minute because of a groin injury but Cabella had already made it a sufficiently miserable afternoon for the left back to be grateful for small mercies.
Cabella had slalomed his way past three players in the 20th minute with a burst of pace unseen so far and Terry deflected his shot wide; later he would skip past Terry and only a fine save from Petr Cech prevented him opening the scoring.
‘He has been a little bit frustrating but I think he showed his value today,’ said Carver. ‘He was outstanding in possession and every time he tried to break, someone was clipping him to stop his momentum. He added the other side of the game, which was hard work.
‘He has now set a standard and I told him in front of everybody, “It’s no good you just doing that on a one-off. If you’re not prepared to do it every week, you’ll be sitting with me and Stoney [Steve Stone] on the bench”. But if he performs like that he could get our fans on the edge of the seat —because he had me on the edge of mine today.’
Cabella even survived a strong arm in the face from Nemanja Matic in the 71st minute, which saw a yellow card for the Serbian but which might have been red.
And it was not just Cabella. Cech, deputising for Thibaut Courtois, who has an injured thumb but was deemed fit enough for the bench, had to save smartly from Yoan Gouffran’s 22nd-minute free-kick, while Moussa Sissoko cut inside with Terry again exposed and hit a shot that struck the post

So it was all the more galling for Carver’s team when Chelsea, having threatened very little, were presented with a chance to take the lead. Willian was the opportunist, taking a quick short corner which out-witted Coloccini and found Branislav Ivanovic. With Newcastle unprepared, it was a relatively easy task for the Bulgarian to find Oscar at the far post for a simple finish in the 43rd minute.
‘It was very frustrating — just before half-time we switched off, like we did against Leicester,’ said Carver. ‘I made a big point of it and it happened again.’
It was enough to give Chelsea the foundation they needed. They started the second half with an intent and incisiveness which had been missing in the opening 45 minutes. And for those who enjoy the conspiracy theory, there was fuel to fire Mourinho’s talk of a campaign when Costa crossed the ball 10 minutes into the restart only for Coloccini’s out-stretched hand to prevent it reaching danger. It was a penalty and Costa and Cesc Fabregas protested furiously.
There was no lingering sense of injustice, however, as within four minutes Chelsea had extended their lead. Hazard had Newcastle mesmerised as he chipped a ball in for Oscar. The Brazilian executed an exquisite flick back to Costa, who cut inside to score his 15th goal of the season. ‘That was much more like the Chelsea the supporters would be used to,’ said Holland.
Costa might have made it 3-0 in the 79th minute, beating each member of Newcastle’s back four before allowing his wayward shot to be deflected wide by Coloccini.
Chelsea may not invincible this season, as Newcastle proved but a month ago. But give them a break and you are unlikely to recover.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech 7; Ivanovic 6.5, Zouma 6, Terry 5, Azpilicueta 6 (Filipe Luis 37 6); Matic 6, Fabregas 6; Willian 6.5, Oscar 7.5 (Ramires 78), Hazard 6.5; Costa 6.5 (Remy 84).
Subs not used: Courtois, Cahill, Mikel, Drogba.
Goals: Oscar 43, Costa 59
Booked: Matic, Oscar
Manager: Jose Mourinho 7

Newcastle (4-3-3): Krul 6; Janmaat 6, Coloccini 6, Williamson 6, Dummett 6; Sissoko 6.5 (Riviere 84), Anita 6, Colback 6; Cabella 7 Perez 5.5, Gouffran 6 (Ameobi 63 6).
Subs not used: Woodman, Santon, Haidara, Vuckic, Satko.
Booked: Williamson, Colback, Dummett
Manager: John Carver (caretaker) 5.5
Referee: Roger East 6
Star man: Oscar

Attendance: 41,612

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

Mirror:

Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle: Oscar and Costa give below-par Blues an important win over Magpies
Neil McLeman
The Blues were a long way from their best but managed to get their revenge for their November loss at St James' Park

Oscar finally inspired slow-starting Chelsea to victory at Stamford Bridgeafter Newcastle dominated the first half.
And this win could prove a vital turning point in the title race as Jose Mourinho's side re-opened a two-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table.
Alan Pardew's side inflicted the first defeat of the season at St James' Park last month.
And John Carver's team should have been leading at the break but failed to take their chances
During their ascendancy, Yoan Gouffran drilled a free kick straight at Petr Cech while Remy Cabella was denied his first Toon goal by a good low save from the recalled Chelsea keeper.
And Moussa Sissoko missed the best chance when he shot against the outside of the post.
One dazzling run from Cabella saw Cesar Azpilicueta to miss a tackle and suffer an injury which caused the full-back to be replaced.
Jose Mourinho was furious with his team in the early stages, with his anger directed especially at Diego Costa and Oscar.
But after 43 minutes, this game changed with a brilliant piece of quick thinking from Willian.
When Chelsea won a corner, the Brazilian immediately passed to Branislav Ivanovic who crossed for Oscar to side-foot home at the far post.
Then in the 59th minute, Oscar conjured a audacious flick to set up Costa for his 15th goal of the season.
Despite the introduction of the lively Sammy Ameobi, the game fizzled out, especially when Costa was replaced after 84 minutes.
The Blues maintain their 100 per cent home record in the Barclays Premier League this term while Mourinho continues his perfect home record against Newcastle.
For Carver, his record now reads played two, lost two - hardly convincing evidence he should get the job on a full-time basis.

Teams
◦Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Azpilicueta (Filipe Luis, 37'), Matic, Fabregas, Willian, Oscar (Ramires, 79'), Hazard, Costa (Remy, 84')
◦Newcastle: Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini, Williamson, Dummett, Sissoko (Riviere, 84'), Anita, Colback, Cabella, Perez, Gouffran (Ameobi, 63')

Next three Premier League games:
◦Chelsea: Swansea (A), Man City (H), Aston Villa (A)
◦Newcastle: Man United (H), Stoke (A), Southampton (H)

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

Express:

Chelsea 2 - Newcastle 0: Mourinho's men open up two-point lead over Manchester City

Jim Holden

Jose Mourinho doesn't smile too much these days, always on the hunt for conspiracies and demons in the maelstrom of English football.
He declined to speak again yesterday, remaining in an almighty huff about another FA charge of improper conduct for questioning the integrity of refereeing decisions.
Surely, though, the Chelsea manager left Stamford Bridge with more than a little satisfaction yesterday evening as his team shrugged off a woeful start to claim a win of routine vigour and stride two points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
Well-worked goals from Oscar and Diego Costa crushed the hopes of a Newcastle side that played with panache and purpose in the opening half but faded badly after the break.
In deep mid-winter, these are the kind of victories that managers covet.
No team, however good, however talented, and Chelsea can be scintillating, will stay at peak form all the time.
Efficiency on such afternoons is the requirement, and that is what Mourinho has long been a master of. His men tend to get the job done.
They did here after chasing shadows for much of the opening period as Newcastle impressed under the watchful eye of caretaker boss John Carver. The only conspiracy here was one by the Chelsea players --- against themselves.
They were second to every ball, bereft of imagination, and grateful for a couple of fine saves by stand-in goalkeeper Petr Cech to keep out shots from Remy Cabella who appeared able to jink and weave past Chelsea defenders at will.
When Moussa Sissoko rattled the post with a fierce shot in the 36th minute, the disgust of Mourinho on the touchline was raised another notch.
By half-time, though, Chelsea had stolen the lead with a goal created by bright minds. Willian took an instant corner and Branislav Ivanovic crossed low for Oscar to steer home at the far post with Newcastle's defence still dozing.
The game was won in that moment of ingenuity.
Until then Chelsea striker Diego Costa had been thoroughly out of sorts; the kind of day when the ball kept bouncing off his shins.
Suddenly, he was a rampant threat, and scored Chelsea's second goal with ruthless precision in the 58th minute with a chance created by a clever flick from Oscar.
Another superb run past three defenders put Costa clear in the penalty box, but his shot was brilliantly diverted over the bar by Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini. This was wonderful play all round.
Chelsea cruised to the final whistle, at last showing a few glimpses of the gorgeous football they have served up at times this season. The inter-play of Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard was a delight, but also merely an adornment yesterday.
As for the supposed conspiracy of officialdom against Mourinho and his men?
Well, they were happy enough yesterday when referee Roger East showed leniency in brandishing only a yellow card to Nemanja Matic for a fierce challenge on Cabella that might have been a red card on another day.
Newcastle barely mustered a shot in the second half, but Carver preferred to focus on the first half fizz, saying: "I was proud of the positive way they played.
"I don't know when a decision on the full-time manager will be made, but if they keep playing like that, hopefully the club will make the right decision!"

CHELSEA: Cech; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Azpilicueta (Luis 37th); Matic, Fabregas; Willian, Oscar (Ramires 78th), Hazard; Costa (Remy 83rd).
NEWCASTLE: Krul; Janmaat, Coloccini, Williamson, Dummett; Anita, Colback; Cabella, Sissoko (Riviere 84th), Gouffran (Ameobi 61st); Perez.
Referee: R East.

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

Star:

Chelsea 2 - Newcastle 0: Blues go two points clear with win over managerless Toon
Paul Hetherington

But what more would you expect after Jose Mourinho led a Blues delegation to the House of Lords three days earlier to discuss the work done by Chelsea's Foundation and their academy?
And back on the pitch yesterday they avenged their defeat at Newcastle five weeks ago with goals from Oscar and crowd-hero Diego Costa, who notched his 15th of the season.
So it was business as usual for Chelsea after their shock 5-3 defeat at Tottenham in their last league match.
And that despite Newcastle making the brighter start on a day when Mourinho left goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and centre-back Gary Cahill on the bench.
Perhaps the Chelsea boss was making a point after those five goals conceded at Tottenham, although the Blues claimed Courtois had a slight thumb injury.
Petr Cech, in the absence of Courtois, made early saves from Moussa Sissoko and Yoan Gouffran.
John Terry, magnificent in the early stages when Chelsea needed their captain to be an inspiration, also deflected a Remy Cabella effort just wide.
When Chelsea did get going, Jack Colback rescued Newcastle with a vital interception.
Then Oscar drove wide from an inviting position.
But before half-time, Cech made an outstanding save from the lively Cabella and Sissoko hit the outside of the post after going past Terry.
So it was against the run of play when Chelsea took the lead in the 43rd minute.
Newcastle were caught out by a quickly-taken Willian corner on the right.
The Brazilian rolled the ball to Branislav Ivanovic, who crossed low for Oscar to drive home at the far post, despite the efforts of Daryl Janmaat and Tim Kul to keep the ball out.
Krul, back after a six-week absence with an ankle injury, prevented Chelsea scoring again before the break, when he kept out a Willian free-kick.
Chelsea were denied a clear penalty for handball against Fabricio Coloccini before Costa increased their lead on the hour.
A neat build-up led to Oscar setting up Costa for a low right-foot finish to add to his impressive scoring streak.
Chelsea dominated the second period but they were fortunate not to be reduced to ten men when Nemanja Matic received only a yellow card for what was almost a forearm smash on Cabella.
Costa, after a brilliant run, looked like making it 3-0, but his shot was sliced over his own bar by Coloccini.

Watford 3-0

Guardian:

Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma puts seal on FA Cup victory over Watford

Paul Doyle at Stamford Bridge

It took some half-time tinkering but Chelsea cruised into the fourth round of the FA Cup thanks to a trio of second-half goals and in the end the only shock came after the match when José Mourinho issued an apology to the referee.
The Chelsea manager had criticised Kevin Friend in a post-match television interview for not awarding a penalty for a handball by Craig Cathcart before Loïc Rémy scored the second goal but a subsequent conversation with the official made him realise the criticism was unfair, so Mourinho began his press conference by saying sorry.
“I was speaking with the referee and I want to apologise for my comments on television,” he said. “Because what he did was great refereeing. He saw that there was a penalty – and was ready to give a penalty – but decided that the ball was going to Rémy and he waited a couple of seconds. He told me that, if Rémy did not control the ball or if the ball went over the bar, he would have given the penalty. I was complaining but it was good refereeing.”
Mourinho’s original anger with Friend might have stemmed from his previous assertion that Chelsea are the victims of a campaign in which their alleged offences are highlighted more than those of other teams but it was probably exacerbated by his discomfort at watching his team’s toils against an admirable Watford side, especially in a scoreless first half.
Any of the 6,000 Watford fans who had made the short journey to Stamford Bridge fearing their team would be made to pay for Chelsea’s New Year’s Day thrashing by Tottenham must have been soothed by the sluggish start made by the hosts and the smart one by Slavisa Jokanovic’s men.
Chelsea, fielding only three of the players who began against Spurs, were pedestrian during the first period while Watford were solid and tenacious in a 4-5-1 formation and carried a threat on the counterattack. The visitors were even the first to force the opposing goalkeeper into action, as long-range shots from Daniel Tozser and Troy Deeney drew saves from Petr Cech.

 

Off-target headers from Didier Drogba and Gary Cahill were the closest Chelsea came to scoring in a first half in which the absences of Cesc Fàbregas, Eden Hazard and Nemanja Matic left the Premier League side badly short of creativity. Unsurprisinly, Ramires and Mikel John Obi did not cut it as replacement playmakers. On the stroke of half-time Odion Ighalo dragged badly wide from the edge of the Chelsea box after another counterattack from Watford. Mourinho, who said the first half was “a bit sad”, sought to perk his team up for the second half by introducing Diego Costa and Willian in place of Oscar and the particularly disappointing André Schürrle.
The substitutes broke the deadlock with much-needed ingenuity. Costa, whose movement was beginning to tear holes in the visiting defence, foraged down the right before offering Willian a shooting opportunity from 20 yards. The Brazilian seized it with style, curling the ball into the top corner.
They had struggled to gain the lead, but Chelsea never looked like relinquishing it. Their grip on the game already seemed ominously imperious before Chelsea secured victory with a second goal in the 70th minute. Again Costa was instrumental in the creation. After a one-two with Drogba he unleashed a shot from 15 yards that was blocked by Cathcart before the ball dropped to Rémy who, with the referee watching to see what would happen, walloped it into the net from 12 yards.
Kurt Zouma’s headed goal two minutes later served as extra recompense for a 20-year-old defender who deputised well in place of John Terry.
Mourinho also confirmed after the match that goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is leaving Chelsea to join Leicester City.

Man of the match Diego Costa (Chelsea)

Tottenham 3-5

Independent:

Harry Kane's double helps Tottenham put five past Jose Mourinho's Chelsea

Tottenham 5 Chelsea 3: John Terry consolation sees Chelsea stay top of the table - but only alphabetically

Sam Wallace


In the aftermath, Jose Mourinho simply blamed the referee again, an old trick of his but one that he has used to certain effect over the years. Yet even he will know that with every deployment this excuse becomes that bit less of a distraction from the real show.

The real show was that his Chelsea team were well-beaten by a Tottenham Hotspur side sparked into life by a marvellous equaliser from Harry Kane on 27 minutes, the first of his two goals, that changed the course of the game. The young Englishman tormented the Chelsea defence, in particular Gary Cahill who also conceded a penalty to the striker and ended the game by helplessly booting Kane in the back as he lay prone on the turf.

That was one way of summing up Chelsea’s afternoon of frustration, and Cahill was fortunate that referee Phil Dowd did not see it. The truth for the league leaders is that they looked jaded, in particular their leading lights such as Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa, Nemanja Matic and Cahill which is a concern for Mourinho as he tried to navigate the season with as few changes as possible to his line-up.

The Chelsea manager once again embarked on one of his criticisms of the match official, making the assumption that everyone in the room will have thought that a first half handball appeal against Jan Vertonghen was a penalty. That was a cause for debate. What was less convincing was the Chelsea manager’s claim that at two goals up Chelsea would never have lost the game.

Judging by the way Kane shredded Mourinho’s defence, anything was possible on this occasion. This is not the way Mourinho’s team are supposed to lose, with the goals flying in at either end and defence dominated by attack. A Chelsea team of his had never conceded four before, let alone five.

All this and Frank Lampard’s second match-winning goal of the season for Chelsea’s title rivals Manchester City against Sunderland. Days do not come much worse for Chelsea, who now lead the Premier League by virtue of alphabetical order from City with whom they have an identical record.

After such an indifferent start to the season, Mauricio Pochettino must take great credit for his club’s first win over Chelsea since April 2010 and his first over Mourinho as a manager. Their attacking spirit was embodied by Kane whose two goals take him to 17 for the season and mark the further emergence of an unorthodox but beguiling English talent.

It was the kind of game you might expect at the end of a draining Christmas run of matches, and it was compelling entertainment. When Chelsea beat Spurs 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in early December, the game as good as over as soon as the home team took the lead. This time Spurs’ response to falling behind was very different.

The away team were calling the shots for the first 17 minutes in the build-up to their goal. The tempo was just how Mourinho’s players wanted it, Matic mopped up the occasional problems in midfield and when the ball dropped to the feet of Eden Hazard on the left wing there was always danger.

At right-back, Kyle Walker, playing just his fourth league game of the season was having one of those days when it must have felt like he had his boots on the wrong feet. There were some familiar grumblings from the home fans around the dugout. Ryan Mason hobbled off with a strain and it took around four minutes for the ball to go out of play so Pochettino could replace him with Mousa Dembele.

When Costa scored the goal that gave Chelsea the lead, the story was taking a familiar shape. It was Hazard who made the chance, getting free on the right side and hitting a shot that struck the post. Oscar aimed for goal with the rebound and it fell for Costa who guided it over the line from close range.

With Spurs vulnerable, Mourinho’s side did not create the chances to score the second and they paid for it. Kane’s equaliser came from nothing and it gave his team-mates the confidence to assert themselves in the game.

Kane cut in from the left with Oscar trailing in his wake, and as soon as he sensed the space to pivot and shoot he did so, pinging a right foot shot beyond Thibaut Courtois’ right hand and into the corner of the Chelsea goal.

For the final 15 minutes of the half, Spurs matched their opponents but most crucially they took their chances. A mistake by Cesar Azpilicueta turned over possession on 44 minutes and Christian Eriksen was in, slipping a ball through the retreating back line to Nacer Chadli whose shot struck the post. With the ball loose, Danny Rose got to it a just before Cahill to score.

It was Cahill who gave away the penalty minutes later, once again fractionally late, this time on Kane and clearly tripped the striker. It had become giddy at White Hart Lane even before Andros Townsend slotted a left footed penalty past Courtois with the final kick of the half.

These are the kind of days that they live for at Spurs, although when they went three goals ahead six minutes after the break there was a mild disbelief. This was a game they had barely had a toehold in for the first 15 minutes and yet here was Kane again, spinning away from Matic and confidently placing the ball past Courtois for his 17th of the season.

It would become heated on the Chelsea bench later, when Mourinho complained bitterly about the slowness with which the ball was returned to play. Then he would rage against a challenge by Federico Fazio on Hazard. Before then Chelsea brought the score back to 4-2, Hazard exchanging passes with Fabregas to score.

It took a save from Hugo Lloris to stop a strike from Azpilicueta before Chadli scored the fifth, a deflected shot off John Terry. The Chelsea captain scored the third for his team, arriving at the far post unmarked. Before the end, Mourinho reached across for the handshakes with the opposite bench, although it was with rather less flourish this time.


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


Guardian:


Tottenham stun Chelsea in thriller after Harry Kane opens the floodgates

Spurs 5 - 3 Chelsea

Dominic Fifield at White Hart Lane

This was the evening Chelsea’s title pursuit, for the first time this season, was made to look fragile. Even unlikely. A side who pride themselves on an ability to ally thrilling attacking play with stingy defence were picked apart and embarrassed across the capital, wilting in the face of Tottenham Hotspur’s eager energy and attacking threat, and eclipsed by a homegrown forward who has never played better. Memories of this riotous occasion will sustain Harry Kane through the winter.

The England Under-21 international scored twice, earned a penalty and supplied Nacer Chadli with the hosts’ fifth as the majority in this arena revelled in a victory that felt barely credible. José Mourinho’s teams are not thrashed in this way. Never before had he conceded four while in charge of Chelsea, and this was only the second time in a 14-year managerial career the Portuguese had watched powerless as his charges shipped five. The new year has already seen their lead at the top shredded. Manchester City boast an identical record at present courtesy of a winning goal plundered by Frank Lampard up at the Etihad stadium earlier in the day. Those at the top are separated only on alphabetical order. The race has another twist to digest.

Perhaps fatigue played its part, with this a third awkward away trip in four matches in a congested period, but frailties which had not previously been apparent were exposed too often across Chelsea’s back line for comfort. Spurs may have been clinical, but the visitors were brittle and all the complaints about the non-award of a penalty when Oscar prodded a ball against the grounded Jan Vertonghen’s arm smacked of deflection tactics. There were real deficiencies here to spark concern, rather than conspiracy theories to expose.

Nemanja Matic was unable to stamp his usual authority on this contest. Gary Cahill has quelled the threat of Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez at times during his career, but Kane left him dazed and confused. The centre-half’s frustration erupted when the ball was stuck under the forward’s body on the touchline late on, the kicks to the back and calf apparently not noticed by the referee, Phil Dowd. The Football Association may choose to scrutinise that incident more carefully in the days ahead.

In truth, the entire Chelsea defence appeared flustered and uncharacteristically vulnerable, disconcerted by the aggressive running of Chadli and Andros Townsend down the flanks but, most of all, by Kane’s excellence. The forward is improving with every outing, his display here the best of a fledgling career to date from the moment he collected on the left and cut in-field with Oscar hesitant. Free of a challenge, the striker merely skimmed a shot into the corner from 20 yards and, instantly, the hosts’ conviction was stoked.

Tottenham were rampant in what little time remained up until the interval, Christian Eriksen scuttling forward to liberate Chadli behind Cahill. Thibaut Courtois charged to the edge of his area to intercept but his compatriot’s shot was poked beyond the goalkeeper and on to the far post, with Danny Rose bravely belting in the rebound to record a first league goal here since a derby winner on debut against Arsenal in April 2010. He was bruised while converting, though not as wounded as the visitors. Chelsea were still wheezing in disbelief when Cahill upended Kane as the striker appeared on his blindside. Townsend, the third youth-team graduate turned goalscorer, thumped in the resultant penalty.

Mourinho attempted to wrest back some control by introducing Ramires at the interval but his team’s rearguard were shellshocked. When Chadli pinned back Branislav Ivanovic and shifted possession inside to Kane, the young English forward turned Matic far too easily and curled a fourth through John Terry’s legs with Courtois helpless. The fifth, converted by Chadli, also flicked off the centre-half. “Chelsea are one of the best in the world, at Real Madrid level,” offered Mauricio Pochettino. This was the first time in eight attempts that he has beaten a Mourinho team. “A great victory. We deserved the victory. We were better than Chelsea.”

They were still anxious at times, particularly in the period after Diego Costa had pilfered an early lead. Eden Hazard had collected Courtois’ 60-yard throw, retained his balance under Rose’s challenge and struck the far post with a shot. Costa dangled a leg at that effort from an offside position but Oscar collected at the far post and, when he fired back across the diving Hugo Lloris, the forward poked in legitimately from close-range. The visitors’ other rewards were plucked from a game of catch-up, Hazard skipping forward to exchange passes with Cesc Fàbregas to make it 4-2 and Terry tapping home the Belgian’s cross for 5-3. A thrill in the attacking play was retained, but this was a performance undermined by slackness at the other end. The advantage at the top is no more, with only one win secured in five away games. Christmas has not been kind to the leaders.

Man of the match Harry Kane (Tottenham)


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

Telegraph:

Tottenham Hotspur 5 Chelsea 3

Jose Mourinho suffers humiliation at White Hart Lane

By  Henry Winter


With 10 minutes left, White Hart Lane reverberated to the rare sound of Spurs fans singing “we want six”. Chelsea’s celebrated defence were being ripped apart by Harry Kane, who scored twice, caused mayhem and embarrassed such good centre-halves as John Terry and Gary Cahill.

Kane was unplayable at times, too strong, too determined and the model of composure when enduring some rough challenges. Cahill’s frustration grew so inexorably that it eventually spilled over, the defender kicking the prostrate Kane in the back and fortunate to escape sanction. But the main pain was being inflicted by Kane.

This was only the second time in Jose Mourinho’s career that one of his teams had conceded five goals. The only consolation for Mourinho was that his side stay top of the Premier League. Just. Chelsea and Manchester City boast identical records, having each won 14, drawn four, lost two, scored 44 goals and conceded 19. Chelsea’s third, from Terry, guaranteed the similar stats and kept his team ahead of Manchester City on alphabetical grounds. City fans immediately proposed they revert to Ardwick.

The game did trigger some change in the table, particularly enjoyable movement for Spurs, who leapfrogged Arsenal into fifth. Kane was deservedly voted man of the match. Every burst of movement alarmed Chelsea. Almost every pass found its intended target. This was a ruthlessly efficient performance.

As a centre-forward, Kane offers a range of options, being able to hold up play or operate as a run-through striker. He makes Mauricio Pochettino’s 4-2-3-1 system work, giving them an outlet and allowing the Spurs head coach to deploy sufficient numbers in the centre, combating Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic and restricting the service to Diego Costa.

The Spaniard still scored, even being first to show while Eden Hazard, who was immense, and Terry also found the mark but this was Tottenham’s evening, an evening when they lived up to their mantra of “to dare is to do”. Pochettino has filled them with belief. His players showed they could live with the heavyweights, demonstrating they could mix up their styles, passing and moving, counter-attacking and revealing their resilience. Too often in the past Spurs laboured against Chelsea, whose fans have come to refer to this place as Three Point Lane. Not here. Not now. Some defensive concerns remain but this was not a night to quibble.

Before kick-off, Spurs broadcast footage on their large screens of past players punishing Chelsea, including jinking runs from David Ginola and powerful shooting from Teddy Sheringham, seeking to inspire their supporters and team. The current generation was duly inspired, particularly Kane.

The most astonishing game of the Premier League season actually began with the visitors taking the lead after 18 minutes. Hazard wriggled past the sluggish Rose, advancing into the box, and shooting from right to left, the ball rebounding back from the far upright. Oscar was quickest to the loose ball, drilling it back into the six-yard box where Costa turned the ball home for his 14th Premier League goal of the season, taking him alongside Sergio Aguero at the top of the scoring list: 0-1.

Was the Chelsea juggernaut going to career across the Lane? Kane and his vibrant young company refused to countenance the idea. So unfolded a period of play that Spurs fans will never forget. On the half-hour, Rose collected the ball and passed to Kane down the left. Branislav Ivanovic stood off, and Kane took off, cutting inside, past Oscar, Fabregas and then Oscar again before finishing with a low 25-yard shot: 1-1.

Chelsea were stunned, and did not regroup quickly enough. Spurs went for the jugular again. Kane was now over on the right, near the halfway line, holding the ball up, working it to Christian Eriksen, who turned and ran towards the Chelsea area. Chadli made his move, accelerating behind the visitors’ defence and swiftly picked out by Eriksen. As Thibaut Courtois advanced, Chadli calmly slipped the ball past him but it hit the far-post. Rose had anticipated some scraps, racing into the box, and sweeping the loose ball home left-footed as Cahill and Terry dived in despairingly: 2-1.

Spurs fans dared to dream on the cusp of half-time. Again Kane was involved, this time running into the area and clearly brought down by Cahill, who was totally spooked by the youngster. Kane and Chadli seemed to be debating who would take the penalty but Townsend had collected the ball. He placed it confidently on the spot, ran in and drilled it low past Courtois: 3-1.

Mourinho was down the tunnel, not waiting for half-time, already preparing his dressing-room response. Chelsea emerged from the tunnel early for the second half with a few rallying cries, and with Ramires replacing Oscar, but they were simply blown apart by another terrific Tottenham goal within seven minutes.

Again Kane’s movement flummoxed Chelsea. He drifted left again, accepting a pass from Chadli, and then going for goal. He rolled Matic and then calmly placed his right-footed shot between Terry’s legs and beyond Courtois: 4-1.

Amidst the sound of a crowing cockerel could be heard the statisticians flying through the record books, and confirming that this was the first time Chelsea had conceded four under Mourinho in the Premier League. There was also the sound of Chelsea working on a rescue plan on the hour. Federico Fazio was guilty of a lax challenge, allowing Hazard control of the ball and the little Belgian raced forward, exchanged passes with Fabregas, the king of the assists, and fired past Hugo Lloris: 4-2.

Lloris then saved from Cesar Azpilicueta before Chelsea’s nemesis deepened their misery. Kane shimmied in from the left, passed to Chadli who ran on and beat Courtois: 5-2. Kane smiled. Nabil Bentaleb was on the floor, punching the air. “We want six,’’ came that chant from the Spurs fans.

There was another goal, this time for Chelsea, with three minutes left. Hazard had refused to surrender, crossing from the right, Ivanovic getting a touch and Terry turning the ball in at the far-post for his third goal in four games: 5-3. But it was Kane’s night.

Kane was the last one off the pitch, lauded by the locals with national recognition surely beckoning in 2015. With Saido Berahino, Danny Ings and Patrick Bamford to call on, as well as Kane, Gareth Southgate has plenty of attacking talent for the European Under-21 Championships this summer but he deserves a senior call before then.


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

Times:


Harry Kane’s superb double strike leaves Chelsea dazed and confused

Oliver Kay Chief Football Correspondent

Tottenham Hotspur 5 Chelsea 3


On a remarkable evening at White Hart Lane, Harry Kane inspired a truly memorable Tottenham Hotspur victory, leaving José Mourinho to wonder whether the madness of English football’s festive programme, for which he pined during his years away from Chelsea, might be better enjoyed from afar.

This was a careless, error-strewn performance from Chelsea, raising questions about their manager’s wisdom in selecting eight of his players in the starting line-up for all four Barclays Premier League matches in an 11-day period, but it took an astounding Tottenham performance to bring about the type of resoundingly anarchic scoreline that Mourinho once described as disgraceful.

There was no talk of disgraceful defending from Mourinho last night. He tried to switch the post-match debate to the referee, daring to suggest that Phil Dowd was “too slow to go with the ball”. There might well be occasions when the speed and intensity of Prem-ier League football looks too much for certain officials, but on this occasion the same could just as easily have been said of players such as Branislav Ivanovic, John Terry and Gary Cahill, three players who have excelled this season but looked as if a run-out against Kane and his team-mates was the last thing they needed on New Year’s Day.

If the riotous entertainment here and elsewhere yesterday was a taste of things to come, the second half of the Premier League campaign promises to be breathless, but this seemed extraordinary in more ways than one. It looked as if Tottenham, their squad rotated judiciously over the past week, had come upon Chelsea at a good time and were in the mood to inflict maximum punishment as they delivered by some distance their best performance of Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure — the best in well over a year.

In the press room beforehand, someone mentioned, after Manchester City’s 3-2 victory over Sunderland, that a 5-3 victory for Tottenham over Chelsea would leave the Premier League’s top two with identical records: won 14, drawn 14, lost two, scored 44, conceded 19. Ha bloody ha, went the reaction, but, to widespread disbelief, not least among the home fans, it happened. If the same situation were to arise after 38 games, there would have to be a play-off for the title — an incredibly far-fetched scenario, admittedly, but then again so was this.

Such an outcome looked even more implausible when Diego Costa scored Chelsea’s opening goal, but he, unlike the excellent Eden Hazard, was another who looked increasingly jaded yesterday as Didier Drogba and Loic Rémy remained on the bench. Chelsea’s main problems were in defence as Kane, Danny Rose and Andros Townsend, with a penalty, turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 half-time lead before the excellent Kane and Nacer Chadli added the fourth and fifth in a dizzying second period.

Tottenham started brightly enough, with Chadli testing Thibaut Courtois twice, but there was no hint of what was to follow. After the home team lost Ryan Mason to a hamstring injury, Chelsea scored the first goal of the evening, Costa diverting Oscar’s shot past Hugo Lloris from inside the six-yard box after a wonderful run from Hazard, whose shot had come back off a post. So far, so routine.

Even in that relatively comfortable first half-hour, though, Cahill and Terry looked distinctly uneasy against Kane, while Nabil Bentaleb was making a good impression in midfield. As reasonably as Tottenham were performing, though, the equaliser came as a bolt from the blue. Receiving a pass from Rose, Kane moved infield, holding off Oscar, and let fly from 25 yards with a shot that skidded past Courtois — another fine goal from a young centre forward who is improving by the week.

Chelsea were rocking, looking desperate to reach half-time without suffering any further damage.

To concede a second goal before the interval would have been bad enough, but they did far worse than that. The gap between and behind their central defenders was an open invitation to Christian Eriksen, who slipped a pass through for the lively Chadli.

The winger’s shot came back off a post and Rose was there, charging forward from left back, to score. Two minutes later, Cahill clattered Kane and Townsend made it 3-1 from the spot. Mourinho sent on Ramires in place of Oscar for the second half, but seven minutes after the restart Tottenham scored their fourth. Once more the defending looked lethargic, but there was something highly impressive about the way that Kane rolled away from Nemanja Matic and stroked a precise shot into the corner. White Hart Lane was jubilant and with good reason. It was the first time that Chelsea, under Mourinho, had conceded four goals in a Premier League match, but worse was to follow, even if Hazard reduced the arrears with an emphatic finish on the hour after an exchange of passes with Cesc Fàbregas. An excellent save by Lloris from César Azpilicueta maintained Tottenham’s 4-2 lead before Chadli gave them more breathing space, cutting inside and beating Courtois with a deflected shot.

On the touchline, Mourinho’s mood was darkening. Terry made it 5-3 from close range and Fàbregas hit a post from a tight angle in the final minutes, but no matter how hard they pushed in those closing stages, it seemed that tiredness — punished by merciless opponents — was at the heart of Chelsea’s issues.

The Christmas fixture list has been unkind to Chelsea, their four matches, three of them away from home, compressed into 11 days, but that, given the depth of his squad, only made Mourinho’s reliance on a core of eight players all the more perplexing.

There were worrying signs in the 1-1 draw away to Southampton on Sunday. Tired or not, though, it still takes something spectacular for Chelsea to yield five goals. What Kane and Tottenham did last night certainly matched that description.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1): H Lloris — K Walker, F Fazio, J Vertonghen, D Rose (sub: B Davies, 75min) — R Mason (sub: M Dembélé, 13), N Bentaleb — A Townsend (sub: Paulinho, 65), C Eriksen, N Chadli — H Kane. Substitutes not used: M Vorm, V Chiriches, B Stambouli, R Soldado. Booked: Bentaleb, Kane, Paulinho.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): T Courtois — B Ivanovic, G Cahill, J Terry, C Azpilicueta — C Fàbregas, N Matic — Willian (sub: M Salah, 71), Oscar (sub: Ramires, 46), E Hazard — D Costa. Substitutes not used: P Cech, K Zouma, J O Mikel, D Drogba, L Rémy. Booked: Fàbregas.

Referee: P Dowd.