Liverpool 1-1

Independent:

Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

John Terry and Steven Gerrard on target as draw hands Manchester United Champions League football

Sam Wallace

The 185th goal of Steven Gerrard’s Liverpool career was not one to put alongside all those last-gasp game-changers or trophy-clinching interventions of old, but it was at least one last reminder of just how much he will be missed at the club he has served for so long.
As Brendan Rodgers pointed out afterwards, his skipper has scored the important goals in both Liverpool’s previous games and now has just two more matches in the red No 8 shirt before he calls it a day at the only club of his life. Today was remarkable for the ripple of applause around Stamford Bridge when Gerrard was substituted with 11 minutes left in a stadium that is consumed with baiting the Liverpool captain.

It was led by Jose Mourinho who has gone to his usual lengths this week to tell everyone how much he loves his “dear enemy” Gerrard, the generosity he is prepared to show when the title is in the bag and non-one represents a threat any longer. He was at it again today, describing a career in the MLS as an “El Dorado holiday” and leaving no-one in any doubt that, as far as he was concerned, Gerrard was effectively retiring.
Even so, the applause was a strange moment given the animosity between the two clubs’ supporters which otherwise went on unchecked. It was hard to know what that gesture meant in the grand scheme of things and you got the feeling that there would have been much less of it if Chelsea were still involved in a title race.

It was the last time Gerrard would go head-to-head with John Terry too, another former England captain and a player with whom his career has been entwined. Seven months younger than Gerrard, Terry is readying himself for another season as a Premier League captain and he scored again against Liverpool, making him the highest scoring defender in the league’s 23-year history. In fact he was arguably man of the match.
Terry’s opening goal, a header after five minutes, was one thing but it was a brilliantly-timed penalty-box tackle late in the game on the powerful Jordon Ibe which summarised the Chelsea captain’s superb season.

Gerrard has now played his last game against one of the big clubs of English football and Liverpool have as good as lost that last Champions League place to Manchester United. They need a six-point and 14-goal swing to secure fourth place now and even the ever-optimistic Rodgers was in no mood to apply the power of positive thought when it came to the last two games of the season.
The Premier League season is slowly fizzling out and no amount of pre-game bells and whistles can change that mood. Not content with the pre-match guard of honour from Liverpool, Chelsea laid on a novelty blue carpet and the flame bursts that are de rigueur now at any match that feels a bit underwhelming in terms of atmosphere.

There was a strange start to the game when Cesc Fabregas kicked Raheem Sterling on the ankle with the kind of tackle that might have been a red card at a different time in a different game to this off-key, slowed-down occasion. Andre Marriner got himself in a muddle, getting out a red card first for John Obi Mikel, then a yellow before he corrected himself and booked Fabregas.
Later, Rodgers would say that Fabregas should have been dismissed for the tackle in a press conference in which he was scarcely able to conceal his despondency at how the season is finishing for Liverpool. Mourinho made some effort not to rise to the bait saying that he did not want any more of the “theatre” that had followed the two sides’ Capital One Cup semi-final.
The Chelsea goal came soon after. Rickie Lambert was badly static and allowed Terry to jump over him and head the ball in direct from a Fabregas corner. It was another slow start for Liverpool which their manager would have cause to bemoan later on.

Mourinho made five changes from the team that beat Crystal Palace with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, the 19-year-old Lewisham lad from the Chelsea academy promoted for his first league start. This is, of course, Mourinho’s next challenge, bringing through a few of the kids from the all-conquering academy. But there will be no passengers with him. These kinds of games are precisely the sort of chances that will have to be seized by Loftus-Cheek and his peers.
Later, Mourinho said that he would give a chance to the Under-21s’ Nathan Ake and Isaiah Brown in next weekend’s game against West Bromwich Albion, with the West Midlands club having first developed Brown before he was signed by Chelsea. Against Sunderland at home on the last day of the season Mourinho pledged to play his best side which does not bode well for Dick Advocaat’s team if they need points to survive then.

Gerrard, playing holding midfield, did not have the happiest of times in the first half. There was an unfortunate tumble when he tried to tackle Fabregas and the usual frustrations trying to get Liverpool going. Then, from nowhere, he arrived at the back post to head in a Jordan Henderson free-kick having been completely unmarked when Mikel and Gary Cahill got mixed up.
It was not the sort of goal that Chelsea, in full Mourinho-mode usually concede. Cahill, on for the injured Kurt Zouma, seemed to block the path of Mikel as he did a bad job of tracking Gerrard. There were no exuberant celebrations from Gerrard. It wasn’t one of those goals.
After half-time there was a much better performance from Liverpool and they had the best of the second half, although too few chances created to win it. The best opportunity  fell to Philippe Coutinho on 49 minutes when Sterling cut the ball back to the Brazilian, who missed the target. Chelsea struggled to create a treat in attack while their long-term injured striker Diego Costa amused himself by sitting among the fans in the east stand.

Latterly, Rodgers brought on the teenagers Jerome Sinclair, 18, and Ibe, 19, the former of whom was Liverpool’s youngest player of all time when he made his debut at 16 and six days in 2012. An indication, perhaps, of where the Liverpool manager’s thoughts are for next season. The Champions League will not be a concern this time around.


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Guardian:


Liverpool’s Champions League dreams end with draw at champions Chelsea
Chelsea 1 - 1 Liverpool

Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge


For Liverpool, the game is up. An afternoon which had begun with a grudging show of respect for the newly crowned Premier League champions, the visitors lining up along either side of a blue carpet to form a guard of honour as Chelsea trooped triumphantly into the arena, ended with Champions League football effectively out of their reach. Given the constant and bellowed reminders of the destiny of this season’s title, this was a galling occasion for those in red.

The deficit from the top four has been extended to six points with two games to play, and goal difference counting horribly against them. As “outstanding” as Brendan Rodgers insisted his team were after the interval, this performance failed to yield the victory which would have preserved those fading chances. Instead, the talk in the aftermath was of a “big summer ahead” when shrewd recruitment, and presumably plenty of persuasion if key targets are to be secured, will be required if their challenge is to prove more persuasive next year. A Europa League campaign most likely awaits, and that will create its own disruption.

In truth Liverpool, as the team with something at stake, had felt the more threatening of the sides on show with Chelsea, as José Mourinho conceded, struggling throughout to generate proper intensity to their approach having already secured the campaign’s most glittering prize. Yet, for all that Raheem Sterling, Jordan Ibe and the league debutant, Jerome Sinclair, buzzed disconcertingly in enemy territory, supplied by the elusive Philippe Coutinho, the visitors lacked the quality to prevail. The Brazilian saw a late shot deflected off Gary Cahill to wrong-foot Thibaut Courtois for a split second, though the chance played out in slow motion and the goalkeeper was able to flop down on the loose ball. It all rather summed up Liverpool’s season, a campaign when the goals of Luis Suárez and Daniel Sturridge have been so sorely missed. They lacked bite here to inflict proper wounds.
The goals that were mustered in a disjointed contest were supplied by the old guard. John Terry’s opener had been thumped in early, Cesc Fàbregas’s corner veering into the penalty area for the centre-half to rise too easily above Rickie Lambert and plant a header down and beyond Simon Mignolet and Steven Gerrard on the goal-line. The goal was Terry’s 39th in the Premier League, establishing him as the highest scoring defender in the revamped top flight.

Liverpool complained, with some justification, that his supplier should not have been on the pitch even then, Fábregas having been guilty of a nasty foul on Sterling’s right ankle in the opening 25 seconds. “He should have been sent off,” said Rodgers. “It was out of control, diving [in], stretching. A poor challenge.” Andre Marriner had actually flashed a red card at Mikel John Obi, so off the pace had he been in that opening minute, before correcting that to a lenient yellow for Fábregas. The confusion hardly inspired confidence.
The visitors’ response to the concession had actually been impressive, sparked as it was by Coutinho spitting shots at goal for Branislav Ivanovic to block and Courtois to save, though parity was only restored when their own captain made his presence felt. Ivanovic’s foul on Adam Lallana earned a free-kick which Jordan Henderson arced over the muddle in the six-yard box. Gerrard, having edged away from Mikel, was unmarked as he nodded in his first goal against these opponents in a decade.
It was his first ever reward at Stamford Bridge, an arena where he has been mercilessly heckled over the years, memories of which would not be erased by the charitable and admirable ovation granted him by all corners of the ground upon his substitution 11 minutes from time. Mourinho praised that reaction for the “dear enemy” who will not grace this stage again. Gerrard, himself, was not quite ready to forgive and forget.

Chelsea had actually been denied a potential farewell of their own, Petr Cech having cried off the fixture with a minor calf injury having been pencilled in to start the game. “The next game, at West Bromwich Albion [on Monday week], he plays,” said Mourinho, who intends to pick the likes of Nathan Aké and Isaiah Brown at the Hawthorns. “Izzy Brown came from West Bromwich so it’ll be special for the kid to play in that house … the boys deserve it, all of them, but I can’t give a special day for everyone.”

He offered Ruben Loftus-Cheek an hour here on his first Premier League start, with the teenager doing little wrong in a midfield brief before being withdrawn as his manager sensed Liverpool’s late urgency might leave him exposed. “Coutinho was getting more space between the lines, so it was best for the boy to leave,” added the Portuguese. “But it was a fantastic experience for him, to feel the intensity and the speed of the game. He’s going to be a Chelsea player, that’s no doubt. I’m happy.”
The same cannot be said for Liverpool, even with the point secured on a ground where Chelsea remain unbeaten in the league. For Rodgers, and the hierarchy at Anfield, a pivotal summer awaits.


Man of the match Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool)

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Telegraph:


Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1
Steven Gerrard unable to rescue Liverpool's Champions League hopes
By Henry Winter, Stamford Bridge


Steven Gerrard hit Chelsea with a header during the match and a volley after it. Presented with an opportunity to commend Chelsea fans for their standing ovation as his farewell tour took in an otherwise bilious Bridge, Liverpool's captain responded by lambasting them for their abusive songs and "Caution - slip hazard" laminated placards about him.
He could have been diplomatic and decorous, could have been polite and thanked his hosts for the momentary cessation of hostilities but the Huyton kid in him came out fighting. "Chelsea fans have shown me respect for a couple of seconds but slaughtered me all day,'' he told Sky. "It was nice of them to turn up for once today". Ouch.
This was Gerrard unplugged, unconsidered, undignified. His barb resembled the verbal equivalent of his battering challenge on Manchester United's Ander Herrera at Anfield on March 22. Take that. The twilight of his career almost carries echoes of his early days, the reckless challenges and heated moments.
Gerrard is, of course, too professional, and too dedicated to Liverpool's cause to use these final moments to settle old scores but it doesn't half feel like it. Thoughts of his finest moments in that famous shirt are clearly at the forefront of his mind as he prepares to wear it for the final time. Last week, Gerrard was asked by a BBC reporter whether his goal against QPR "was your best ever header?" He replied: "Istanbul wasn't bad."
To which the reporter remarked: "I forgot about that." "I don't,'' was Gerrard's instant response.
The curtain falling on a celebrated career is inevitably emotional which might explain his outburst which actually left Chelsea fans occupying the moral high ground. It is, perhaps, slightly harsh to criticise Gerrard when only those who have been in his situation, taking corners as foam-flecked strangers a yard away berate him, his family and his faulty footing, can understand the pressure but he should take their caustic chants as compliments. Closing fast on his 35th birthday, a usually reflective character should note that rival fans rarely bother singing about poor opposition players.
He has endured it before and received plenty here. Walking towards the Matthew Harding stand to take a first-half corner, Gerrard was greeted with countless hand gestures which would not be found in nearby Knightsbridge etiquette schools. When Liverpool's captain fell over at one point, deceived by a turn from the outstanding Cesc Fabregas, the Chelsea fans crowed "he slips when he wants", harking back to Gerrard's stumble at Anfield last season that allowed Demba Ba to score and effectively end Liverpool's title dream.
Chelsea fans have long insulted the symbol of Liverpool because he rejected their overtures in 2004 and 2005, choosing to stay at Anfield, because of a decade-long duel with Frank Lampard and because of residual grief over the 2005 Champions League "ghost goal" semi-final. Spilling over into the national sphere, there has always been the issue over the England armband which the Shed and Matthew Harding ends felt belonged to John Terry. How fitting that Terry should score here, taking early control of the plot-line, before Gerrard equalised, claiming the focus back.
He refused to celebrate only his second goal in 40 games against Chelsea, seemingly because he wanted to get on with trying to secure all points but his withdrawal on 79 minutes was sportingly acknowledged by Chelsea fans. Jose Mourinho held his thumb up in appreciation of the crowd's salute, although moments later many launched back into the Gerrard "slip" song. At the final whistle, Mourinho embraced a player he called a "dear enemy", a powerhouse midfielder he tried to recruit for Inter Milan and Real Madrid as well as twice during his first Chelsea spell. Gerrard was finally in Mourinho's clutches, and then was gone, down into the tunnel, towards an inviting microphone.
Maybe there was also frustration at the outcome shaping his words. Maybe he felt time's unforgiving passage with a young English central-midfielder stepping into the fray and impressing. Ruben Loftus-Cheek did well on his full debut for Chelsea, making some good interceptions, snaking out those long legs to nick the ball, shadowing Philippe Coutinho, and distributing the ball simply and accurately. All of his 27 passes found their intended destination.
Maybe Gerrard was aggrieved that the draw all but condemned Liverpool to the Europa League, a fate that Chelsea fans certainly mentioned loudly. Liverpool are now six points and 14 goals adrift of fourth-placed Manchester United with only two games remaining. Gerrard would have loved to have left for LA Galaxy with the satisfaction of having helped his beloved club into the Champions League but it is not to be. United, another team Gerrard has issues with, have surely secured Champions League football - the season's main mission accomplished for Louis van Gaal.
Maybe it was simply a Chelsea v Liverpool thing. Amazingly, given the enmity between the sides, there were half-and-half Chelsea and Liverpool friendship scarves on offer outside Stamford Bridge for £10, although the salesman admitted he was prepared to negotiate. Maybe it was the sight of Terry scoring, meaning that Chelsea defenders have now contributed 20 goals in all competitions this season. With Luis Suarez gone and Daniel Sturridge injured, Liverpool have laboured for goals and Gerrard is their top scorer with 12, eight in the Premier League.
Whatever his post-match dig, Gerrard began the afternoon in gracious mode, forming a guard of honour as Terry and the new champions emerged and walked down a blue carpet. There was no standing on ceremony by the champions. Fabregas lunged at Raheem Sterling, catching the Liverpool attacker on the ankle. Andre Marriner deemed Fabregas' dangerous challenge worthy only of yellow, laughable really given the velocity and venom.
Fabregas was soon inflicting more damage on Liverpool with his 18th Premier League assist of the season. He curled in a corner that dropped towards a melee of players, holding and baulking. Terry wanted the ball most, attacking it with strength and timing, beating Rickie Lambert to head it powerfully past Simon Mignolet. In registering his 39th Premier League goal, Terry broke David Unsworth's record for a defender in the division. Terry's path of celebration took him close to the Liverpool fans in the Shed and he sensibly turned away, although not before a missile whistled past. Antagonism could be heard and seen all over, especially when Gerrard was in possession.
On the cusp of half-time, he scored. When Jordan Henderson lifted in a free-kick from the left, Gerrard escaped John Obi Mikel to direct a downward header into the net for his first goal against Chelsea since October 2005. Gerrard and his team emerged first for the second half, and played well. A mazy run from Sterling ended with a cutback for Coutinho, who shot just wide. Gerrard was then substituted, giving the Chelsea fans their chance to clap him and then castigate him. Old hostilities resumed, continued by Gerrard after the final whistle.

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Mail:


Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool:
Steven Gerrard threatens to spoil title party with equaliser but Jose Mourinho's side extend unbeaten run to all but end the Reds' Champions League dreams
MATT BARLOW


The sense of awkwardness lingered long after Liverpool had formed a guard of honour to welcome their triumphant hosts.
Only a win would have changed that — and the fact that they could not produce one against a coasting Chelsea team means Brendan Rodgers requires a miracle if his side are to return to the Champions League next season.
Liverpool shuffled out uneasily for the new-fangled tradition of applauding the champions onto the pitch. And they shuffled off at the end, heads bowed, aware they were now six points behind Manchester United with two to play and 14 worse off on goal difference.
For all their dashing approach play, goals are a problem. They smashed the century last season as they finished second behind Manchester City, but Steven Gerrard's simple back-post header which equalised John Terry's opener was only the 50th this term.
It has left a black hole, which is pulling them towards the unloved Europa League after this campaign which has reinforced the theory that only Luis Suarez (helped perhaps by no European competition) lifted them briefly back into the elite.
Suarez is not about to return, Daniel Sturridge remains injured and Gerrard, having proved in the last two games he can still summon an important goal and influence results, is bound for Los Angeles.
It was nice that Chelsea supporters followed Jose Mourinho's lead and applauded Gerrard off, but they have taunted him relentlessly since his costly slip at Anfield, this time last year. And it is easier to be magnanimous with the title in the bag.
Mourinho's infamous 'little horse' was never that small, but it has grown and gathered pace as Liverpool lost ground which will be hard to reclaim.
Chelsea coasted through the occasion in a mood of self-congratulation set by the guard of honour and pre-match flamethrowers and boosted by Mourinho, who awarded a first start to teenager Ruben Loftus-Cheek and a recall for John Obi Mikel.
Kurt Zouma came in at centre-half for the experience, only to limp off with a knee injury before half-time, and Petr Cech would have played too, according to the manager, were it not for a slight calf problem.
Still, the champions had few problems keeping the visitors at arm's length and, compared to recent fiery clashes, it was all rather tame, despite a flashpoint which exploded inside a minute and caught out referee Andre Marriner.
Cesc Fabregas was late as he slid into a midfield tackle on Raheem Sterling, which left the Liverpool winger writhing in agony, clutching his right ankle. Marriner let play flow, but when the ball went dead he sought out Mikel and showed him the red card.
As Mikel recoiled in shock, the referee took advice from an assistant, made some hasty apologies, explaining it had been a mistake and showed a yellow card to Fabregas. Mikel was eventually booked in the second half.
In truth, the Fabregas tackle could easily have been interpreted as a straight red. Rodgers certainly thought so - and that might have made for a very different game.
As it was, Sterling completed 90 minutes, although in obvious discomfort and, a few minutes after his escape, Fabregas delivered the swerving corner from which Chelsea took the lead.
Terry was the man on the end of it, climbing high above Rickie Lambert to thump a powerful header past goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and Gerrard, who was covering on the line.
It was the eighth of the season for the Chelsea captain and the 65th of his club career. It also hoisted him clear at the top of the list of top-scoring defenders in the Premier League, with 39.
Stamford Bridge reacted as if that was that, but Liverpool responded well to the set-back and were level, two minutes before the interval.
Branislav Ivanovic fouled Adam Lallana and Jordan Henderson curled the free-kick towards the far post, where Gerrard drifted away from Cahill and Mikel to nod in a simple finish from a couple of feet out, his second headed goal in as many games having grabbed the winner against Queen's Park Rangers.
Liverpool improved after the break. 'Outstanding,' said Rodgers, but, in all honesty, it fell quite flat. There were tantalising glimpses of skill from Lallana as he wriggled by Ivanovic and Philippe Coutinho rippled the side-netting after a burst of energy from Sterling.
On went Nemanja Matic in a bid to generate a healthier tempo and add aggression to the midfield and off came Loftus-Cheek. Mourinho hailed him 'a Chelsea player, for sure' and promised more academy products would be on parade at West Bromwich next week.
Willian and Fabregas went close in the closing stages but it didn't happen, and the manager shrugged and said this was understandable.
'After being champions, celebrating and a couple of days off, it's normal your intensity goes a bit down,' said Mourinho. 'We played at our limits for many weeks trying to reach the title as soon as possible. I knew today would be difficult.'
Liverpool's challenge faded, too. Rodgers sent on teenagers Jerome Sinclair, who made his Premier League debut, and Jordan Ibe, leaving 20-year-old Sterling as the oldest of a three-man front line.
Coutinho came closest to stealing the points. His ambitious effort hit Cahill and took a meaty deflection but it also took the pace off the ball and Thibaut Courtois was able to adjust, while sat on the turf and stop it rolling over the line.
A sitting-down save seemed a fitting way to end the affair and those in red put their heads down and left the scene.

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Mirror:
Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool: Reds' Champions League hopes all but over after score draw at Stamford Bridge
By John Cross


Brendan Rodgers' side now need to win both final games, hope Man United lose theirs, and see a 15-goal swing go in their favour
There was to be no last fairytale. But a feisty farewell filled with bitterness and disappointment.
Steven Gerrard left the pitch when he was substituted in the 79th minute to a standing ovation from both sets of fans which was the sort of goodbye befitting one of English football’s all time greats.
But Gerrard’s very pointed dig post-match at the Chelsea fans for “turning up for once” showed any thoughts of kissing and making up are long gone.
The rivalry between Gerrard and Chelsea runs too deep and this was all too painful for any sugar coating to be applied to a hugely disappointing result for Liverpool.
Incredibly, it was Gerrard’s first ever goal at Stamford Bridge which, down the years, has been the scene of so much drama for Liverpool’s captain.
The match started with a guard of honour but finished honours even and a draw that was not enough to keep alive any realistic hope of Liverpool reaching the Champions League next season.
Gerrard gave everything but, while his mind is still willing, the legs are showing their age and the 34-year-old can no longer dominate games like he used to.
And make no mistake, this was a game that meant everything to Gerrard. The chants from the Chelsea fans about him slipping at Anfield a year ago clearly rile him.
That fatal slip - when Gerrard’s mistake let in Demba Ba as Liverpool blew the title - will never be forgotten, not least by the Chelsea fans who held up placards all around the ground to remind him.
It was cruel but not perhaps as painful as Gerrard and the rest of the Liverpool players having to applaud Chelsea’s newly crowned champions onto the pitch before the game.
And the sort of humiliation must have been another motivating factor for Liverpool who knew it was win-or-bust to try and catch Manchester United in fourth place.
They tried but just could not dig deep enough even if their recovery from John Terry’s early opener and second half performance probably deserved all three points.
For Chelsea, it felt as if - with teenager Ruben Loftus-Cheek given a chance in midfield - they are winding down with the title in the bag. But their rivalry with Liverpool is such that they were never going to just stand aside.
Perhaps that was illustrated by Cesc Fabregas’ fierce challenge on Raheem Sterling within the first minute. Referee Andre Marriner gave Fabregas a yellow, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers claimed it should have been red.
But while Sterling and Liverpool were still licking their wounds, Chelsea went ahead and suddenly Rodgers was left facing mission impossible.
Fabregas put over a right wing corner, Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert lost Terry in the penalty box and the Chelsea captain was left unmarked to power home a header. Gerrard was on the post but ended up on his backside as he tried in vain to clear.
But, typically, it was Gerrard who led the Liverpool fight back. Jordan Henderson’s 44th minute free kick found Gerrard unmarked at the far post and the Liverpool captain headed powerfully into the net.
Suddenly it was game on. Liverpool were always chasing a miracle to pip United into fourth but no-one does that better than Gerrard.
Philippe Coutinho, buzzing around the Chelsea box, caused problems as he fired into the side netting after 49 minutes as Liverpool bossed the second half with Martin Skrtel’s never-say-die spirit epitomising their battling display.
When finally Gerrard was substituted after 79 minutes, it seemed as if Liverpool’s last hope went with him. Coutinho’s 89th minute shot deflected off Gary Cahill and Thibaut Courtois recovered in time to make a fine save.
Gerrard’s battle with Chelsea has been entertaining down the years but even Liverpool’s captain can no longer bridge the gap.
Liverpool’s season will end in disappointment outside of the top four and their failings this season mean Rodgers will have to overhaul his squad this summer.
But one player they will never be able to replace is Steven Gerrard.

Courtois 6 - One excellent save when Coutinho shot was deflected.
Ivanovic 6 - Another strong performance at right back.
Zouma 5 - Went off injured before having chance to shine.
Terry 7 - Superb again, another magnificent defensive display.
Luis 6 - Steady but nowhere near as good as Azpilicueta.
Mikel 6 - Some brutal challenges showed he’s still a force.
Loftus-Cheek 6 - Steady if not spectacular. Showed he can cope.
Fabregas 6 - Brutal tackle on Sterling, corner for Terry opener.
Willian 7 - His work rate is sensational. Chelsea’s best player.
Hazard 6 - Not even Hazard can be brilliant every time.
Remy 5 - Not at his peak match fitness and struggled at times.
Subs: Cahill 6, Matic 6, Cuadrado

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Express:


Chelsea 1 - Liverpool 1: Old guard on scoresheet as Reds Champions League hopes fade
ONE year ago today, the campaign finished with Liverpool in second place and Chelsea two points behind in third.


By MATTHEW DUNNE


Canvass the opinion of any of the Liverpool fans making their way out through the Shankly Gates for the final time that season and many were predicting that 12 months down the line they would be genuine contenders for the leadership.
So much for exit polls. Although Liverpool gamely fought to hold Chelsea in their own constituency yesterday, they remain a massive 22 points behind them.
Mind you, we are getting used to massive swings from red to blue, and in keeping with Ed Miliband’s departure, perhaps it is no wonder that the leadership credentials of Brendan Rodgers are also being called into question.
Certainly, after just five minutes of yesterday’s game, Liverpool were in desperate need of somebody to whip them into shape. They couldn’t win even the simplest of crosses in the box.
It was a straightforward corner swung in by Cesc Fabregas towards the obvious candidate John Terry. Unlike in politics, it is no good just standing against your opponent, you have got to jump.
However, Rickie Lambert’s leaden-footedness afforded Terry a trademark header into the corner and enabled him to collect the39th Premier League goal, taking him clear of the record for a defender that he had previously shared with David Unsworth.
That’s not to say the Blues were fighting an entirely clean campaign. Within the first minute Fabregas had slid in studs-up on Raheem Sterling’s ankle, which provoked something of a card fiasco from referee Andre Marriner.
In initially showing a yellow card to John Mikel Obi, arguably the West Midlands official had not only got the player wrong but the colour of the card. The mistaken identity, at least, was corrected – a good job as Mikel was subsequently shown a “second” yellow in the second half. But Fabregas was lucky.
Marriner chose to keep his cards in his pocket when Ruben Loftus-Cheek, a 19-year-old making his first start for Chelsea, collected Philippe Coutinho moments later but it was clear he was going to have a busy afternoon.
Indeed, even after the early Chelsea goal the tetchiness of a supposedly post-title run-around continued to detract from the football.
The home side were playing well within themselves yet remained comfortably in control. Nevertheless, Fabregas’s easily saved near-post shot was all they had to show for their, for want of a better word, efforts.
Then, a minute before half-time, it happened. Jose Mourinho said he had spent hours over the years working out how to stop Steven Gerrard – marking him from set-pieces would seem to be a good starting point. Henderson’s free-kick from just shy of the corner flag gave him time to pick the perfect spot inside the upright to send the teams in unexpectedly level.
Undeniably, Liverpool were the better side. Fabregas remained a threat for Chelsea and Liverpool never looked entirely comfortable with Willian’s direct running style.
Behind them, Loftus-Cheek continued an impressive debut. Early adrenalin out of his system, he showed rare composure for a 19-year-old, happy to tidy up around the Chelsea defence in elegant, unhurried style.
Although Nemanja Matic replaced him for the final half-hour, Liverpool continued to build in strength, thanks mainly to the introduction of another substitute, Jordan Ibe.
When Jordan Henderson’s injury-time shot went inches wide of Thibault Courtois’ post, Rodgers may have been denied a rare victory over his former mentor, but at least he could take some encouragement that a reinvented team maybe can emerge from the disappointment of this season.
Sterling is apparently staying, Ibe growing, Henderson maturing into an accomplished defensive midfielder and Coutinho proving a consistent playmaker.
A strong right-wing presence, a strong left-wing presence, a bit of austerity thrown in, and somebody with decent No10 material. But all the time Chelsea have Mourinho in the house, even New Liverpool have a long way to go.


CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Courtois 6; Ivanovic 6, Zouma 5 (Cahill 35, 6), Terry 7, Filipe Luis 6; Mikel 7, Loftus-Cheek 7 (Matic 60, 5); Willian 7 (Cuadrado 83), Fabregas 8, Hazard 6; Remy 6. Booked: Fabregas, Ivanovic, Mikel, Luis. Goal: Terry 5. NEXT UP: West Brom (a) Mon, PL.


LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Mignolet 5; Johnson 6, Lovren 6, Skrtel 6, Can 5; Gerrard 7 (Lucas 79), Henderson 7; Coutinho 7, Lallana 6 (Ibe 71, 7), Sterling 7; Lambert 5. Booked: Lallana, Skrtel, Lambert 6 (Sinclair 68). Goal: Gerrard 44. NEXT UP: Crystal Palace (a) Sat, PL.
REFEREE: Andre Marriner (West Midlands).

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Star:


Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1: Reds set for Europa League as captains cancel each other out
IT WAS a goal-scoring afternoon for two 34-year-old skippers who once led England.

By David Woods

But while Steven Gerrard has a life in Los Angeles with LA Galaxy to anticipate, his opposite number in blue, John Terry, can look forward to plenty more glory with Chelsea.
And once again there was bitter disappointment for Gerrard.
In 2013-14, his infamous slip at Anfield let in Demba Ba to score in Jose Mourinho’s men’s 2-0 win, a loss that all but signalled the end of Liverpool’s title challenge.
Yesterday, there was no Stevie G catastrophe as he continued to try and bow out with a flourish.
But this draw ensured that, barring some goal-scoring frenzy in their last two games and successive Manchester United defeats, there won’t be any Champions League football for Brendan Rodgers and his men next season.
Having wrapped up the title a week earlier, Chelsea played with a bit more freedom yesterday, particularly in the first half.
But even with some of them possibly thinking more about somewhere like the West Indies rather than West Brom in a week, the Kop lot couldn’t take them down, to make it eight games without a win against the Blues.
Terry became the Premier League’s all time goal-scoring defender with No. 39 in the fifth minute.
Cesc Fabregas sent over a corner from the right and Rickie Lambert lost Terry, whose header was too strong for Simon Mignolet, with Gerrard also unable to stop it crossing the line.
To highlight Liverpool’s season of striking woe, it made it ten league goals combined from Chelsea defenders Terry, Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill, compared to eight by Mario Balotelli, Fabio Borini, Lambert and Daniel Sturridge.
Fabregas probably should not have been on the pitch. His late challenge on Raheem Sterling in the first minute was a shocker and could easily have justified a red rather than a yellow from Andre Marriner.
The Spaniard also tugged Sterling’s shorts in the 18th minute and somehow avoided giving away a foul.
But having benefitted from some poor marking, the Blues were uncharacteristically sloppy themselves in the 45th minute.
Jordan Henderson’s free-kick from the left picked out Gerrard, who lost marker Mikel all too easily to nod home at the far post from close range.
His celebration against the team and manager who tried so hard to sign him was extremely restrained, running back to the half-way line like a player you’d expect to see in black and white footage.
How Rodgers must wish he had Diego Costa in his squad to replace Luis Suarez. The 19-goal striker sat with the Chelsea fans in the Upper East Stand due to his latest hamstring injury.
He will have seen more exciting games, although this was a much more open one than a week earlier when the 1-0 defeat of Crystal Palace landed the title.
In the 49th minute Sterling set up Philippe Coutinho, but he fired into the side-netting. Willian then dragged a shot just wide of the far post.
Fabregas did manage a tame shot on target and had another, better one deflected for a corner by the excellent and brave Skrtel.
Bizarrely, when Gerrard came off in the 79th minute the Chelsea fans, led by Mourinho, clapped him off, having taunted him all game about that cock-up a year ago.
Funny old game, as Jimmy Greaves is famous for saying.
Courtois did well late on to react when Sterling tried to sneak in a shot at his near post, but the game petered out to leave Liverpool on 62 points, 18 less than at this stage last season.

Crystal Palace 1-0

Independent:

Mourinho’s Blues Mark II go through the gears to cross the finish line

Chelsea 1 Crystal Palace 0

Sam Wallace

In the closing stages of their final march to the title, Jose Mourinho turned to the seats behind his dugout and discreetly rolled his eyes at the effort of it all, at the sheer bloody-mindedness required to see one last home victory over the line.

In the closing stages of theirChelsea’s final march to the title yesterday, Jose Mourinho turned to the seats behind his dugout and discreetly rolled his eyes at the effort of it all, at the sheer bloody-mindedness required to see one last home victory over the line.

No club wins a Premier League title easily, although some can make it seem that way. Not every team do it with the flair and excitement that we imagine the best teams from the past were capable of. But every team that climbs this summit deserves the title of champions, whether they win it on goal difference in injury-time or, like Mourinho’s side, a long way clear of the pack.

Eden Hazard misses his penalty but pounced on the rebound to score the vital goal The Chelsea of 2015, the Chelsea of Mourinho II, are no different. They can be unlovable at times, an unyielding force that creates for the opposition the effect of being in a room where the walls are slowly closing in, but there is no question that they have been the best this time. While other clubs have melted in under the pressure, Mourinho’s side have adapted, re-formed, gone again and won matches when the heat was on.

It was the same against Crystal Palace, when a questionable penalty – awarded to Eden Hazard, saved by Julian Speroni and then scored on the rebound by the Belgian – was the game’s decisive moment. By the end Mourinho had eight defensive players on the pitch and was preoccupied with squeezing the last drops of resistance from a Palace team that came with grand plans and departed with nothing.

Later Mourinho, in what was one of his more low-key press conferences, listed the different obstacles his team had been obliged to overcome, the different strategies they had been forced to adopt – even over the course of just one afternoon against Palace. They had, he said, had games when they had dominated ball possession, others when they had let the opposition have the ball. They had overcome counter-attacking sides and everything else the Premier League throws up.

As he rattled off the different challenges, you could see he was getting close to the essence of this particular Chelsea team. They are the masters when it comes to negating the opposition’s strengths, counter-punching and then shutting up shop. They do what it takes to win football matches and it is a philosophy shaped by their manager.

Chelsea ground out another typical 1-0 win The fourth title of the Roman Abramovich era is the third for Mourinho and puts him up there on the all-time list with Arsène Wenger, Bill Shankly and Stan Cullis. Deep down, his place in history it means everything to him.

He was edgy rather than ebullient for much of the game. In the first half he seemed most disappointed with the efforts of the home fans in comparison with Palace’s away support. In deference, he gave the away end a thumbs-up. Later the Palace sang, “Jose is a Palace fan”. His wife Tami, a very occasional visitor to Stamford Bridge, was sitting in the seats just by the dugout.

It has been a strange week for the Mourinhos, with Jose’s 76-year-old father Felix having suffered a brain haemorrhage that has necessitated trips to Portugal this week from his son to be with him during surgery. It was the experience of seeing his father, also a football manager, sacked once on Christmas Day that drove on Jose to the great heights he has scaled. It would be fair to say no one will be sacking Jose II any time soon.

At half-time Mourinho brought on John Obi Mikel, then Kurt Zouma and Filipe Luis in the closing stages as Chelsea hung on grimly onto their lead.

His team have done it with three games to spare and could yet reach 92 points, just three short of the Premier League record that they set in Mourinho’s first season in charge, 2004-05. The quality of this Chelsea team has not been in question, it is simply that since Mourinho adopted the defensive position of the last few months it has been less than thrilling for the rest  of us.

His programme notes were 10 words long, “Three more points to be champions. Let’s do it together,” he wrote, but Chelsea made heavy weather of it in the first half. Before the game, Ramires was taken ill, serious enough that he went to hospital, and in his place came Juan Cuadrado with Nathan Ake promoted to the bench.

Chelsea’s lead came from a debatable penalty in the last minute of the half when Hazard squeezed between Adrian Mariappa and James McArthur and popped out the other side airborne, as if fired from a cannon.

It looked as if Mariappa might have had the decisive touch but, once he felt it, Hazard launched. These are difficult decisions to make when the best attacking player in the league is travelling so rapidly and Kevin Friend, the referee, looked as if  he made the easiest in the circumstances. You could make a case either way. It was by no means clear-cut.

With the penalty, Hazard tried to deceive Speroni with his eyes but the old Argentine is too cute for that. He guessed right, dived left and saved the ball. The rebound bounced kindly for Hazard to head in, a much more difficult finish than it looked.

Otherwise, Palace had done well and might have had a penalty themselves when John Terry threw life and limb in front of a Jason Puncheon shot on 29 minutes. The ball had struck the Chelsea captain’s hand first, which was not in a natural position.

John Terry falls to the floor at full time At half-time, Mourinho replaced Cuadrado, who had tried hard but with little effect. On came Zouma to thicken a midfield that was getting more crowded with every tactical switch. The gradual dawning on Palace was, as many teams have found against Chelsea, that conceding the first goal could prove decisive. Their belief drained from them and they struggled to get beyond a defence superbly led again by Terry.

He will get his hands on the Premier League trophy come the last home game against Sunderland,  when the party can resume. One does not expect Mourinho to let up against Liverpool or West Bromwich Albion in the interim, and after 24 May it will be up to the rest to figure out a way of stopping them next season.


Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois 6; Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Terry 8, Azpilicueta 7; Matic 7, Fabregas 6; Cuadrado 5 (Mikel 6, ht), Willian 6 (Zouma, 85), Hazard 6 (Luis, 90); Drogba 6.

Substitutes not used: Cech (gk), Remy, Ake, Loftus-Cheek.

Crystal Palace (4-3-3): Speroni 6; Mariappa 5 (Kelly 6, 60), Dann 6, Delaney 6, Ward 6; Puncheon 6 (Sanogo, 70), McArthur 6, Ledley 6; Mutch 6 (Murray, 61), Bolasie 5, Zaha 6.

Substitute not used: Hennessy (gk), Hangeland, Jedinak, Chung-Yong.

Referee: K Friend

Man of the match: Terry

Match Rating: 6

Booked:
Chelsea Ivanovic, Terry
Crystal Palace Mariappa, Dann

Attendance: 41,566


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


Guardian:

Chelsea seal Premier League title as Eden Hazard sinks Crystal Palace

Chelsea 1 - 0 C Palace

Daniel Taylor at Stamford Bridge

As Eden Hazard celebrated the goal that would ultimately settle everything the outstanding performer in this season’s title race put his hand to his forehead and wiped his brow in a show of exaggerated relief.

Hazard had just seen possibly the most feeble penalty of his career come back off Julián Speroni, the Crystal Palace goalkeeper. He scored the rebound with an improvisational header and that was the moment Stamford Bridge could start to turn up the volume and soak in the club’s new status as champions of England.

Once again they were a good notch or two down on the level of performance seen before Christmas when Cesc Fàbregas played with such elegance, Diego Costa was battering opposition defences and there was undoubtedly a greater sense of adventure than during the last couple of months.

They are, however, so highly accomplished at getting to where they want to be and, in this case, that was a pitch covered in blue ticker-tape, all the usual victory songs booming out over the loudspeakers and the man with the microphone milking the moment. “Manchester United can’t catch us,” he began. “Manchester City can’t catch us. Arsenal can’t catch us.” Each sentence prompted a louder cheer than the one before.

In many ways it was the classic Chelsea performance that has been witnessed so many times lately: efficient, structured, methodical. John Terry showed again the remarkable influence he has on a team that never seem to be afflicted by nerves. Hazard flitted around dangerously and Fàbregas was never long off the ball.

They always kept half-a-dozen players behind the ball to protect themselves against the speed of Palace’s counter-attacking players and Mourinho’s substitutions late on told their own story. Kurt Zouma was brought on for Willian and Filipe Luís was introduced to replace Hazard. Chelsea ended up with six defenders on the pitch, two of them playing in midfield, and nothing else on their minds but to suffocate the game in its final moments. “Today was not a game to enjoy,” Mourinho said matter-of-factly. “Today was a day to finish the job.”

No doubt they will face more accusations of not winning thrillingly enough but do not presume that will bother Mourinho. “I think everyone knows we deserve this,” he said. “It’s just that somedon’t say it.”

His late changes also recognised the fact they were confronted by difficult opponents. Wilfried Zaha caused problems all afternoon and Palace matched their opponents until that moment a minute before half-time when Hazard played a one-two with Willian, darted between James McArthur and Adrian Mariappa and won a penalty that Alan Pardew summed up as a “nice piece of luck”. If Hazard was clipped it was mostly because he initiated the contact himself, already in midair. What looked a penalty at full speed looked considerably less so in slow motion.

Hazard’s penalty was struck so poorly that Speroni, having got his hands to the ball, might have made a better job of holding on to it. Instead the rebound popped up invitingly for Hazard to brace his neck muscles and score at the second attempt, showing great composure for someone who is hardly renowned for his heading ability.

Chelsea had not offered a great deal until that point other than a dipping free-kick from Didier Drogba that Speroni clawed away at the second attempt and a shot from Nemanja Matic towards the near post. Drogba and Willian had decent chances to soothe any lingering nerves in the second half but Chelsea always maintained a calculated measure of caution.

Mourinho’s first substitution had come at half-time, when he took off Juan Cuadrado and brought on Mikel John Obi to add more muscle and presence alongside Matic. Terry and Gary Cahill headed away just about everything and César Azpilicueta got tight to Zaha. “It’s what champions do,” Pardew said. “They don’t let you back in when they get the lead.”

Cuadrado had been thrust into the team after Ramires pulled out in the warm-up, feeling so unwell he was taken to hospital, but the £27m signing from Fiorentina has looked lost in his brief time at Chelsea and his struggles were in keeping with an occasionally laboured first half from Mourinho’s team. Terry’s sprawling block to turn away Jason Puncheon’s shot was also worthy of scrutiny given that the ball struck both his midriff and arm. Terry maybe deserves the benefit of the doubt after some exceptional defending to get his body in the way and the Chelsea captain was superb in the second half as Pardew’s team continued to attack with width and pace.

Unfortunately for Palace Yannick Bolasie’s element of surprise did not often catch out his opponents.

Mourinho looked tired in his press conference after a week in which he has also flown to Portugal because his father was having an operation. At the final whistle his first reaction was to go into the seats behind the dugout to find his family. But the man who is averaging a trophy every 34 games still managed to get the last word. This one came in the form of an old Portuguese saying – “Os cães ladram, mas a caravana passa”. It translates as dogs bark but the caravan keeps on.

It means to pay no attention to what people say – good advice when the Premier League trophy is on it way back to Stamford Bridge.


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


Telegraph:

Chelsea 1 Crystal Palace 0

Eden Hazard scores as hosts crowned Premier League champions

By Henry Winter

Chelsea’s players basked in the sunshine and the glow of title glory, their celebrations brief but emotional. “Manchester United can’t catch us, Manchester City can’t catch us, Arsenal can’t catch us,’’ screamed the Bridge announcer. “We are the champions.”
Staff immediately appeared with large boxes, handing out scarves and caps proclaiming Jose Mourinho’s side “champions 2015”. They had been expecting it. Everyone had. Crystal Palace tried to ruin the party but could not subdue Eden Hazard, the PFA Player of the Year who scored the decisive goal, or break down a defence organised with typical experience and expertise by John Terry.
Pumping from the speakers was the Bridge favourite “One Step Beyond”, fittingly for a manager and team always one step ahead of their rivals.

Chelsea deserve to be taken on an open-top bus ride while their supposed challengers deserve to be taken to task. Manchester City’s defence of their title has been anaemic.
Liverpool faded with Luis Suarez going to Barcelona, and Daniel Sturridge going lame. Arsene Wenger tried to belittle Mourinho and Chelsea, claiming that defending was “easy”, a mind-set helping explain why Arsenal have failed to nail down a title since 2004.
None of Arsenal’s back-four or keeper would get into Chelsea’s rearguard.
Chelsea’s title is a triumph for Mourinho’s tactical nous and his players’ individual abilities and collective willpower. They are a team in the true sense of the word, playing for each other, covering each other’s back. They stood strong when injuries bit during the second half of the season, and when Palace attacked strongly late on in the second half here.

When Palace’s last surge ebbed, and the game was won, the title secured, Mourinho turned to embrace his family. A sign of the occasion’s significance was the presence of his wife, Matilde, hardly a regular attendee. Mourinho is driven by this hunger for titles, for this gleaming proof of being the best strategist and motivator over 10 months.
This was his eighth league in 12 years, comprising two with Porto, two with Inter Milan and one with Real Madrid as well as three at the Bridge.
Mourinho looked out towards his partying players. The three who have started every Premier League game this season led the celebrations.
Branislav Ivanovic spearheaded the celebratory charge towards the Shed, followed by Hazard, clutching a scarf in his right hand, and Terry.

Then came Thibaut Courtois, Diego Costa in jeans and Cesc Fabregas, highlighted that this was also a victory for long-term planning with judicious strengthening last summer.
There was the return from Atletico Madrid of the battle-hardened Courtois, who made a vital save from Wilfried Zaha with eight minutes remaining.
Until troubled by injury, Costa was a wrecking ball of opposing defences. Fabregas was recruited to bring guile to midfield and has so far provided 17 assists, closing on Thierry Henry’s Premier League record of 20.
Fabregas possesses such composure and technique that the FA has used his style in educating younger players, particularly his ability to take the ball on the half-turn and always knowing its next destination. There were almost gasps of shock when Fabregas miscued a shot, following Didier Drogba’s lay-off after 35 minutes.

Drogba was immersed in the celebrations at the final whistle, his head swathed in a scarf with the “champions 2015” logo prominently at the front.
Nemanja Matic picked his way effortlessly through the blue streamers piling up on the pitch, just as the commanding Serb had advanced unchecked through opposing midfields this season.
Terry and a laughing Drogba gathered the players in a huddle, sharing the moment, a symbol of their collectivity that has served them so well during difficult moments this season. Terry and Hazard were the last players from the field, fittingly so as the team’s most important.

Terry stopped to talk to Sky Sports, managing to scratch an old wound called Rafa Benitez, the erstwhile interim manager, by noting that “one person said I couldn’t play twice in a week - he knows who he is”. Embodying the team’s craving for silverware, Terry has not missed a second of Premier League football this season.
Showing a touch of class, Terry then sent his condolences to Rio Ferdinand following the death of the QPR defender’s wife.
Organising and intercepting, Chelsea’s captain has embodied their drive in recent weeks, leading to some observers to campaign for him to be voted Footballer of the Year.
The 34-year-old, playing his 46th game of the season, did get caught out, tugging back James McArthur after 37 minutes and being cautioned. Palace fans promptly denigrated Terry. “He’s won more than you,’’ chorused the Chelsea fans. He’s won 14 major trophies.

Yet there is surely the more convincing claim of Hazard, who has scored and created at key moments of the season, whose dangerous dribbling has seen him fouled more times than any other player this season. He scored his 14th Premier League goal of the campaign on the cusp of half-time, putting Chelsea on the brink of nirvana.
He engineered the opportunity with a pass in to Willian on the edge of the area before running on, taking the Brazilian’s elegant back-heeled return in his scampering stride.
To Palace’s disgust, Hazard then fell to earth as he sped between Adrian Mariappa and McArthur. First challenged by Mariappa, Hazard appeared to push his knee towards McArthur, tumbling under the slightest of contact.
The penalty certainly came in the “soft” category.
So did Hazard’s kick, the ball planted gently towards Julian Speroni.
The Palace keeper saved and then threw himself to his right, seeking to protect the more exposed part of his goal. Intelligently and calmly, Hazard headed the ball back across Speroni and in. Any surprise at Hazard’s first Premier League penalty miss in 10 attempts was soon lost amidst admiration for his nerveless reaction to his a mistake.

There was a legacy from the incident, notably Palace fans chanting “he’s going to dive in a minute” whenever the Belgian gained possession in the second half. Yet Hazard, as well as Fabregas, Willian and Costa, are the vibrant human counterpoint to the laughable criticism that Chelsea are “boring”.
Mourinho mocked the howls of disparagement with his pithy “the dogs bark and the caravan goes by”. The big blue machine rolls on, ignoring the yapping.
Chelsea fans were too busy singing in the second half, praising everyone from Peter Osgood to Frank Lampard, Gianfranco Zola, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and “there’s only one Di Matteo”. They also hailed Roman Abramovich and Mourinho.
Some supporters wore T-shirts adorned by a photograph of Mourinho in the driving seat of a bus and the message “he parks where he wants”. Yet Chelsea have been much more than park the bus, or the caravan.
Mourinho’s side had been a joyous, mobile force for half the season.

The epithets were relentlessly flattering when Fabregas played what is still one of the passes of the season to Andre Schurrle on the opening weekend at Turf Moor, when Chelsea prevailed 6-3 at Goodison Park in a game widely acclaimed as a “thriller”, and when they beat Spurs 3-0 at home to the accompaniment of gushing headlines. Chelsea have contributed some of the high points of an admittedly average season.
When Hazard and Terry eventually reached the dressing-room, Fabregas was standing in the middle, punching the air. Terry was soon spraying champagne while Gary Cahill waved his arms manically like a traffic cop at Hyde Park Corner in rush hour. “Campeones” they sang.
So what now? There will be the guard of honour from Steven Gerrard and the Liverpool players here next Sunday, the trip to West Brom and then, finally, the lifting of the Premier League trophy after the game with Sunderland here on May 24.
There will be the parade the following day and then the preparations for next season. It would be good to see youth given its head, drawing on the excellent development work of Neil Bath and his staff.
Even if Dominic Solanke and Izzy Brown go out on loan, intensifying the maturing process, Ruben Loftus-Cheek looks ready for the challenge.
Mourinho predicted that the energetic central midfielder will cause “a big surprise” in the Premier League next season. Chelsea’s own success this season comes as no big surprise. Others need to respond.


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


Mail:

Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace

Blues clinch Premier League title as Eden Hazard heads home after seeing initial penalty saved

By MATT BARLOW

By the end of the day, all those in Chelsea blue had what they came for and Roman Abramovich was waving and smiling down from his executive seat.
When you see Abramovich crack his surly Russian visage and display such emotion, you are witnessing a special moment, and here was his fourth Barclays Premier League title in 12 years since buying the club.
It ends a wait of five years and was clinched with three games to spare, thanks to a goal from Eden Hazard, who nodded in the rebound of a poor penalty he had seen saved, just before half-time.

Chelsea had to dig in and defend but Jose Mourinho's team do this so well. They produced another clean sheet and the best team in the land are the champions.
Out came the streamers and that song by Queen. Champagne corks popped and the bubbly was sprayed, scarves were wrapped around heads and players slid across the turf on their bellies. Messages, photographs and videos started to fly from their social media accounts.
The DJ moved onto 'One Step Beyond', a ska anthem of celebration at Stamford Bridge and it all began to sink in: a first Premier League title for many of the squad, including Hazard.
He was an appropriate match-winner on such a day, although his scruffy goal came with accusations that he dived for the penalty and there were uneasy moments when the coronation party seemed about to fall flat.
Mourinho's touchline activities provided a strange side-show. At times he sulked moodily, clearly dissatisfied with the support of the home crowd for his team, while seeming to court the noisy Palace fans in the Shed End.

The Chelsea manager ignored those in the Matthew Harding Stand when they sang his name and then seemed to react angrily when they sang Frank Lampard's.
'It was not a game to enjoy,' said Mourinho, who has been under added stress since his father, Felix, suffered a brain haemorrhage, last week. He dashed to Portugal by private plane after winning at Leicester, returned to the club and made another flying visit home on Friday.
'I was there with him at the most difficult moment, the moment of surgery,' he added. 'After that, everything is under control. He is getting strong and better and I am much more relaxed.'
On Sunday his wife Matilde was in the crowd. She rarely comes to watch but this was a special occasion and Mourinho went straight to her on the final whistle.
Palace made Chelsea sweat for the points, but these players have been injected with the sort of brutal mentality which is the hallmark of Mourinho's teams.

When not playing fluently, they still find a way to win. Rather than snipe and whinge about their style of football, his rivals might prefer to adopt this quality which Chelsea have boasted since he built his first team at the Bridge.
It has been most evident in the title run-in, when Mourinho's small squad was beset by injuries, most notably to top-scorer Diego Costa. Oscar was missing on Sunday and Ramires was taken ill during the warm-up and sent to hospital, which catapulted Juan Cuadrado into the team.
Cuadrado has not found his stride since arriving from Fiorentina in January and he struggled again. He did not make it past half-time. John Obi Mikel replaced him, the first of several defensive shifts from Chelsea.
By the end, Mourinho had six recognised defenders on the pitch protecting the one-goal lead plus midfield enforcers Mikel and Nemanja Matic.
Palace can be flattered. They had performed well, initially offering stubborn resistance which played on frayed nerves inside Stamford Bridge and then threatening on the break until the final seconds of the game.

Goalkeeper Julian Speroni denied Matic and Didier Drogba before Hazard won the penalty, threading a pass to Willian, collecting the return and wriggling into the box from his usual berth, wide on the left.
James McArthur closed him down and tried to pull out of the tackle but Hazard forced the contact. At real-speed, it seemed a penalty and referee Kevin Friend gave it in a flash. On the slow-motion replays, it looked more like Hazard had engineered it.
The Belgian put the ball on the spot and took it himself, but his kick was tame and easily saved by Speroni. It was the first time Hazard had missed from the spot in the Premier League, but this one looped up, straight onto his head.
Hazard seized this second chance. He buried a header inside the post and ran off to soak up the applause while mopping his brow in mock relief.
Palace fans were in no doubt what they thought. Hazard's first touch of the second-half was greeted with a chorus of: 'He's gonna dive in a minute.'

Pardew refused to wade into controversy on Chelsea's day of celebration, but he thought his team deserved a penalty for handball against John Terry as he blocked a fierce drive by Jason Puncheon when the game was goalless.
'They're difficult once they go ahead,' said the Palace boss. 'That's what champions do, they don't let you back in once they take the lead. They've had two defeats all season and they've done the job. That's why this guy earns the money he earns. He wins trophies and he'll win the manner he sees fit for the occasion.'
Chelsea could not find a second to soothe the nerves. Increasingly desperate efforts came in from increasingly ambitious angles but it was Puncheon who came closest to changing the result, with another flashing effort which zipped inches wide.
When Thibaut Courtois blocked the final effort at Wilfried Zaha's feet to preserve the slender lead it seemed like the best way to cross the line: goal conjured by Hazard, followed by a solid display of defensive might.
Chelsea are champions. Worthy champions, it has to be said. More than one step beyond.


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

Mirror:

Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace: Blues secure the Premier League title in true Mourinho fashion

By John Cross

Mourinho's side may have finished the game with three defensive midfielders on the pitch, but they also finished it as champions of England

Jose Mourinho is only ­interested in winning trophies not popularity contests. He did not even join his players for the joyous blue ticker-tape celebrations on the pitch after Chelsea were finally crowned Premier League champions.

Instead, the Portuguese went to his son and then his wife and daughter, who were sitting near the dugout before heading down the tunnel.

It almost felt like Mourinho was determined to miss his own parade as the Chelsea boss did not look to be in the mood to party with the rest of Stamford Bridge.

In fairness, his father has been ill and last week the manager flew back to Portugal to be at his bedside.

But it was more than that. Mourinho clearly wasn’t happy, rarely have we seen a title manager look so sullen and even seemed to turn on Chelsea’s fans as at times it did seem rather quiet and flat.

He is all about winning and his demeanour at Stamford Bridge was almost a sense of disbelief at Chelsea not getting the credit they deserve.

Forget style, thrills and spills. Enjoy the glory.

The Blues were the best team by far in the first half of the season, playing free-flowing
football which entertained us all. And no one should blame them for the poor title race. Blame the rest.

The last few weeks of the season has been an ­uncomfortable stumble over the finishing line as the west Londoners have run out of gas.

Victory here even felt strangely unsatisfying as they had to rely on a moment of controversy to accomplish it.

PFA Player of the Year Eden Hazard won a penalty, had it saved and then headed in the rebound. But Palace were incensed and their ­travelling fans made it clear they felt Hazard had dived under James ­McArthur’s 44th-minute challenge.

They chanted “cheat” at the Belgium international in amongst songs about the lack of atmosphere at Stamford Bridge during the game.

Mourinho seemed to love the Palace fans.

At one point he turned to them, acknowledged their loud singing, then looked at the Matthew Harding Stand before turning to the bench and said, “Nothing.”

Just before half time, the boss even mocked his own fans by pretending to fall asleep while he appeared to turn away in disgust and mouth obscenities during the second half when they started singing about Frank Lampard.

Mourinho has no time for ­sentiment, he is only interested in winning.

And the fact not everyone appreciates Chelsea or understands his philosophy, seems to have really upset him.

But he has the medals to prove his brilliance.

This is his third Premier League title from his two spells in west London and he has also won titles at Porto, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.

His teams just know how to win and never has that been more true than here as it was a forgettable game but they got the three points – and clinched the title.

The Blues offered little in the first half as twice Julian ­Speroni’s poor handling nearly gifted chances.

The Palace ­keeper’s poor punch almost let in Nemanja Matic and then he spilled Didier ­Drogba’s fierce free-kick.

The Eagles grew in ­confidence as the half wore on and boss Alan Pardew was convinced his team should have had a penalty when John Terry’s arm blocked from Jason Puncheon.

But Chelsea got a lucky break. Hazard broke forward from the left, swapped passes with Willian, then went down as McArthur and Adrian Mariappa tried to block him off.

Referee Kevin Friend pointed to the spot, Hazard’s poor penalty was saved by Speroni but the ball spun up into the air and the No.10 headed home the rebound.

Palace had a couple of second-half chances but it was almost inevitable Chelsea went on to grind out a 1-0 win to clinch the title. But no one should dispute that they are worthy ­champions.

Mourinho certainly doesn’t care how they won. Just as long as they did.



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


Express:

Chelsea 1 - Crystal Palace 0: Hazard goal seals Premier League title with 3 games to spare

IN THE END, at the moment of triumph, he turned to reach into the crowd to embrace his son, and then his wife and daughter.

By TONY BANKS

He had already shaken his opposite number Alan Pardew’s hand – before the final whistle, in fact. But then, as Stamford Bridge exploded with joy, came Jose Mourinho’s group hug with the family, the nearest and dearest.

And then, as the players collapsed to the turf in joy, as the ticker tape and streamers poured down onto the pitch, as the crowd sang and danced in the stands, he disappeared down the tunnel.

The third Premier League triumph with Chelsea, the eighth of his career in four countries in the space of 12 years. Mourinho had said earlier in the week that he would only celebrate for five minutes, and would then get on with planning next season. He was as good as his word.


This one though was special, for the Special One, as he had also admitted. He had come back to the club he loved, when they always say you should never go back, and he had rebuilt in two years a team that could win the title again.

In truth, despite the euphoria, despite the sheer joy when it finally happened, this was a rather mundane final clinching of the crown.

A scrappy, tense game, settled, fittingly by Chelsea’s (and everyone else’s) player of the season, Eden Hazard, who nodded home the rebound after Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni had saved his 43rd minute penalty.

It was a slightly fortunate penalty anyway, the Belgian going down rather too easily under James McArthur’s challenge – though there was contact.

Crystal Palace had fought hard, right to the very nervous end, and had created several good chances but Mourinho had ruthlessly locked the game down as he threw on defenders to protect the lead as the game wore on.

It was job done. It usually is with Mourinho. But Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was beaming in delight from the stands along with the delirious fans, and really, this morning, who can argue with that?

Chelsea have won the league with three games to spare and at this moment in time are 13 points ahead of Manchester City, the defending champions, who are in second spot.

They have lost only two games, the last of those on New Years’ Day, and they scored 69 goals, only one team in the league scoring more.

They have been the best team in the league since they hit the ground running at Burnley on the opening day – and they had never let up.

It was, in many ways, a performance typical of this long campaign. With Ramires dropping out in the warm up through illness, winger Juan Cuadrado made a rare start. Palace were organised and motivated and gave Chelsea little room, as Cuadrado and Didier Drogba, who again played the full 90 minutes at the age of 37, each fired in long range efforts.

Skipper John Terry blundered but redeemed himself by blocking Jason Puncheon’s shot, but then came the breakthrough, courtesy of the magic little Belgian Hazard – as it so often has in the latter stages of this long campaign. Chances were actually few and far between as Palace closed down the spaces, but Puncheon will feel he should have levelled the scores when he shot wide.

After Branislav Ivanovic and Drogba both missed chances, Chelsea had goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to thank for keeping their lead intact when he dashed out to foil Wilfried Zaha.

On went Kurt Zouma, and then Filipe Luis, to protect what they had. There were nerves as Palace pressed, but this defence has been good for Chelsea in recent weeks, and it was again. Only one goal conceded in their last five games.

Family has been important for Mourinho this past week, with his father, Jose Mourinho Felix, having had surgery last week.

The Chelsea manager had flown out after Wednesday’s win at Leicester to be at his bedside, and Jose Senior is now recuperating. It was to his closest that he had again turned yesterday.

In Mourinho’s first spell in charge, Chelsea won back to back titles in 2005 and 2006. He has already said it will be very hard to repeat that feat. You would not bet against him.

And of course, there was another family round him right at the end. Terry, still there after all those year, and somehow Drogba. Still fighting for him, right until the very last.


Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois 7; Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 7; Fabregas 7, Matic 7; Cuadrado 6 (Mikel 46 6), Willian 7 (Zouma 85 6), Hazard 8 (Luis 90 6); Drogba 7. Booked: Ivanovic, Terry. Goal: Hazard 44. Next Up: Liverpool (a) Sunday PL.

C Palace (4-4-2): Speroni 6; Mariappa 6 (Kelly 60 6), Dann 6, Delaney 7, Ward 7; Puncheon 7 (Sanogo 71 6), Ledley 6, McArthur 7, Zaha 7; Mutch 6 (Murray 60 6), Bolassie 7. Booked: Dann, Mariappa. Next Up: Man Utd (h) May 9 PL.

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicester).


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Star:

Chelsea 1 Crystal Palace 0: Hazard header secures title for Blues

BE HONEST. You didn’t expect a feast of goals, did you?

By Paul Brown

Chelsea are champions – and how ironic the goal that finally clinched it would come from a penalty.

Jose Mourinho has spent all season complaining his side never get them, ever since Diego Costa was denied one in their opening game against Burnley.

But they got one here, and even though Eden Hazard only scored it on the rebound after his initial kick was saved, it was enough to clinch the championship.

Like Floyd Mayweather against Manny Pacquiao, Chelsea did just enough.

They don’t call Mayweather ‘Money’ for nothing, and just like the unbeaten welterweight champion, Chelsea did what they do best and ground it out.

Mourinho’s men have only been beaten twice all season. They haven’t tasted defeat at Stamford Bridge once.

They saw it out as they have much of the latter part of the season – defending their own goal. But Chelsea fans won’t care. Five years without a title is a long time for a club like this.

Crystal Palace helped kill off Liverpool’s title dream last season. But try as they might they couldn’t land a knockout blow to spoil the home side’s party.

It was the Chelsea that the critics love to hate for most of the game. Tough. Uncompromising. No-nonsense.

Football with a snarl.

Branislav Ivanovic angrily went head to head with Jordon Mutch after taking offence to a late tackle in a confrontation that seemed to sum it all up.

It’s foolish to call Chelsea boring. They’ve blown enough teams away this season to prove they are anything but that.

But this was far from pretty.

It was all niggly fouls and misplaced passes from both teams, with Hazard spending more time on his back than he did on the ball.

In between the ugly stuff Julian Speroni saved with his legs from Nemanja Matic and John Terry blocked a goalbound shot by Jason Puncheon with his hand.

But it was somehow fitting the breakthrough came from a controversial penalty after Willian played Hazard in on goal.

Adrian Mariappa gave him the slightest of shoves and Hazard, off-balance, jumped into a clumsy tackle by James McArthur.

It was probably a foul. But it was soft – and even then Hazard only scored with his head after Speroni saved his spot kick.

If there was one thing this game needed to get pulses racing it was surely not the sight of John Obi Mikel coming on at half time for Juan Cuadrado. But that’s what happened.

Palace made a game of it despite having little to play for, with Jason Puncheon fizzing a shot narrowly wide and Thibaut Courtois saving at the feet of Wilfried Zaha.

Willian, Didier Drogba and Matic all had half chances to score for the Blues, but as the time ticked slowly down the Bridge was strangely quiet.

Maybe it was the sight of the champions-elect defending their own penalty area in the dying minutes against a team in 12th place.

Maybe it was just that everyone knew this was coming weeks ago. Maybe it was the sight of full back Filipe Luis coming on for Hazard in stoppage time.

But even Roman Abramovich looked bored before breaking into a smile when referee Kevin Friend finally blew the final whistle to get the party started.

They are worthy champions.

But they didn’t play like it yesterday.

Arsenal 0-0

Independent:

Blues close in on Premier League title after fiery stalemate
Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0
SAM WALLACE

Jose Mourinho has the Premier League in the proverbial headlock and the day is not too far away when the canvas will be slapped, the submission offered and Chelsea can get on with celebrating the fourth championship of the Roman Abramovich era. In the meantime, there is no point pretending that the last days of their campaign is the great spectacle that the English football sells itself as around the world.
Nevertheless, here is something compelling about Chelsea’s ruthlessness, the way in which their defence seemed to multiply into 15, 20, 25 blue shirts all ready to block, tackle or head away the few attempts Arsenal had on goal. Like a terrifying dystopian army that simply multiplies every time an attack is launched on it, Mourinho’s Chelsea of 2015 have overwhelmed the rest.
The switch has been flicked from artistic to strategic, to borrow Mourinho’s own analogy, and from the sleek vintage sports car of the early part of the season his team are now the monster truck with the outsized wheels of last few weeks, riding roughshod over the rest. Nevertheless, the outstanding defensive performances need to be duly noted and there were few better than John Terry whom Mourinho said played his best game for Chelsea under his management.
Cesc Fabregas is booked for an alleged dive in the Arsenal area Cesc Fabregas is booked for an alleged dive in the Arsenal area No team turns counter-attack into a useful, time-guzzling period of sterile possession like Chelsea. No team is so well-drilled in simply doing what it has to do. Mourinho and Chelsea have earned the right over the course of the season to come to the Emirates, with six games left, and play for a draw, but it would have been so much better if they had needed to win.
At the final whistle the home fans sang, “boring, boring, Chelsea”, and yet, as with everything else, Mourinho had his response prepared for that eventuality. “I think ten years without the title, that’s boring,” he said, momentarily slipping back into full sneer.
With five points remaining between them and the league title, Chelsea cannot clinch it at Leicester City on Wednesday, but they can do so against Crystal Palace a week today. In the meantime, a 13 game between Arsene Wenger and the coach who has plagued his last decade ends without the first victory for the Arsenal manager, whose team tried to win the game with varying levels of competence.
It told you much that Arsenal’s best chance of the game came in injury-time at the end of the game when the substitute Danny Welbeck failed to get on the end of a cross from Nacho Monreal. They had just one shot on target all game, as opposed to the three mustered by Chelsea.
When the final whistle went Terry, Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill celebrated together with the kind of joy normally reserved for goals. Ivanovic sailed closest to the wind with two fouls on Alexis Sanchez that could have been bookings before he was cautioned for the third, but Chelsea had their quibbles with the referee too.
If ever there was a Mourinho team to win a Mourinho championship in the gritty dog-days of April then it was this one. His two favourite strikers, Diego Costa and Loic Remy, injured. His third, the old warhorse Didier Drogba, just not up to pulling the plough any longer. And no thought given to promoting the teenage prodigy Dominic Solanke, despite having talked him up pre-match.
Jose Mourinho was vocal on the sidelines Jose Mourinho was vocal on the sidelines Instead, he picked Oscar to do the centre-forward’s job, proof, if ever, that the position in Mourinho’s teams is not necessarily about scoring goals. In the first half, Drogba was on the bench thinking about the old days against Arsenal while Chelsea swarmed the midfield. Sometimes Willian or Eden Hazard would offer their displaced Brazilian team-mate Oscar some support but most of the time he was up there on his own, like a chemistry teacher covering a drama class.
The first half was the usual master-class of containment from Chelsea who threw themselves in front of everything that dropped in their own box and still created the best chances themselves.
Dider Drogba, off the bench, failed to add yet another goal to his tally against Arsenal Dider Drogba, off the bench, failed to add yet another goal to his tally against Arsenal There were two penalty claims for Chelsea in the first half, or one and a half to be scrupulously fair to Michael Oliver. The first was decided by that age-old referee’s protocol that if the attacker gets to the ball first it matters not how ruthlessly he is assaulted by the out-rushing goalkeeper. In this case, David Ospina took out Oscar in the Wrestlemania fashion and got away with it.
Cesc Fabregas’ ball clipped over the top had been woefully misjudged by Laurent Koscielny and Oscar lifted the ball over the goalkeeper and towards goal where Hector Bellerin was able to get round to head it away. The Chelsea man required treatment in the aftermath of the collision, a bang to the head hard enough to cause him to forget his new position.
No penalty given and much wry smiling from Mourinho. Then, halfway through the first half, Fabregas dinked a ball past Santi Cazorla in the area and went over the leg stretched out by the Arsenal man to retrieve the ball. There was undoubtedly contact, but halfway through his act of exaggeration, Fabregas appeared to be consumed by the embarrassment of his deception and it became a farce.
Arsenal felt they should have had a penalty of their own in the first half Arsenal felt they should have had a penalty of their own in the first half He was booked, although there was a case, albeit small, for a foul. Arsenal appealed for a Cazorla shot on 32 minutes that struck the arm of Gary Cahill but there was little the Chelsea man could do about it. The best chance of the first half was a ball sneaked through the Arsenal defence by Willian which Ramires tapped meekly at Ospina
Fabregas was booed half-heartedly for much of the game on his first return to Arsenal as a Chelsea player. Then, when he was substituted in the last minutes, he chanced a conciliatory applause to the home fans and found that it was reciprocated around much of the ground.
At half-time Drogba replaced Oscar, sent to hospital suffering from suspected concussion and in the second half there was scarcely a chance worthy of the mention until the frantic later stages with Welbeck and Theo Walcott introduced. Even then, Chelsea looked dangerous on the counter-attack and Arsenal gave the impression that they were ensnared in the trap that Mourinho had set for them.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin (Welbeck, 76), Cazorla; Ramsey, Ozil, Sanchez; Giroud (Walcott, 84).
Substitutes not used: Szczesny (gk), Debuchy, Gibbs, Wilshere, Flamini.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic; Ramires, Willian (Cuadrado, 90), Fabregas (Zouma, 82), Hazard; Oscar (Drogba, ht).
Substitutes not used: Cech (gk), Luis, Mikel, Loftus-Cheek.

Booked: Arsenal Coquelin, Cazorla, Monreal Chelsea Fabregas, Willian, Ivanovic
Referee: M Oliver.
Attendance: 60,066
Man of the match: Terry
Rating: 5

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Guardian:

Arsenal deny Chelsea but José Mourinho’s side edge closer to title
Arsenal 0 - 0 Chelsea
Daniel Taylor at the Emirates Stadium

By the end, there was the unmistakable feeling that all Arsenal were doing was delaying the inevitable. The earliest Chelsea can win the title now is at home to Crystal Palace next Sunday and, if not then, the following week against Liverpool. The only question is when the coronation happens but the real detail is that the victory parade has already been arranged for 25 May – and there was nothing Arsenal could do here to make that feel even the slightest bit premature.
Instead, we had the result that everybody could probably have predicted when they saw José Mourinho had started with a team devoid of an orthodox centre-forward. Chelsea, once again, showed their qualities of structure and defensive organisation and it is now five games since Arsenal last managed a goal against them. Arsène Wenger has still not beaten Mourinho in 13 attempts and Chelsea stubbornly refused to be drawn into the kind of match that would suit their opponents.
“Boring, boring Chelsea,” Arsenal’s supporters taunted. Mourinho came prepared into his press conference. “Boring?” he asked. “Ten years without a title – that’s boring.”
As put-downs go, it was one of his better ones. Yet he could hardly deny Chelsea’s conservatism. The tactic was to keep at least half a dozen players behind the ball and insure themselves against the counterattack, Wenger’s weapon of choice. Chelsea are grinding their way to glory but, boy, they are good at these smothering techniques.
John Terry made it seem implausible he was not even on the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year award, leading Mourinho to describe it as the greatest performance he had seen from his captain. César Azpilicueta excelled at left-back and at the final whistle the fist-pumping told its own story. Branislav Ivanovic launched himself into the air. Terry let out a cry of pent-up emotion. Gary Cahill embraced Azpilicueta. That sturdy quartet of thou-shall-not-pass defenders punched the sky and screamed their delight in a collective appreciation of their own work.
Did Chelsea come for the scoreless draw? No, Mourinho always wants to win but the priority was certainly to hold the fort – and there is no better team in England when it comes to subduing high-calibre opponents. It is the first time Wenger’s team have dropped points at home since November and we have to go back to the previous February to find the last occasion they did not score a league goal at home. Mesut Özil, Alexis Sánchez and their other danger men had lots of the ball but there was always that formidable bank of blue shirts ahead of them.
The paradox, perhaps, is that Chelsea could also reflect the game might have turned out very differently but for the moment, a quarter of an hour in, that provided the game’s biggest controversy. David Ospina, Arsenal’s goalkeeper, was certainly fortunate not to be punished after charging from his goalline, missing the ball and clattering into Oscar. Héctor Bellerín prevented Oscar’s looping effort from bouncing into the goal and Chelsea had every right to argue it should have been a penalty.
Wenger admitted afterwards his team had been lucky but Chelsea lose an element of sympathy because of the other occasions they resorted to deceptions to try to win a penalty. Oscar can just about be given the benefit of the doubt after an optimistic fall in front of Bellerín but Cesc Fàbregas deserved all the condemnation that came his way when he wafted his leg in the direction of Santi Cazorla, then plopped to the ground in the vain hope that the referee, Michael Oliver, might be conned. All of Mourinho’s grievances will be undermined as long as his players try it on this way.
Arsenal had complaints of their own bearing in mind the incident later in the first half when Cahill’s left arm blocked Cazorla’s goal-bound shot inside the penalty area. Özil was Arsenal’s greatest threat in the first half. Aaron Ramsey’s link-up play with the overlapping Bellerín was another feature but, with less of the ball, Mourinho’s team still created the best chances of that period. Fàbregas’s pass for Oscar’s opportunity was the outstanding moment and, seven minutes before the interval, Ramires ought to have done better after Willian’s pass.
Oscar had to go off at half-time, taken to hospital and still suffering the effects of the collision with Ospina, and Didier Drogba took over as their centre-forward to give the team a more orthodox look.
Fàbregas took up a more attacking position and Willian switched to the right, with Ramires dropping inside to partner Nemanja Matic. Yet their tactics rarely deviated. At one point Willian led a promising break and there was only Drogba and Fàbregas who showed the faintest interest in supporting their colleague. The rest hung back.
Fàbregas had a mixed afternoon on his first game back at his old club. A lot of passes were misplaced and, in the worst moments, it felt as if the protective mask he is wearing to protect a broken nose must be hampering his vision.
Fàbregas eventually removed it after one lapse. There were boos every time he touched the ball and, unforgivably, one Arsenal supporter decided the minute’s silence for the forthcoming 30th anniversary of the Bradford City fire was an appropriate time to abuse an old favourite. Equally, many applauded him when the Spaniard was substituted late on.
The more important matter for Chelsea was that they had edged another point closer to where they want to be. The substitute Danny Welbeck could not adjust his feet quickly enough with a stoppage-time chance and Chelsea’s celebrations at the end were so jubilant it said one thing: they knew.
Man of the match John Terry (Chelsea)

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Telegraph:

Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0:
Jose Mourinho shuts out Gunners to edge team closer to the title
By Henry Winter,

This was the perfect London day for Chelsea to remind everyone that the league is a marathon not a sprint, that the title is won because of ­powers of endurance and psychological strength. From start to within sight of the finishing line, Chelsea have been consistently resilient, redoubtable defensively and creative when required. They took another huge stride towards the title here as Arsenal hit the wall called John Terry.
Leading by example, Chelsea’s captain was immense, making interception after interception, nipping in to see off danger emanating from Héctor Bellerín, Alexis Sánchez and Mesut Özil twice as Arsenal raised their game in vain late on.
Terry so dominated Olivier Giroud that the Frenchman was taken off, prompting Thierry Henry to remark on Sky that Arsenal need “a top-quality centre-forward to win the league next season”. An Arsenal legend so revered he has his own statue outside the ground, Henry also added that his old team “need another centre-back and defensive midfielder” if they were to challenge Chelsea next season.
Arsenal boast some exceptional players, especially in the front six while the full-backs, Bellerín and Nacho Monreal, were good again here. Their problem is as much psychological and tactical. They need more belief in the toughest contests. They require more nous at times, from avoiding gung-ho attacking when 2-1 down against Monaco in the first leg to more tactical fluidity against Chelsea.
Mourinho’s side are so well drilled that speed in transition is needed to catch them out. Arsenal’s build-up, although frequently pleasing on the eye, was sometimes too elaborate when a rapier thrust might have brought more reward. The pacy Danny Welbeck could have been brought on earlier to trouble Terry and Gary Cahill.
Arsenal have enjoyed a good few months domestically, have reached the FA Cup final, and clearly have improved since last season but they lack that touch of intelligence and devilment to take them to the next level. “Boring, boring Chelsea” came the chant from the home fans, rather ignoring the elegance of Eden Hazard this season, the presence of five other Chelsea players in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year and the fact that the champions-elect have scored four more goals than Arsenal in the league. “We’re going to win the league,” came the riposte from the Chelsea fans.
Mourinho’s retort was even sharper. “I think ‘boring’ is 10 years without a title,’’ he said, maintaining his feud with Wenger, whose side last lifted the Premier League trophy in 2004. Wenger has still to defeat Mourinho in 13 attempts now. “Oh Arsène Wenger, we want you to stay,” the Chelsea fans crowed.
The difficult truth for Wenger is that Chelsea are better balanced, appreciating the importance of prevention as well as invention and are 10 points clear despite being hamstrung by Diego Costa’s injury. Mourinho hopes Costa could return in time for the trip to Leicester City on Wednesday or the April 29 home game with Crystal Palace when Chelsea could seal the title. They will be worthy winners and their rivals, Arsenal included, need to put up a more substantial, sustained challenge. Ten points is quite a gap.
There was a hint of desperation in the abusive chants of Arsenal fans by the end. “S--- club, no history,” they sang towards the away corner. “Where’s your European Cup?” came the inevitable reply.
As the game wound down, frustration could also be detected in some of the ­Arsenal challenges, a series of tactical fouls to break up Chelsea counters: Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla on Hazard and Monreal on Ramires. All three Arsenal players were booked but the worst challenge came in the first half from their keeper, David Ospina, who piled in to Oscar, Chelsea’s unlikely centre-forward. Running on to a magnificent Cesc Fabregas pass, Oscar lifted the ball goalwards over Ospina, who kept going, and smeared Oscar across the ground.
Chelsea have an experienced medical staff and it was a surprise that Oscar continued. He sustained concussion, which apparently did not become clear until later, when he was removed at the break and whisked to hospital. The Football Association has convened a panel of medical experts to look into head injuries and it cannot meet soon enough on this evidence. Events here were also another reminder of the need for football to trial video technology. It was a clear penalty but Michael Oliver ignored the offence. Mourinho immediately complained to the fourth official, Lee Mason. “F--- off, Mourinho” came the chant from hundreds of Arsenal fans behind the away dugout.
Mourinho just smiled and shook his head in disbelief at Oliver’s leniency towards Ospina. The challenge, almost a juddering linebacker’s block, would have guaranteed a free-kick anywhere else on the pitch.
Oliver angered Chelsea again when Fabregas scampered into the Arsenal area and collapsed when challenged by Cazorla. The contact, knee to knee, was minimal, and Fabregas pushed out his right leg towards Cazorla before dropping to earth. Again Mourinho was bemused by Oliver’s reaction, who this time brandished a yellow card for simulation. Arsenal fans, who booed their former player frequently, particularly enjoyed that.
The booking Fabregas received for a supposed diving defence at St Mary’s in December, when the Chelsea No?4 was clearly caught by Matt Targett, had begun Mourinho’s campaign about a “campaign” against his team.
Arsenal themselves felt they should have had a penalty after 33 minutes. Bellerín cut the ball back from the right, Cazorla fired goalwards and his shot hit the left arm of the sliding Cahill. Arsenal appealed loudly for a handball but Oliver waved play on, much to the hosts’ frustration.
The game was evenly poised, and entertaining despite the dearth of goals. Chelsea should have taken the lead with eight minutes of the half remaining. Hazard guided Willian down the inside-left channel and the Brazilian, who rivalled Terry for man of the match, then delivered a terrific pass, threaded through Arsenal’s back-pedalling defence to his compatriot Ramires. Chelsea’s No?7 took a touch to control the ball but his second was weak, the ball poked at Ospina, who saved with ease.
Arsenal concluded the half with a couple of chances, Sánchez shooting wide and then Mesut Özil sending his drive straight into the arms of Thibaut Courtois. The second half lacked the intensity of the first.
Drogba replaced Oscar but the focus remained on another Chelsea warhorse, Terry, protecting his goal with some well-timed clearances.
Wenger gambled, withdrawing his holding midfielder Francis Coquelin and sending on Welbeck with 14 minutes remaining. The England international arrowed a ball to the near-post which Courtois pushed away. Welbeck then went central as the ineffectual Giroud was replaced by Theo Walcott. Mourinho tried to close the game down, sending on Kurt Zouma, for Fabregas, who left the field to some jeers but also plenty of applause from Arsenal supporters. Then came the final whistle, and the partying started amongst those in blue.

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Mail:

Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea:
Jose Mourinho remains unbeaten for 13th game against Arsene Wenger as Blues extend lead at the top

MARTIN SAMUEL

George Graham, from his perch in the stand, would in his own way have loved it. Not seeing Arsenal fail to overcome Chelsea, of course. Just the manner in which the opponents executed their game plan.
Chelsea didn’t need to win here. They just didn’t want to lose. So, after half-time, Jose Mourinho threw a big blue blanket over the action in the way that Graham did, on occasions, in his time at Arsenal. Some of those players were still living off those lessons years later, when Arsene Wenger won the Double with them.
Until Mourinho gave the order to shut it down, the match had been highly entertaining. A few opportunities at either end, the standard smattering of vain penalty appeals. Everyone ticked off with referee Michael Oliver, both teams looking capable of victory.
But that leaves matters to chance and Mourinho is no longer in chance-giving mode. So he sent on Didier Drogba for Oscar — who had played 30 minutes despite suffering a blow to the head and was said to have concussion — and despite this additional attacking presence the fun was over.
Wenger is still without a win over Mourinho in 13 meetings. Chelsea kept possession, held Arsenal at arm’s length and defended in a masterly fashion, particularly captain John Terry, whose exclusion from the six-man shortlist for PFA Player of the Year looks more ridiculous with each match Chelsea close down on the way to the inevitable.
If Graham permitted himself an inner half-smile it was because this was a performance that reminded of his Arsenal — resilient, commanding, unbending, uncaring. The home crowd enjoyed a few robust choruses of ‘Boring, boring Chelsea’ at the end but the champions-elect were too busy celebrating to notice.
The bottom line is this: all the teams that complain about the football Chelsea are playing had their chance to stop it and did not.
Arsenal lost 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. Win that game and there would have been four points between the teams going into this. Win that and Chelsea might not have been able to adopt such a high-risk, rope-a-dope policy.
Win that and a late Arsenal goal here could have taken the difference to a point. Instead, Chelsea held out knowing that, even if Arsenal got lucky, the worst that could happen would be a seven-point differential.
It was worth the gamble to just dig in and let Arsenal slam themselves against a brick wall. So that’s what they did. Graham would have done the same. Needing to win by two at Liverpool on the last day of the 1988-89 season, he told his players not to get sucked into playing open football, and not to worry if it was 0-0 at half-time. They still had 45 minutes to score. Arsenal won the league with close to the last kick of the season.
That, however, is not Mourinho’s style. He is a front-runner, who likes to get his team to a commanding position and then bring the shutters down. To do that, however, requires nerve — and Mourinho has plenty in his captain, Terry.
No doubt when Graham looks at Terry he sees an echo of his own man, Tony Adams — the last defensive leader of similar authority in the English game. Terry epitomised Chelsea’s spirit and not just when sweeping up effortlessly as Mesut Ozil stood over a clear shot at goal.
He was magnificent. Marshalling, filling in, standing tall, staying strong. For all of Eden Hazard’s qualities, the second phase of this campaign has been built from the back and, despite Arsenal’s pressure, never did they convince as an attacking force. Mourinho said this was Terry’s best game for him. High praise indeed.
In an echo of last week’s win over Manchester United, Chelsea often conceded possession to Arsenal while preventing them doing much worthwhile with it. A rare exception came when Willian, who was immense in the ground he covered, caught Laurent Koscielny with a high boot. Thibaut Courtois for once came up short, patting at the free-kick which fell to Per Mertesacker. He showed why he is a centre half, however, screwing his shot wide.
The first half was marked by a series of penalty appeals, although Chelsea’s, in particular, were strange ones. Both times they had a case but instinct suggested Michael Oliver called them right.
In the 15th minute, a lovely through pass by Cesc Fabregas put Oscar clear. He outpaced Arsenal’s back line and deftly chipped the advancing goalkeeper, David Ospina. As the ball made its way to the goal, Ospina’s desperate rush took him into Oscar at full force.
It looked a complete accident. Yet when has that ever been an excuse in other areas of the pitch? If a player hit his opponent after the ball has gone in the centre circle, it is a foul. He cannot use momentum as an excuse.
Yet Ospina got away with it, and Arsenal, too, as Hector Bellerin cleared off the line. By the version of the rules that apply in the penalty area, though, it would have seemed harsh had Ospina been found guilty, not least because he would also have been sent off, even though the collision later ended Oscar’s participation.
The next appeal had merit, too, of sorts. Without doubt, Santi Cazorla’s outstretched leg was a mistake and his efforts to retract it may not have been entirely successful. Equally, Fabregas sought to establish greater contact, jerking out his left leg to deliberately catch Cazorla and accentuate the impression of a trip. Oliver’s yellow card for simulation seemed reasonable in the circumstances.
Arsenal were aggrieved after 34 minutes but, again, to play on seemed the fairest decision. It was a neat move, Alexis Sanchez picking out Bellerin on the right, his cross being met with a low shot from Cazorla. The ball struck Gary Cahill’s leg as he lunged full-length to block, flipping up to strike him plainly on an arm. Yet Cahill’s arm was not in an unnatural position, and he could do little about the trajectory of the ball. Outrage followed when Oliver didn’t bite, but it was misplaced.
It would be wrong, however, to view the first half merely as a succession of moans and grudges. This was, initially, a fast, highly skilled game between teams who are expected to contend for the title next season.
There were chances at both ends and Ramires had the best of them when he was put through by a beautiful pass from Willian. It was crying out for a striker’s finish, but Ramires’s little poke was never going to trouble any goalkeeper, and certainly not one in the form of Ospina.
There will be the usual bus-parking guff after this, of course, as there always is when Chelsea tough it out. The fact is, however, no team go 10 points clear just by shutting games down. They go 10 clear by being the best attacking team, and then defending that lead. Chelsea have shown control over both facets of the game and that isn’t easy. Ask George Graham.

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Mirror:

Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea: Mourinho prolongs unbeaten run against Wenger in frantic goalless draw
By Dave Kidd

The Blues boss made it 13 games without defeat to Wenger, meaning his side are one step closer to the Premier League title
The only surprise was that Jose Mourinho did not pull out a baton and conduct the chorus of frustration which resounded around what he regards as Arsene Wenger’s “academy of failure”.
The cries of “boring, boring Chelsea”, the shrill whistles and the catcalls must have sounded like a symphony to the man who has turned anti-football into an art form.
John Terry’s fist-pumping and screaming at the final whistle said it all. Chelsea knew this was the clincher.
Mourinho hailed this as his captain’s finest ­performance during the five seasons they have worked together.
He has been immense. His failure to make the PFA Player of the Year six-man shortlist quite laughable.
Terry will not care too much for individual honours now that his fourth title medal is in the bag.
On London Marathon day, Mourinho’s men were heading up the Mall, ready to be wrapped in tinfoil.
They are champions-elect and will be sworn in next Sunday if they win at Leicester on Wednesday, then overcome Crystal Palace at the Bridge.
The Blues have led from the front and, save for a brief mid-season stumble, they have barely faltered.
Chelsea have not won a league match by more than a single goal since a 5-0 romp at Swansea in January. But they have not even conceded a goal from inside their own half this month, only Charlie Adam’s 65-yarder crossing their line. Pretty soon it’ll take a falling meteorite.
Wenger has never beaten Mourinho in 13 attempts; which is no hoodoo, simply the natural order of things. Had Arsenal broken down the Blues here, there was a feeling it might have benefited them in next season’s title race if not this.
But despite Chelsea starting without a recognised striker, the Gunners barely laid a glove on them. The visitors recorded three decent penalty shouts to their hosts one in the first half, then pulled down the shutters.
This was Mourinho’s first visit to the Emirates since his “specialist in failure” jibe at Wenger – and also Cesc ­Fabregas’ first return to the club which nurtured him.
When Mourinho substituted the Spaniard in the 90th minute, it was as if he wanted the booing to reach a crescendo. It was, though, his only bum note of the afternoon – the midfielder actually received applause among the abuse.
Fabregas began in a protective face mask, with Oscar masquerading as a false nine. And the Brazilian might have earned two first-half spot-kicks – first when he was upended by a brush from Hector Bellerin, then when he was flattened by Arsenal keeper David Ospina.
Oscar lobbed Ospina before being clattered, only to see Bellerin head away close to the line. Referee Michael Oliver showed ­clemency to the Colombia keeper and Oscar was withdrawn at half-time with suspected ­concussion.
By the time Fabregas was harshly booked for diving in the Arsenal box as Santi Cazorla dangled a leg to impede him, Chelsea might have had three spot-kicks inside 23 minutes.
Then it was the hosts’ turn to plead, when Gary Cahill blocked Cazorla’s shot with a raised arm – only his point-blank proximity earning him the benefit of the doubt. Willian slipped Ramires through but his fellow Brazilian shot straight at Ospina.
Didier Drogba, the Gunners’ one-time nemesis, was brought on for Oscar but the old legend is fading badly.
Terry admitted it had been too open for Mourinho’s liking in the first half and, after the break, Chelsea were back on message, grinding it out.
There were half-chances for Per Mertesacker and Mesut Ozil, while Danny Welbeck forced one save with a deflected shot but that was all.
The Blues are champions. And they’ll never get bored of crowing about it.

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Express:

Arsenal 0 - Chelsea 0: The finishing line is drawing near for dominant Blues
By MATTHEW DUNN

The free-flowing determination to take the game to the opposition in waves of hopeful enterprise; the resolute determination and organisation of a side sullenly committed to not losing.
Ten irretrievable points that now separate first from second in the Premier League or the gnat's whisker that you would struggle to fit between the two sides on display at the Emirates yesterday.
A manager used to winning, and one who is a "specialist in failure".
Well "vive la difference" on all those counts! Because it was the clash of philosophies, styles and managerial approaches which made the 90 minutes so absorbing for the neutral and point towards a thrilling 2015/16.
In the short term, though, it was the clash between David Ospina and Oscar that will prove the bigger talking point.
Cesc Fabregas played the inviting through-ball, Oscar timed his run perfectly off the heel of Hector Bellerin, got to the ball first and toe-poked it over the out-rushing Arsenal goalkeeper.
Ospina's reckless momentum continued to carry him into the Chelsea striker, completely wiping out the Brazilian even before he could have known that Bellerin's Usain-Bolt pace would get him back in time to head the ball to safety from under the crossbar.
After treatment, he staggered uncertainly on his feet but soldiered on till half-time, when a more considered medical examination than was possible pitch-side dictated a precautionary trip to hospital.
Already discussion had begun in earnest as to how a referee such as Michael Oliver, fast becoming one of the more astute officials in the game, had failed to give such an obvious penalty.
The more important debate in the coming days, however, will centre around how football can continue to take chances, irrespective of any of the medical niceties, on allowing a player who clearly was a candidate for a bad concussion to continue for a further 26 life-threatening minutes.
Oscar's eventual withdrawal was to change the character of the game. Didier Drogba's more obvious threat in the second half proved little compensation for the mesmerising options Chelsea had offered as soon as they launched each first-half counter attack.
With no recognisable no. 9, Oscar, Eden Hazard and occasionally Willian each took their turns in an absorbing carousel of talent.
The frantic to-and-fro was as much a test for the officials as it was for the defences.
Oscar seemed to stumble rather than get caught by Bellerin in the eighth minute; likewise Fabregas went looking so hard for contact with his trailing foot after 24 minutes that a booking for simulation could be entirely justified.
At the other end, Chelsea had to breathe a sigh of relief when Arsenal had a penalty shout of their own before the break.
Mourinho has drilled his defence so well in blocking shots legitimately that these days they bounce around like the armless Black Knight in Monty Python's The Holy Grail when any opponent is primed to shoot.
However, when Santi Cazorla met Bellerin's pull-back with a goal-bound effort, Cahill's arm was uncharacteristically high in the air when the ball struck it.
At the very least, it was an invitation to Oliver to give a penalty and red card. Thankfully, in keeping with common sense if not necessarily the modern letter of the law, it was one the referee politely declined.
A moment of individual brilliance might have claimed the spoils, but in the end it was a day for the brilliant spoilers.
Terry, in particular, was once again turning in the sort of performance which it would just be easier for the FA – given his baggage and exile – if he didn't.
"Enough, now, John," they must be thinking. "You're 34. Stop embarrassing the English game by remaining this good."
Arsenal, who could have snatched all three points with a bit more composure in front of goal late in the game, were also uncharacteristically solid defensively – a hard lesson they have learned from their Monaco Champions League debacle.
They retreated as a well-drilled back-four straight from the pages of Fever Pitch and, with the unselfish Francis Coquelin and inspirational Santi Cazorla happy to lend a hand, it gives them a solid foundation on which to build for next year.
And that was the most edifying conclusion of all, yesterday.
The point-gap between Arsenal and Chelsea is now one fewer than it was way back on October 18. Arsenal lost the title in the first eight games and have never recovered.
But on the evidence of yesterday, next year may be different. Vive! to that.

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Ospina 6; Bellerin 6, Mertesacker 7, Koscielny 6, Monreal 6; Cazorla 8, Coquelin 6 (Welbeck 77, 6); Ramsey 7, Ozil 6, Sanchez 7; Giroud 6 (Walcott 84). Booked: Coquelin, Ramsey, Cazorla, Monreal. NEXT UP: Hull City (a) Saturday, PL

CHELSEA (4-1-4-1): Courtois 6; Ivanovic 6, Cahill 7, Terry 9, Azpilicueta 7; Matic 8; Ramires 7, Fabregas 6 (Zouma 90), Willian 7 (Cuadrado 90), Hazard 6; Oscar 6 (Drogba 45, 6). Booked: Fabregas, Willian, Ivanovic. NEXT UP: Leicester (a) Wednesday, PL
REFEREE: Michael Oliver (Cheshire)

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Star:

Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0: Blues close in on title with goalless draw against Gunners
THEY say it's a marathon, not a sprint. But it's becoming a stroll for Chelsea.
By Paul Brown

While a record 37,500 were pounding the streets of the capital yesterday, the Blues were marching on slow but steady towards a title which is already theirs in all but name.
Even the London Marathon was closer. Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge only won that by five seconds.
This race has been over for a long time. Chelsea came for a draw and got it. Their lead at the top of the table is still 10 points.
Nobody else can win the championship. They can only lose it from here - and it would take the biggest collapse in Premier League history.
Arsenal made a fight of it, and at times it was a typical derby, littered with crunching tackles and controversy.
Jose Mourinho has never lost to Arsene Wenger and it's been five years since Arsenal last beat Chelsea here.
In the end controversy won out over quality, with Chelsea denied three penalties and Arsenal denied one of their own, while Cesc Fabregas was booked for diving on his return to his old club.
The draw means Chelsea can't now win it at Leicester on Wednesday. But it only delayed the inevitable.
With their lead at the top so big, there was no reason to risk rushing Diego Costa back.
But it was still a surprise to see Oscar lead the line for Chelsea, who started with Didier Drogba on the bench.
He wanted a penalty early on after being played in by Fabregas, a scandalous omission from the PFA team of the year, but replays proved there was minimal contact.
Chelsea signalled their intent by fouling Alexis Sanchez at every opportunity, with Branislav Ivanovic particularly lucky to escape punishment for an ugly hack at the Chilean.
Arsenal showed they could dish it out as well as take it though when Francis Coquelin decked Eden Hazard by barging into the Belgian.
The Gunners had won nine in a row and reached the FA Cup final going into the game and looked right up for the battle.
Mourinho's decision to play Oscar almost paid off when he beat David Ospina to a Fabregas pass only to see his volley cleared off the line by Hector Bellerin.
The Blues boss wanted a penalty as Ospina took the Brazilian out on the follow-through - leaving Oscar with mild concussion - but referee Michael Oliver was unmoved.
Then it was Fabregas' turn to go down in the box, under a tackle from Santi Cazorla. He made the most of it, and got booked as a result. But there was contact.
Chelsea survived a penalty claim themselves when Cazorla's effort bounced up and hit Gary Cahill's hand. His arm was raised, but it was ball-to-hand from point blank range.
Ramires should have put the Blues ahead when he was played in by Willian but snatched at his shot and Ospina saved.
Chelsea were in full lockdown mode for most of the second half and Arsenal had no answer.
Per Mertesacker and Cazorla sliced half-chances wide, Danny Welbeck had a shot saved, and Chelsea survived a goalmouth scramble in stoppage time. But that was about it.
The home fans were singing "Boring, boring Chelsea!" well before the final whistle.
But their team only managed two meaningful shots on target all game.
The finish line is in sight for Chelsea. It won't be long now.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Ospina 6; BELLERIN 7, Koscielny 6, Mertesacker 6, Monreal 6; Cazorla 6, Coquelin 6 (Welbeck 77); Ramsey 5, Ozil 6, Sanchez 6; Giroud 5 (Walcott 83). Subs: Szczesny, Debuchy, Gibbs, Wilshere, Flamini.
UP NEXT: Hull (a) Premier League, Saturday
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois 7; Ivanovic 6, Cahill 6, TERRY 8, Azpilicueta 6; Matic 7, Fabregas 6 (Zouma 90); Ramires 6, Willian 7 (Cuadrado 90), Hazard 6; Oscar 7 (Drogba 46, 6). Subs: Cech, Luis, Mikel, Loftus-Cheek.
UP NEXT: Leicester (a) Premier League, Wednesday
Referee: Michael Oliver 6
Your turn: Who was the last man to score a hat-trick in a Arsenal v Chelsea game?
STAR MAN: John Terry - No better organiser
STAR SHOCKER: Arsene Wenger - Still winless against Mourinho
Match: 2

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