Swansea 2-2

Independent:

Bafetimbi Gomis converts after Thibaut Courtois red to help Swans earn point against 10-man Blues

Chelsea 2 Swansea City 2
Jack Pitt-Brooke 

 For Jose Mourinho this was far from the perfect start to Chelsea’s title defence, nor the ideal preparation for next Sunday’s trip to Manchester City. His team were outplayed by Swansea City, who held them to a 2‑2 draw which flattered the champions. Thibaut Courtois was sent off, ruling him out of next Sunday’s game, meaning Asmir Begovic will make his first Chelsea start at the Etihad Stadium.

Begovic will be facing a City side who must surely fancy their chances given how Chelsea played here, with – despite their well-earned status – as little authority as they showed against Arsenal in the Community Shield last weekend. The curious lack of midfield reinforcements this summer may have to be addressed before the transfer window closes.
For Swansea City, though, and for neutrals, this was a very enjoyable start to the Premier League season. They played with more courage and ambition than most sides show at this ground. Andre Ayew, Jefferson Montero and Bafe Gomis were all excellent, as Swansea created enough chances to record an unlikely victory. They did not quite manage it, despite playing most of the second half with a one-man advantage. If they play like this every week, though, they will have a good season.
Many Premier League teams will come to Stamford Bridge this year and sit back, cowed by the champions, hoping to escape with minimal damage. That is not the Garry Monk way, though, and he put out a team that was far more ambitious or expansive than many would have chosen. Andre Ayew made his Swansea City debut, wide on the right, supporting Bafe Gomis.
Swansea began assertively and, even before all the fun started, Gomis had two chances to put them ahead. He headed one Jonjo Shelvey corner just wide before racing away from John Terry, only for the Chelsea captain to catch him up just in time.  Oscar's whipped free-kick went all the way into the far corner   New signing Andre Ayew produced a lovely bit of skill to equalise 
Chelsea knew they were in a real game and responded with quick, incisive attacking football of their own, even if their first goal – like their second – owed something to good fortune. Oscar had a free-kick wide on the left, which he whipped low towards goal. Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic tried to touch it but missed. Lukasz Fabianski, anticipating a touch, stayed central as the ball flew into the far corner.
Unperturbed, Swansea continued to play, and found a deserved equaliser from Ayew. When Courtois saved another Gomis header, Ayew got one shot away before collecting the rebound, dragging the ball into a shooting position and scoring.
For all Swansea’s courage, though, they did not have luck on their side, and went in at the break 2-1 down. Willian had the ball on the left and tried to curl in a right-footed cross. The ball hit Federico Fernandez and looped high into the air, over Fabianski and into the far top corner.  Chelsea celebrate after Willian's cross took a huge deflection and went in 
Swansea started the second half as positively as they had started the first. This time, though, they got their reward. Shelvey played another quick through ball to Gomis, who had escaped behind Chelsea’s defence. Courtois ran out to tackle Gomis but could only foul him. Courtois was sent off, Begovic came on, but Gomis sent him the wrong way from the spot.
Equal in goals but one man up, Swansea sensed their chance. Jefferson Montero was making life very difficult for Ivanovic and forced two saves from Begovic, the first from distance, the second from close range. When Gomis converted Taylor’s cross at the far post, only the offside flag stopped Swansea from taking the lead.  Thibaut Courtois was sent off after bringing down Bafetimbi Gomis   Gomis dusted himself off to convert the penalty 
While Swansea continued to push for a winner there was no question of Chelsea settling for a point. Mourinho stuck to an open 4-3-2 system, with Kurt Zouma on in midfield, which even became 4-2-3 for the last six minutes when he introduced Falcao. He fired one shot low at Fabianski, but that was it.

Chelsea: (4-2-3-1) Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Fabregas (Zouma, 76), Matic; Willian (Falcao, 84), Oscar (Begovic, 54), Hazard; Costa.
Swansea: (4-2-3-1) Fabianski; Naughton, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Shelvey, Ki (Cork, 41); Ayew, Sigurdsson, Montero (Routledge, 71); Gomis (Eder, 79).
Referee: Michael Oliver
Man of the match: Ayew (Swansea)
Match rating: 9/10

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Observer:

Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois pays penalty as Swansea peg back champions
Chelsea 2 - 2 Swansea

Amy Lawrence at Stamford Bridge

José Mourinho was right. This is the real deal, what people want, what they can’t wait to devour. This was that edge-of-the-seat, don’t-dare-blink, full-pelt competitive heat of football that counts. Every point counts. And here, in quite intense fashion, Chelseadropped two on game one of their title defence.

An engrossing match twisted and turned, with both Chelsea and Swansea taking turns to swing their swords, charge on the offensive and retreat to catch their breath. In a topsy-turvy encounter the home team led twice and the visitors bounced back to equalise. It was all played out with a generous twist of drama. The most extraordinary moment denied Chelsea a winning start when Thibaut Courtois was sent off in a reckless attempt to stop Bafétimbi Gomis from advancing past him. Swansea’s powerhouse attacker maintained his composure to tuck away the penalty and earn Garry Monk’s team a proud result.
Mourinho had suggested his team would have to offer more to defend the title than to win it, and here was proof of the complexity of the challenge. There was a lot to digest. While Mourinho was at great pains to avoid getting tangled up in another conspiracy fandango so early in the season, in the wider analysis Chelsea sent out mixed messages here. At times they were dazzling, displaying the synchronicity and zest that a confident team of winners can ooze. At others they were frayed, as Swansea strutted their own stuff and exhibited a mix of power and panache to unsettle the best of defences. They also bristled with the desire to win even with 10 men.

There was so much to take in packed into the 90 minutes. The opening notes seemed to blend seamlessly from last season’s songbook. Within seconds Eden Hazard – the current Footballer of the Year – was gliding at speed through the Swansea half. Diego Costa, fit enough to reclaim the position he occupies in inimitable fashion, hassled a defender and nudged at the opposition goalkeeper just because he can’t resist it
Oscar crafted the lead midway through the first half. When César Azpilicueta won a free-kick just a fraction outside the corner of the penalty area, the Brazilian delivered with whip and fizz. Both Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic tried to get a nick on the ball, but neither were needed as the ball curled past Lukasz Fabianski.
Swansea, determined to avoid being overwhelmed as they were against Chelsea last season, recovered with character and wit. The sparkling Jefferson Montero stood up a wonderful cross for Gomis, who powered in a header that Courtois reacted to superbly to beat out. André Ayew picked up the rebound and steered in the equaliser, showing neat footwork to carve out space for the shot at the second attempt. The new boy from Marseille was overjoyed.
It was riveting stuff, and back came Chelsea to retrieve the lead within a minute as Willian’s effort spun off Federico Fernández’s foot and looped over the helpless Fabianski. The game was finely poised. Yet despite moments of excellence from Chelsea, Swansea sensed there were goals to be plundered themselves. And when another one came, it was fuelled by high drama.
Chelsea were stunned when Jonjo Shelvey’s delightful chipped pass sent Gomis marauding goalwards. He was met by Courtois, whose attempted tackle caught the Frenchman at thigh level on the edge of the penalty area. The result was a penalty for Swansea and a red card for Courtois. The delay as Asmir Begovic prepared himself to come on and face the spot kick had no ill effect on Gomis. He was coolness personified as he slotted in for 2-2.
Monk felt it was entirely merited. “The message to the team is we can take anyone on,” he said. “I wanted the team to showcase what we can do on the front foot and to come to a place like this, after the goals we conceded last season, we wanted to put that right. It’s just one game, one point, but to come and do it here where we suffered last season should give us confidence.”
Mourinho chose not to talk about the red card other than to suggest it “changed everything”. Despite that, both teams had a whiff of winning the game.

Montero was on a mission to unpick Chelsea at will. Defenders of Ivanovic’s ilk don’t often experience the kind of chasing he endured trying to keep pace with the Ecuadorian’s wizardry.
Even with reduced numbers, Chelsea were able to press and probe, but with wariness of what might befall them at the other end. Could they somehow seize victory from the jaws of difficulty and disappointment? Hazard, who after a bright start had been peripheral by his standards, roused himself to dart into the box and drive an angled shot which hit Fabianski. Hazard began to bewitch Swansea, dominating the momentum almost single-handedly. On came Radamel Falcao to see if he could make the difference.
When the stakes overheated, Ashley Williams took a yellow card for hoiking down the increasingly determined Hazard mid-dribble in stoppage time.
At the end of it all, both teams looked wrung out and exhausted. The fun and games have only just begun.

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Telegraph:

Chelsea 2 Swansea City 2
Thibaut Courtois sent off as champions stumble
Matt Law

If this season’s Premier League title race is destined to be the tale of two goalkeepers, then owner Roman Abramovich may well have felt the first pang of remorse during Chelsea’s opening-day draw.
The fear for Chelsea this season is that they will be made to regret Abramovich’s decision to allow Petr Cech to move to rivals Arsenal.
Thibaut Courtois proved last term and again during this game that he is a superb goalkeeper, but now he must stand on his own two feet without the protection of Cech behind him.

It is certainly questionable whether Cech would have risked the kind of challenge that Courtois produced to earn a red card and effectively end Chelsea’s hopes of starting with a victory against Swansea City.
When Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho needed a hero from the substitutes’ bench, there was no Cech to call on as he is now the man Arsenal will rely on for miracles between the posts.

Asmir Begovic is undoubtedly a fine deputy, as he displayed with some good saves, but how the Chelsea fans will long for Cech if Courtois suffers a more difficult second season in England.

Mourinho and his captain John Terry were both furious with the decision to send Courtois off, but there could be no arguing against the fact Swansea at least deserved a draw.
The visitors could have easily added to goals from Andre Ayew and Bafetimbi Gomis, while there was more than an element of bad luck about Federico’s Fernandez’s own goal.
Swansea manager Garry Monk decided the best form of defence would be to try to attack the Blues, as he named an adventurous line-up that included new signing Ayew, who enjoyed an impressive goalscoring debut.
Monk’s men could and should have been ahead before Chelsea opened the scoring through Oscar.

Gomis rose highest to meet a corner from midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, but his header was directed narrowly wide of the post. The pair combined again in the 15th minute and the Frenchman really should have opened the scoring this time.
Shelvey split the Chelsea defence with a wonderful pass and, although, he looked offside, Gomis was allowed to continue and checked inside Gary Cahill. As the striker hesitated, however, Terry blocked his shot and Cahill recovered to hack the ball clear.

Swansea were almost made to pay the ultimate price for that miss, as Chelsea went straight up the other end and fit-again Diego Costa went down under a challenge from Fernandez as he powered into the area.
Costa and the home dug-out appealed loudly for a penalty, but referee Michael Oliver instead awarded a corner and replays suggested the official was right.
Oliver did, however, give Chelsea a 23rd minute free-kick on the left from which Oscar caught out the entire visiting defence.

Oscar’s set piece was meant for either Cahill or Branislav Ivanovic. Both men failed to connect with the ball, but did enough to put off the Swansea defenders and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianksi, and it curled into the net.
Swansea reacted to the blow superbly and were level just six minutes later. Courtois made an incredible save from a Gomis header and Terry and Cahill both threw their bodies in the way to stop Ayew’s initial follow up. But the forward displayed a cool head to drag the ball back and leave the Chelsea duo on the ground before finding the back of the net.
Monk’s team fully deserved their equaliser, which is why the nature in which Chelsea regained the lead 92 seconds later was doubly cruel. Willian tried to put in a high cross from the left, but the ball deflected off Fernandez and looped past the despairing Fabianski and into the net.
Swansea started the second half in the same positive manner they finished the first and Shelvey caused Mourinho’s defence more problems with a corner that struck the post.
Shelvey was also the architect of the 52nd-minute moment that led to Swansea equalising and Courtois being sent off.
It was Shelvey’s brilliant pass that sent Gomis clear of the Chelsea defence and one-on-one with Courtois, who raced from his line but took out the Swansea man.

Oliver had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and showing Courtois a red card. Mourinho was incensed on the touchline, while Terry’s appeals earned him a yellow card. Replays showed the foul took place right on the edge of the area and Cahill was tracking back to cover.
Begovic was handed his Chelsea debut in the most difficult of circumstances, replacing Oscar, and his first act was to pick the ball out of the net after Gomis had scored the penalty.
Begovic, though, quickly produced a good save from the superb Jefferson Montero, who terrorised Ivanovic, to keep the scores level.
Gomis thought he had netted what would have been the winner shortly afterwards, meeting Neil Taylor’s cross at the back post, but he was rightly flagged offside.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois 6; Ivanovic 5, Cahill 7, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 6; Fabregas 6 (Zouma, 76, 6), Matic 6; Willian 7 (Falcao, 84, 6), Oscar 7 (Begovic, 54, 7), Hazard 6; Costa 6.
Swansea City (4-2-3-1): Fabianksi 7; Naughton 6, Fernandez 6, Williams 7, Taylor 7; Shelvey 8, Ki 6 (Cork, 41, 7); Ayew 7, Sigurdssson 6, Montero 8 (Routledge, 71, 6); Gomis 7 (Eder, 79, 6).

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Mail:

Chelsea 2-2 Swansea:
Bafetimbi Gomis nets equaliser for visitors after Thibaut Courtois sending off as Premier League champions are held at Stamford Bridge
Sami Mokbel

If Jose Mourinho needed a reminder of how difficult it will be to retain Chelsea’s title, he got it from this home draw with battling Swansea on Saturday evening.
However, the fact that Garry Monk’s side left Stamford Bridge bitterly disappointed not to have won tells you everything.
To compound Chelsea’s problems, their goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, a doubt prior to kick-off after sustaining a muscle strain during the warm-up, will serve a suspension after being sent off.
With just over three weeks left of the transfer window, Mourinho will be contemplating opening Roman Abramovich’s chequebook.
The manager, who refused to comment on the referee, did not blame Courtois for his red card. ‘Penalty, red card, one player less and 2-2. It obviously changed everything,’ he said. ‘If you try to win you expose yourself more.’
Mourinho’s first team of the new season had a familiar feel: both his big summer signings, Radamel Falcao and Asmir Begovic, started on the bench.
There a was debutant for Swansea, though, Monk handing an instant start to his free signing from Marseille, Andre Ayew.

And it was the visitors who carved out the first chance, Bafetimbi Gomis heading wide from Jonjo Shelvey’s corner in the seventh minute.
Chelsea should have fallen behind in the 15th minute as Gomis and Shelvey combined again. This time Shelvey’s beautifully weighted through-ball found Gomis, who escaped from John Terry. But the Frenchman took an eternity to shoot, leaving Terry enough time to make a crucial block.
It was a huge chance, which the expression of frustration on Monk’s face in the dug-out revealed only too clearly.
Seconds later, Swansea fashioned another opening, Courtois parrying Ki Sung-yueng’s fierce drive from the edge of the area.
Chelsea were rattled. But they responded as champions always do.They thought they should have been awarded a 17th-minute penalty when Federico Fernandez brought down Diego Costa. The Spain striker reacted with fury, though replays showed Fernandez getting a slight touch on the ball.
All this was forgotten in the 23rd minute, however, when Oscar’s inswinging free-kick from wide on the left evaded everyone on its way into the far corner, with Lukasz Fabianski rooted to his line.
Chelsea’s lead lasted only six minutes. Courtois leapt to keep out Gomis’s powerful header from a Jefferson Montero cross. Gary Cahill then looked to have saved his team with an instinctive block on the line to deny Ayew’s rebound — but the prostrate Ghana forward made no mistake with his second attempt, getting up to strike the ball wide of Courtois from close range.

This was not in the script for the champions’ homecoming, but Swansea’s joy was short-lived. Just a minute later, Chelsea regained the lead thanks to a huge slice of luck.
Willian, instead of trying to beat Fernandez near the left-hand byline, swung his right foot at the ball and his effort took a wicked deflection off the Argentinian’s leg before looping over Fabianski into goal.
The Brazilian looked too embarrassed to celebrate, not that his manager cared. This was not vintage Chelsea, yet they found themselves in front at half-time.
Swansea were unperturbed, though, as they forced three corners in five minutes after half-time, Courtois denying Shelvey directly from one of these.
The Belgian’s next contribution was less convincing, though, as he saw red in the 52nd minute. Gomis sprung Chelsea’s attempted offside trap to home in on goal, Courtois rushed out to confront him but tripped him up. Contact looked to be on the edge of the box, yet referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot and dismissed the goalkeeper.
Begovic replaced Oscar, but his first touch in a Chelsea shirt was to pick the ball out of the net as Gomis coolly slotted home the spot-kick.
This time there was no immediate response from Chelsea as Monk’s men smelt blood. Begovic twice denied rasping shots from Montero, who was having a hugely impressive afternoon.
Chelsea needed some inspiration. Mourinho, who had earlier replaced a subdued Cesc Fabregas with Kurt Zouma, belatedly turned to Falcao.
But Chelsea could not summon the wit to break Swansea down. Where they find inspiration now is a question Mourinho must answer.

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Mirror:

Chelsea 2-2 Swansea: 5 things we learned as champions are held following Courtois' red card

By John Cross
 
The Blues stopper saw red six minutes after the break, as Ayew and Gomis' strikes cancelled out Oscar's opener and a Fernandez own goal

Thibaut Courtois was sent off as ten-man Chelsea were left frustrated by Swansea in a cracking encounter at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea keeper Courtois saw red after bringing down Swansea striker Bafe Gomis who then stepped up to fire home the resulting penalty to earn the visitors a point.
Chelsea took a 23rd minute lead when Oscar’s free kick deceived Swansea keeper Lukasz Fabianski and carried all the way into the the far corner.
Swansea were level after 29 minutes. Jefferson Montero’s cross found Gomis whose header was brilliantly saved by Courtois only for Andre Ayew to show great composure to score at the second attempt.
But Chelsea regained the lead less than a minute later when Willian’s cross took a big deflection off Federico Fernandez and looped over Fabianski.
It was a terrific game which boiled over just after half time. Courtois was sent off for bringing down Gomis, referee Michael Oliver sent off the Chelsea keeper and Mourinho’s men were down to ten men.
Gomis converted the spot kick past Chelsea’s substitute keeper Asmir Begovic who then proceeded to make two outstanding saves from Montero to at least secure a point.

Here's what we learned from Stamford Bridge:
Jose Mourinho hasn’t mellowed towards officials
This game was all about the penalty and sending off. Referee Michael Oliver got the penalty spot on but the red card was more open to debate as Gary Cahill was covering behind.
But don’t tell that to Mourinho. He went to war with officials last season, he’s just as angry this term and we can expect another appearance on Goals on Sunday before the season is out.
Chelsea need a Costa to get going

Wake up and smell the coffee, Jose. While Diego Costa’s long-running hamstring problems continue to hamper him, Chelsea look very short up front.
Costa’s pre-season has been affected by injury, he looked off the pace and even nervous as if his hamstring might ping at any time.
It’s a reflection of Chelsea’s striker options that Mourinho would rather risk a half fit Costa than start with Radamel Falcao or Loic Remy.
Chelsea need more

It’s not just up front. Chelsea’s lack of transfer activity leaves them short elsewhere. They need strengthening in defence and in midfield. And sometimes just a new face can give a squad such a lift.
Jose Mourinho has been bristling with frustration. I think his squad needs strengthening if they are to retain their Premier League title.
Swansea’s new signings
Only one of Swansea’s new signings started the game. And Andre Ayew seized his opportunity and really impressed.
His composure for Swansea’s equaliser, to drag the ball back in a frenetic penalty area, was sheer quality. Looks a terrific addition.
Jefferson Montero is a well kept secret
Hidden gem? Jefferson Montero again impressed for Swansea
Before you start, I’m well aware he’s got a shedload of caps for Ecuador. But I’m not sure how much recognition he gets in the Premier League. It’s almost like he’s gone unnoticed - unless you are the opposing full back.
His lightning pace is a nightmare to play against, he always finds a way to create some space and his crossing often leads to danger. His run and cross led to Swansea’s equaliser and his pace terrorised Branislav Ivanovic.

Player ratings
Chelsea: Courtois 5; Ivanovic 5, Cahill 7, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 6; Matic 6, Fabregas 6 (Zouma, 76); Willian 7 (Falcao, 84), Oscar 6 (Begovic, 54, 7), Hazard 6; Costa 5.
Swansea: Fabianski 7; Naughton 6, Fernandez 6, Williams 6, Taylor 6; Sung-Yeung 5 (Cork, 41, 6), Shelvey 8, Sigurdsson 6, Montero 8 (Routledge, 71, 6), Ayew 7, Gomis 8 (Eder, 79).

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Express:

Chelsea 2 - Swansea 2: Gomis penalty earns Swans a valuable point after Courtois red card
Colin Mafham

His champions were given the fright of their lives by an inspired Swansea whose manager Gary Monk readily admitted had set out to put on a show.They did that alright and left The Special One keeping his mouth shut even though he was probably privately seething.Truth to tell, despite what Mourinho did say, his side were second best yesterday for long periods. And if it hadn't been for Thibault Courtois - who was sent off in the second half for stopping Bafetimbi Gomis in his tracks illegally - he could well have been on the end of the shock of the day.Mourinho professed himself satisfied with his side's first half performance, grudgingly refused to recognise Swansea's impressive contribution, and diplomatically stayed silent over his keeper's sending off.
He said: "Don't expect me to come in after a bad result and analyse the opposition's performance.
"But a draw at home is only acceptable in special circumstances. The players know this is a bad result, but we have a point."
The point here is, though, that Chelsea's two first half goals by Oscar and Willian, both had a touch of good luck about them.
And Courtois's saves up until his departure were crucial as Andre Ayew and the ever so impressive Gomis cancelled them out.
Given the two previous results Mourinho thought he had taken no chances on this one, gambling on Diego Costa with a youthful new haircut and lingering doubts about his dodgy hamstring.

That didn't seem to bother the combative Spaniard who, quite frankly, looked as fit as a fiddle at first. And, oh boy, he needed to be because battling Swansea showed scant respect for the champions before - or, indeed, after - Oscar fired Chelsea in front on 22 minutes.
In fact, with a masterful Jonjo Shelvey pulling the strings in midfield and Gomis proving a handful all afternoon, they frightened the life out of Mourinho and co.
Garry Monk probably wasn't a happy bunny at the way Oscar's modest free kick went unimpeded through the wall past a startled Lukasz Fabianski - especially after Gomis and Ki had both tested Courtois just before that.
And the poor bloke had good reason to wonder if Lady Luck was a Chelsea fan as both Courtois and his replacement Asmir Begovic denied Swansea.
If ever justice was seen to be done it happened six minutes after the break.
Gomis, who had terrorised both John Terry and Gary Cahill for the best part of 50 minutes, got away from them again and Courtois had little option but to stop him in his tracks.
It was an option that saw the keeper sent off and the Frenchman slotted the resultant spot kick in the bottom corner of the net.
Mourinho protested, but on reflection even he will probably admit that was no more than Swansea deserved - even though he wouldn't say so.
Monk replaced man of the match Gomis with his new £5million  striker, Eder, with 10 minutes to go because, he  revealed afterwards, he had run himself into the ground - as did most of his team-mates.
They had put on the show they set out to "showcase the talent we have in the squad" and left with plenty of  people liking what they saw.
Mourinho, who had a go at his medical team in frustration at the end, left knowing that if Swansea are anything to go by the rest of this season is going to be a lot tough than the last one.

Chelsea: Courtois; Ibramovich, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Fabregas (Zouma 76),  Matic; Willian (Falcao 83), Oscar (Begovic 52) Hazard; Costa.
Swansea: Fabianski; Naughton, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Ki (Cork 41), Sigurdsson; Ayew, Shelvey, Montero (Routledge 71); Gomis (Eder 79)

Man Of The Match: Bafe Gomis. The Swansea striker made one and scored one and was the sort of handful John Terry in particular didn't relish at all.
Referee: Michael Oliver.

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Star:

Chelsea 2 Swansea 2: Courtois sees red as champions escape tricky clash with a point
SURELY this was not in the script.


By Tony Stenson
    
Chelsea were supposed to win at a canter, yet in the end held on for dear life with ten men after having their keeper Thibaut Courtois sent off.
Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis terrorised Stamford Bridge last night and showed what is needed to beat the champions.
He got under their skin with pace, muscle and skill and his performance will now be a blueprint for those who want to take down the title-holders.
Bookies lengthened the odds on Chelsea retaining the title after a mish-mash performance that promised much but offered little.
They also had Courtois sent off as they looked rattled by a side that opened last season by beating Manchester United.

He went in the 53rd minute for bringing down Gomis on the edge of the box after being sent clear by a fine pass from Jonjo Shelvey, just eclipsed in the man-of-the-match stakes by Gomis.
Referee Michael Oliver waved aside Chelsea’s claims for offside and awarded a penalty, which angered skipper John Terry.
He went to a linesman and complained, only to be booked. It led to manager Jose Mourinho stalking the touchline in anger when previously he had stayed calm.
Afterwards Mourhinho said: “I don’t want to talk about the penalty.
“Penalty, red card, goal. After that it was difficult.

“We played very well until the second half. I think the first half was high quality. With ten men we fought hard. We played very well in the first half and the game was under control.
“To play 35 minutes with one player less, the first game of the season when the condition is not sharp, it is difficult.”
But in all honesty his side had been outplayed and outfought by Swansea with Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa and Eden Hazard staying in the shadows.
Manchester United were the last side to retain the title in 2009 and few would bet on Chelsea following in their footsteps if they can not raise their game to a higher level than this.
Swansea were no lambs to the slaughter.

They showed real aggression and skill and could have taken the lead after 15 minutes.
Gomis seized on Shelvey’s long pass, cut inside Gary Cahill and Terry only for Courtois to block the shot and Cesar Azpilicueta to hack the ball away as it rolled towards goal.
Yet the inevitable happened in the 22nd minute.
Gomis fouled Azpilicueta on the edge of Swansea’s box and Oscar swung in a curling free-kick that avoided everyone before nestling in the back of the net.
This was no more than Chelsea deserved at the time. They had played the best football, moved well and seemingly attacked from all angles.

Swansea drew level four minutes later when Jefferson Montero crossed from the left and Courtois did well to keep out a Gomis header only for Andre Ayew to have one shot blocked before stroking in his second attempt.
Singing Welsh voices were dulled a minute later when Willian swung over a cross, only for the ball to deflect off the feet of Federico Fernandez and curl over the despairing Lukasz Fabianski and into the net.
But they did not lie down.
Their fight eventually paid off when Shelvey sent Gomis on a charge which ended with him being brought down by Courtois.

Gomis scored from the spot to level the scores at 2-2 after Chelsea had sent on sub keeper Asmir Begovic at the expense of Oscar.
And stand-in No.1 Begovic made a raft of fine saves as Swansea fed off Chelsea’s frustration.
Swans boss Garry Monk said: “If I’m going to be picky, I’m disappointed not to come away with three points.
“I thought the players were excellent. We wanted to come and attack this first game.”


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Leicester 3-1

Independent:

Leicester 1 Chelsea 3: Foxes winning run ends but Esteban Cambiasso can keep escape attempt alive

Leicester gave Chelsea a scare before eventually losing

Simon Hart

Nigel Pearson knows all about escape acts. He was manager of the Carlisle United side saved from relegation to the Conference by an injury-time winner from his goalkeeper, Jimmy Glass. He was also on the West Bromwich Albion bench when they jumped three places off the bottom of the Premier League on the last day in 2004/05. There was also his own personal Houdini moment when he was reportedly sacked, then reappointed on one strange weekend in February.

What his Leicester City side have produced this past month continues that theme, but the miracle run – four straight top-flight wins for the first time since the 1960s for a team hitherto winless since January – came to an end last night. “Ruining football since 2003” read a banner held aloft in the Chelsea end before kick-off and they certainly spoiled Leicester’s evening.

“Fearless” read the message on the paper clappers – the brainchild of the club’s Thai owners – which were left on the seat of every home fan before kick-off. A modern spin on the old rattle, they certainly raised the noise levels and for 45 minutes the King Power Stadium felt as energised as Pearson’s resurgent side went in search of their biggest  surprise yet.

Contrary to expectation Pearson sent out an unchanged team, seeking to maintain momentum despite Saturday’s early kick-off against Newcastle United. He was not helped by the loss of Andy King to injury after 19 minutes and Robert Huth, such an influence since arriving on loan from Hull, followed him off five minutes later with an ankle problem. Despite full-back Ritchie de Laet’s efforts to plug the gap, Huth’s departure would prove particularly costly, though initially, with Didier Drogba initially labouring in attack, a shock still felt possible despite Chelsea’s better possession.

One feature of Leicester’s recent success has been their tactical flexibility and it undoubtedly helps him to have a player with the knowhow and experience to put these changes into effect out on the pitch. This is where Esteban Cambiasso plays a key role and for 45 minutes at least he did just that.

When he last played in a match involving Jose Mourinho, he was carrying out the Portuguese manager’s instructions in Internazionale’s 2010 Champions League final triumph over Bayern Munich, and in the first half the influence of the former Argentine international was unmissable.

In one of his early press briefings in the East Midlands he dismissed the suggestion that at 34 he might struggle with the pace of the game. “I don’t know any player who can run faster than the ball,” he replied – and he showed equally quick wit last night.

There was an early show of class as he dispossessed Willian and, despite slipping on to his backside, flicked the ball up and over the Brazilian’s head on to a team-mate. Despite a role just in front of the home defence, he then got behind the Chelsea defence to tee up Marc Albrighton for a blocked shot after Paul Konchesky’s effort had come back off a post. Tellingly, he was also in referee Mark Clattenburg’s ear, which may have helped him escape a booking after an apparent stamp Eden Hazard’s foot.

That experience will have informed him not to get carried away when Leicester went in front through Albrighton on the stroke of half-time. The source of the goal was a familiar ploy – a ball down the channel for the tireless Jamie Vardy to race on to and supply the cross which, via Cesar Azpilicueta’s slip, ran on to Albrighton to finish.

It was a good time to score yet, tellingly, Cambiasso left the pitch gesturing like one of Harry Enfield’s Scousers, urging his team-mates to calm down. He knows better than anybody how a Mourinho team works and so it proved in the second period.

The home side’s work rate remained fantastic but Chelsea, buoyed by that equaliser straight after the restart, made their class tell. The pity for Cambiasso is he was beaten by John Terry to the ball that the Chelsea captain bundled over the line for the second goal and that was that.

For Leicester, the winning run is over, but they remain a point clear of the bottom three and with home games against Newcastle, Southampton and Queen’s Park Rangers to come, they will go again. The clappers will be back on Saturday and Pearson’s escapologists will get back to work.


=========

Telegraph:

Leicester City 1 Chelsea 3

Champions elect come from behind to lay one hand on Premier League title

Didier Drogba, John Terry and Ramires all score after going down to first-half strike from Marc Albrighton

By Henry Winter, King Power Stadium

And that’s why they’re champions-elect. Chelsea showed guts in their response to adversity. And that’s why Chelsea can wrap up the title on Sunday with a win against Crystal Palace, placing the onus on Steven Gerrard and Liverpool to form a guard of honour on May 10. Stamford Bridge would love that.

Instead Jose Mourinho gathered his players in the dressing room at the break, tore into them, reminding them of their responsibilities and of the prize at stake, and they were a totally different side when they returned, playing with confidence, power and pace, playing like cham­pions. The old firm of Didier Drogba and John Terry scored to turn the game on its head.
Ramires made it 3-1 to the visitors with an exquisite finish, rifling the ball in as the away corner chanted “boring, boring Chelsea”.

There was nothing boring about Chelsea after the break, just as there had been nothing boring about Chelsea before Christmas when they played some scintillating football, particularly with Diego Costa in his predatory pomp. As before ­Christmas, so after the interval here, Chelsea played with the handbrake off, with their tails up.
They are now 13 points clear. It is now down to other teams to ­challenge them properly next season, for Man­chester City to rejuvenate their squad and regain their edge, for Arsenal to acquire the tactical nous and psychological strength to live with them and for Manchester United to hold on to David de Gea and buy the two or three players to take the fight to Mourinho’s men.
There is plenty of sniping from rivals at Chelsea, and undoubtedly some of their fans can be charmless at times. “You’ve had your day out, now f--- off home,” the 3,341 Chelsea fans chanted at their Leicester counterparts, whose passionate backing of their under-pressure team helped underpin their recent resurgence. The visitors' more frequent song was the mocking “boring, boring Chelsea”.
Hardly. Chelsea had also appeared keen to confront the “boring” criticism. Drogba posted a video of him, Terry and other team members playing head tennis at the dinner table. “It is amazing football,’’ Mourinho said with a smile. “Only one take. If we [the coaches] do it, we destroy the table!” He also explained why he was cleaning his footwear in the second half, apparently having stubbed it in the chalk, confirming that Chelsea are a shoe-in for the title.
His team also boast the PFA Player of the Year in Eden Hazard, who has vivified games. They have Cesc Fabregas, who recorded his 17th assist of the Premier League season, moving one behind Frank Lampard’s mark from 2004/05 and closing on Thierry Henry’s record of 20 from 2002-03. They have Willian, who was tireless here. They have Nemanja Matic, who would walk into any Premier League midfield, bringing energy and ­control, and who was one of the “giants” Mourinho referred to at the King Power.
Like him or loathe him as a person, and he won’t win many popularity contests at Sunday school, Terry is the most commanding centre-half in the Premier League, of any nationality. In a sport where leaders are not commonplace, Terry stands out even more. His goal took him alongside David Unsworth as the highest-scoring defender in Premier League history with 38 goals.

Chelsea will be deserved champions because they have the best balance between defence and attack, because they have leaders like Terry who drive them on, because they have the creativity of Hazard and Fabregas and because they have Mourinho. He ripped into his players, punctuating his rallying cry with swear words. He remains the most inspirational manager in the Premier League, a tactician who outwits his rivals, who organises and motivates them.
They had needed shaking up. For 45 minutes, Chelsea were on the back foot, struggling to live with Leicester. Pearson was accused of ranting at a reporter after this frustrating defeat, and it was a cheap shot from the Leicester manager to an innocent inquiry about apparent ­criticism of his players, but he remains a manager in control. His players are clearly playing for him, following his orders, knowing that had steered them to four wins on the spin before this.
Vardy set the tone, immediately hounding Branislav Ivanovic. For a half, there was no standing on ceremony by the hosts for such august guests, no reverence shown to Mourinho’s side. Playing against his old Inter Milan boss, Cambiasso was a model of industry and invention. In one move, he fell over in closing down Willian but still showed wonderful footwork in juggling the ball past the Brazilian.
The Argentine midfielder then conjured up one of the passes of the season, a gem swept from left of centre to Leonardo Ulloa in the box, a delivery that demanded so much more than the striker’s clunky first touch. For all this admirable approach work, Petr Cech was not tested on his sixth Premier League appearance of the season until five minutes from the break when Leicester laid siege to his goalmouth and, particularly, when Albrighton arrived to apply the decisive touch of the first half.

On it went from the early stages, Albrighton pressing Hazard and Danny Drinkwater harrying Willian. Leicester briefly lost some momentum with injuries: Andy King and then Robert Huth limped away, being replaced by Matty James and Ritchie de Laet respectively. There was no self-pity from Leicester, no let-up in their hungry work and certainly no diminution of the noise levels set by their supporters. The volume rose when Paul Konchesky hit a post and exploded when Vardy stroked the ball across from the left, and César Azpilicueta slipped on the greasy ­surface. Albrighton kept his footing and composure and rolled the ball past Cech.
Mourinho went to work on his ­players. Three minutes after the restart, Chelsea were level. Ivanovic marauded in from the right, Drogba got in ahead of Morgan and steered a shot past Kasp[er Schmeichel. Eleven minutes from time, Chelsea took the lead. From a Fabregas corner, Gary Cahill headed goalwards, and Schmeichel dropped to his left to save superbly.

Terry was quickest to the loose ball, flicking it home. Then came Fabregas passing smoothly to Ramires, who made it 3-1 to Chelsea with a left-footed strike. “Boring, boring Chelsea” came the chant from the visiting fans, followed by “are you watching, Arsenal?”
Chelsea have thrown down the gauntlet for next season and it is now down to Arsenal, City, United and others to pick it up.


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

Guardian:

John Terry leads from front for Chelsea after Leicester’s early promise

Leicester 1 - 3 Chelsea

Daniel Taylor at the King Power Stadium

By the end, José Mourinho’s only real issue seemed to be the flecks of dirt that were threatening to ruin his brown suede shoes on the muddy touchline. Chelsea’s manager had retreated to his seat and was busy cleaning them with his drink bottle when Ramires arrowed in the third goal of a night that leaves the Premier League leaders one win away from being confirmed as champions. Mourinho, one imagines, will not mind too much if the stains don’t come out.

For a while, his team had looked like they might stretch out the conclusion to the title race longer than anyone had anticipated. Leicester played with great togetherness in the first half and at the interval were threatening to make to it five successive top-flight wins for the first time since 1964. Instead, that turned out to be the point at which Chelsea reminded everyone why they are the best team in this division. The comeback was laced with expertise and their supporters took great joy in mimicking the “Boring, boring Chelsea” chants that had irritated Mourinho more than he was probably willing to let on at Arsenal last Sunday.

He had let off the handbrake here and his players certainly made the point that it is not an uninteresting team that ends the season on an open-top bus. Cesc Fàbregas, in particular, underlined how remarkable it was that he did not make it on to the Professional Footballers’ Association team of the year. Didier Drogba showed glimpses of his old self and it was typical of John Terry that it was his goal, coming forward from defence, that put Chelsea into the lead 11 minutes from time. “Giants of the pitch,” Mourinho called them.

Chelsea certainly had to show great perseverance because Leicester did not resemble a side who had spent seven-eighths of the season looking like certainties for the relegation morgue.

Nigel Pearson’s team set off without even a flicker of trepidation. They pressed and they harried but they also played with width and penetration and Esteban Cambiasso’s touches in midfield must have reminded Mourinho about his contribution when Internazionale won the Champions League in 2010. Cambiasso produced one of the night’s outstanding moments to deceive Willian with some improvisational ball-juggling. The Argentinian was on the floor at the time and that, perhaps, summed up the new confidence of this team.

They also had some rotten luck given the way injuries sabotaged their planning. Andy King was the first player to be forced off after 19 minutes. Robert Huth followed five minutes later and, in the face of all this disruption Leicester did extraordinarily well to keep their structure and take the lead through Marc Albrighton in first-half stoppage time.

What they could not do was hold out early in the second half, when it was obvious Chelsea would come back at them. Afterwards, Mourinho was asked what he had said at half-time. “If I told you there would be too many peeps,” he said. Harsh words were exchanged and Chelsea came out reinvigorated.

Drogba’s equaliser came three minutes after the restart and, from that point onwards Leicester barely threatened again. Fàbregas’s ability to show for the ball was hugely influential whereas the quick, incisive football involving Willian and Eden Hazard was a frequent danger. Terry’s goal came from a corner, reacting first after Kasper Schmeichel had palmed away a splendid, twisting header from Gary Cahill. Ramires added the final flourish with a lovely left-foot shot from Fàbregas’s pass and Mourinho could talk afterwards about how pleasing it would be to clinch the title on their own ground. By the time Liverpool head to Stamford Bridge on Sunday week a guard of honour might be needed.

Diego Costa might also be back this weekend, Mourinho confirmed, and Thibaut Courtois should also be fit after missing this game because he was still feeling a bang to a hip. Petr Cech was deputising and four minutes before the interval we were reminded that Chelsea have the best second-choice goalkeeper in the business with his save to turn Paul Konchesky’s snap-shot against a post.

Those moments gave Leicester encouragement to think their opponents might be vulnerable and in their next attack Jamie Vardy ran through the inside-left then turned the ball across the penalty area where, for once, Chelsea’s back four was out of position. César Azpilicueta slipped and that left Albrighton in space to pick his spot.

Leicester could also reflect on that moment early on when Cambiasso’s pass gave Leonardo Ulloa the chance to run clear only for the striker to waste the opportunity with a wretched first touch. Yet their shortcomings were exposed in the second half. Fàbregas was superb and it was his little up-and-over ball that took out three opponents in the moments before the equaliser. Branislav Ivanovic was forward again and Drogba, anticipating the cross, got in front of Ritchie De Laet to flash his shot past Schmeichel.

What followed had an air of inevitability. “We played so well, so fluid,” Mourinho reflected, and they did not look like a team who will miss the opportunity against Crystal Palace on Sunday.


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


Mail:

Leicester 1-3 Chelsea: Jose Mourinho's side one win away from being crowned Premier League champions after fighting back from a goal down to overcome Nigel Pearson's battlers

Matt Barlow

Didier Drogba was utterly exhausted and emotionally drained as he and John Terry held each other up through a post-match flash interview.
It was as if these two warriors might collapse on camera if either of them moved, so they clung on and spoke happily if wearily after supplying the goals which fuelled this fight-back at Leicester.
Drogba is into his 38th year and could be doing something a little more leisurely than leading the line through 90 minutes at the sharp end of the season. Centre-forward is a demanding role in any team, let alone one of Jose Mourinho’s.

But he and Terry are not shaped that way and the pride burned through their yellow shirts as they led their team-mates to salute three thousand noisy Chelsea supporters in the corner of the King Power Stadium.
They had trailed to a goal from Marc Albrighton after a slightly lethargic first-half display but came out inspired and soon levelled through Drogba, before Terry put the Londoners ahead, 12 minutes from time, and Ramires curled the third into the top corner.
The strike by Ramires triggered an ironic chorus of 'Boring Boring Chelsea' from the visiting fans and they sang long into the night, aware that their team can be crowned champions on Sunday at Stamford Bridge if they beat Crystal Palace.
Mourinho tried to play down the party vibe but they will come in expectation because this has the feel of a procession after breaking through an awkward sequence of games with only one fit centre-forward, who happened to be 37.

Drogba’s legs don’t cover quite the same ground at quite the same rate as they once did. He rarely gets clear of the back-line, it has been a long time since he screamed one into the top corner and his touch can be heavy.
Until Wednesday night it had been a long time since he found the net. You have to go all the way back to Newcastle away in December, when he came on in a bid to rescue Chelsea from their first defeat of the campaign, and almost managed it.
Drogba has an impossible-to-pin-down ability to influence the game and his desire glows as fiercely as ever. He energised Chelsea with the equaliser - just as he once did in Munich in the Champions League final.
He missed chances and he might have scored more, but he never stopped showing for the ball or leading by example to those team-mates who have yet to cross this finish-line in a title race, as injured striker Diego Costa and Loic Remy looked on from the stands.
Mourinho wanted all of his squad to travel and prepare together at St George’s Park as a show of solidarity as they closed in on the goal.
This was where the head-tennis video was filmed which went viral on Wednesday.
Six Chelsea players headed the ball back and forth across the dinner table until it reached John Obi Mikel, on the end, who nodded it into a bin. Judging by the celebrations which followed, Remy is not far from a return.

On Wednesday, it was over to the legends who have made the journey before to respond to the challenge set down by Nigel Pearson’s vibrant team, who offered more evidence, even in defeat, that they are capable of surviving the drop.
Terry scored his seventh of the season, forcing the ball in from close range after Kasper Schmeichel had saved from Gary Cahill at a corner.
And Petr Cech came in for Thibaut Courtois and played superbly, making a crucial save to thwart Paul Konchesky when the game was goalless.
Courtois hurt his hip during Sunday’s draw at Arsenal and was on the bench. Cech came in for only his fifth Premier League game of the season, but buoyed by the knowledge he had not conceded in this competition for more than a year.
Leicester started at a healthy tempo, seeking to use the electric pace of Jamie Vardy, only to see their rhythm disrupted to injuries which forced Andy King and Robert Huth off before the interval.
Chelsea dominated from midway through the first half but that did not prevent Leicester from taking the lead on the break when Matty James released Vardy down the left.
Vardy beat Terry to the ball and cut his cross low and deep. It might have been aimed at Leonardo Ulloa, but it bypassed the Argentine striker and Cesar Azpilicueta slipped as he tried to adjust his feet.

The upshot was a simple finish for Albrighton, arriving late with the ball set nicely and Cech’s goal hopelessly exposed. He had not scored for more than four years but he made no mistake, sliding it low into the net.
The King Power erupted as home fans detected an improbably fifth win on the bounce and another year in this lofty company.
But Drogba soon punctured those hopes when he reacted swiftly to beat substitute Ritchie de Laet to a low cross from Branislav Ivanovic and hooked it past Schmeichel.
It was a different game from this point. Chelsea had re-emerged in a different mood. There was extra urgency about their game and they would go on to win by more than one goal for the first time since a 5-0 win against Swansea in mid-January.
Drogba fired one chance over and another wide but Terry produced the second, just as it seemed Mourinho would have to settle for a point.
It could have been many more but Ramires made it three. And it wasn’t boring at all.


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

Mirror:

Leicester City 1-3 Chelsea: Blues come from behind to end Foxes unbeaten run and close on the title

By Mike Walters

Didier Drogba, John Terry and Ramires notched second-half goals to move the Blues one win from the Premier League championship

Instead of the title race being a cliffhanger, it's a Cliff Richard – we've got ourselves a crying, walking, sleeping, talking, living dull climax at the summit.

Chelsea are just three points from the title and, if they take care of business on Sunday against Crystal Palace, Jose Mourinho can order the open-topped bus.

It took two goals in the last 12 minutes to break Leicester's resistance.

But 13 points clear isn't boring – it's a procession.

Scoring 68 goals in 34 games isn't boring – it's a better strike rate than British Leyland in the days of feared shop steward Red Robbo.

Going to Arsenal and smothering their exotic forwards under a defensive blanket isn't boring. It's a comfort rug for those who fear clean sheets were an endangered species in English football.

And winning the title with three weeks to spare isn't boring. It just shows Chelsea are a team ahead of their time. About three weeks ahead of their time.

Last night they responded like champions after falling behind at the King Power.

They were blunt and uninspired for 45 minutes, but when the chips were down the Blues were stout of heart, firm of rectum and, yes, stylish.

Leicester, disrupted by injuries to Andy King and Robert Huth inside the first 25 minutes, we can deal with summarily.

They are not going down.

After springing the escape hatch with four wins on the bounce, they came close to a bonus point – and their commitment bordered on sensational.

Backs to the wall for long periods as they reorganised their shape and tactics, they summoned the willpower to lift the siege and snatch an unlikely lead in first-half stoppage time.

Petr Cech had already been required to make a sprawling low save to deny Paul Konchesky before Jamie Vardy escaped down the left, Cesar Azpilicueta located a stray banana skin on the greasy surface, and Marc Albrighton punished his slip with a slick finish.

Mourinho administered a piece of his mind with the slices of orange at the break, and you could tell boring, boring Chelsea meant business when they emerged for the second half because Cesc Fabregas had removed his Phantom of the Opera mask.

Sure enough, after the Special One had stripped the paint from the visitors' dressing room walls, it took Chelsea fewer than three minutes to respond.

Branislav Ivanovic, rampaging into the box without an escort, picked out Didier Drogba with a low centre and the old warhorse tucked away his seventh goal of the season.

Drogba may not be the barnstorming warrior of old, but you can't knock spots off a decorator's radio and at 37 you can't knock spots off Drogba's eye for goal.

"We shall not be moved, running football since 2003" read one banner among the 3,300 away supporters – and Chelsea's strong finish proved them right.

Leicester's resolve never buckled, but going to watch Chelsea these days is like watching your favourite film.

You've seen it dozens of times before and you know how it's going to end, but you still watch it all the way through anyway.

From a left-wing corner delivered by the man without the mask, Gary Cahill's header was parried by Kasper Schmeichel – but John Terry was on hand to poke the rebound over the line.

Captain, Leader, Legend is not everyone's cup of tea, but it still beggars belief that England coach Roy Hodgson hasn't invited him to Wembley and put the kettle on to discuss an international curtain call.

Chelsea's encore here, seven minutes from time, was another slick production as Fabregas teed up Ramires to make it 3-1 with a sweet left-footer from the edge of the box.

From that moment, Leicester knew it was all over. And on Sunday, the title race will probably be over, too.

“Boring, boring Chelsea,” sang the travelling missionaries from west London mockingly.

Nah, this lot aren't boring to watch. They are simply the best team in the country.


Leicester XI: Schmeichel; Wasilewski, Huth, Morgan; Albrighton, King, Cambiasso, Drinkwater, Konchesky; Vardy, Ulloa.

Subs used: James (King 19'), De Laet (Huth 24'), Mahrez (Vardy 77')

Subs not used: Schwarzer, Hammond, Wood, Kramarić.


Chelsea XI: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Ramires, Matic; Willian, Fabregas, Hazard; Drogba. [4-2-3-1]

Subs used: Zouma (Willian 84'), Cuadrado (Hazard 88'), Mikel (Fabregas 90')

Subs not used: Courtois, Filipe Luis, Ake, Oscar


==========


Express:

Leicester 1 - Chelsea 3: Veterans power past Foxes as Blues inch closer to title

THE OLD guard are steering Chelsea home to this Premier League title, inch by inch, point by point, trick by trick.

By TONY BANKS


On a bruising, challenging night at the King Power Stadium, as Leicester gave all they had, it was Didier Drogba and John Terry who grabbed the crucial goals that leave Chelsea just three points from their fourth Premier League title.

After Marc Albrighton had given relegation-threatened Leicester a shock lead, it was 37-year-old Drogba who calmed the nerves with the equaliser.

Terry, another survivor from Jose Mourinho’s first two titles, then added a killer second and Ramires rubbed salt in the wound.

The fat lady may not be singing yet, but she is certainly clearing her throat – and the celebrations look set to begin against Crystal Palace on Sunday at Stamford Bridge.

Leicester went into the game having won their previous four matches, having won only four all season beforehand. Suddenly there was light at the end of what had been a very dark tunnel.

Whether Chelsea would allow that light to carry on flickering was another matter. Stricken by injuries, especially in attack, Mourinho’s team had been grinding out the results. They had not conceded a goal in their previous three games.

There had been speculation that Leicester manager Nigel Pearson would rest players last night, with more ‘winnable’ games against Newcastle and Southampton to come, to which he had reacted angrily.

In the end he kept the same team that won so crucially at Burnley last Saturday. Drogba returned up front for Chelsea, but with Thibaut Courtois injured, Petr Cech, who had not conceded a goal in five league appearances this season, stepped in.

Leicester were lively from the start but they were almost caught out by a lightning Willian break, only for Drogba to screw his shot horribly.

Pearson’s men though were brimming with new-found confidence, and Wes Morgan nodded just wide as they kept probing.

But then both Andy King and Robert Huth limped off in quick succession, and as they tried to settle, Drogba turned to shoot wide.

It was a familiar tale, Chelsea allowing their opponents plenty of possession but letting them do little with it. Better teams than Leicester had been flummoxed by those methods this season.

Substitute Matty James tried his hand from long range, but neither goalkeeper had been really troubled.

That was until Albrighton crossed from the right and Paul Konchesky caught Ramires napping, as he sneaked in at the back to force Cech to save low down by his post.

Chelsea did not clear the ball though, and Albrighton saw his close-range shot blocked by Gary Cahill in a frantic scramble.

It had been a fortunate escape for the title favourites, but it was only a temporary respite as Leicester broke the deadlock just before half-time.

Jamie Vardy broke down the left and crossed low, Cesar Azpilicueta disastrously slipped, and Albrighton fired low into the net. The King Power Stadium erupted.

However, the home fans were silenced three minutes into the second half as Chelsea drew level. Branislav Ivanovic turned James and broke to the byline.

The Serb crossed low and there was the old warrior Drogba to slide in the equaliser – his seventh goal of the season and his first since December.

Drogba could have put Chelsea ahead a minute later, but blazed his shot high and wide from Cesc Fabregas’s pass.

Mourinho had clearly had words with his troops at half-time and they were far more aggressive.

Fabregas put Drogba away again and this time the Ivorian, out of contract at the end of this season, shot across the face of goal.

But then the killer. Fabregas floated in a corner from the left, Gary Chaill flicked on, and there was Terry to nip in front of Esteban Cambiasso as Kasper Schmeichel flailed to stab in.

Four minutes later, Fabregas teed up Ramires with a lovely pull-back and the Brazilian fired in number three. It is what title-winning teams do – kill their opponents off.

Leicester (3-5-2 ): Schmeichel; Wasilewski, Huth (De Laet 23), Morgan; Albrighton, King (James 17), Cambiasso, Drinkwater, Konchesky; Vardy (Mahrez 76), Ulloa. Booked: Konchesky. Goal: Albrighton 45. NEXT UP: Newcastle (h), PL Sat.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Ramires, Matic; Willian (Zouma 84), Fabregas (Mikel 90), Hazard (Cuadrado 88); Drogba. Goals: Drogba 48, Terry 79, Ramires 83. NEXT UP: Crystal Palace (h), PL Sun.

Referee: M Clattenburg (County Durham).


===========


Star:

Leicester 1 Chelsea 3: Second-half BLITZ leaves Blues on the brink of Premier League glory

CHELSEA were stunned into drastic action to keep them on course to become champions on Sunday.

By Dave Armitage


Three second half goals saw off gallant Leicester and set things up perfectly for Jose Mourinho’s men to seal the title for the fourth time in ten years against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.

In the end, they ran out comfortable winners but only after being rocked on their heels right on half time when the Foxes threatened to wreck their party plans.

Marc Albrighton gave Leicester a shock, but thoroughly deserved, lead and Chelsea were flustered over their half-time cuppa.

Mourinho didn’t need to tell his men that he wants this title wrapping up at the earliest opportunity and they served up the goods with a dominant second half showing.

'Boring, boring Chelsea' came the ironic chants from the Blues fans as goals from Didier Drogba, John Terry and Ramires put Leicester to the sword.

Chelsea are now 13 points clear at the top and a win against Palace secures their first title in five years.

But, Mourinho had to rely on his old guard to come up trumps after Albrighton’s goal floored his men.

First Drogba struck, then skipper Terry led from the front yet again before Ramires wrapped it up late on.

If either side deserved to lead going in at the break it was The Foxes, but as the clock ticked away on the three minutes of stoppage time a goal seemed unlikely.

Then the stadium erupted as Albrighton picked the perfect moment to score his first goal for the club with less than a minute to the whistle.

What a cracker it was too as Leicester caught Chelsea back-peddling with a lightning break down the left.

Leo Ulloa turned briskly and skimmed a ball across the wet surface to where the tireless Jamie Vardy was charging towards the edge of the box.

Vardy eventually found himself too wide to take a pot at goal and was forced to cut the ball back.

What he couldn’t have banked on was Cesar Azpilicueta slipping as he tried to intervene and the ball fell straight into Albrighton’s path.

The winger took his time and did exactly the right thing, sidefooting a low shot into the bottom corner to stun Chelsea.

Mourinho’s men had been given enough warnings from a side who jumped out of the bottom for the first time in five months on the back of four successive wins.

But Drogba fired them level within three minutes of the re-start and Cesc Fabregas should have put them ahead a minute later.

Drogba showed lightning speed of thought when he got on the end of Ivanovic’s cross after a wonderful clipped ball by Eden Hazard.

The powerhouse striker reacted in a flash, making sure he was first to the ball and diverting it past Kasper Schmeichel.

Fabregas messed up a great opportunity straight after, completely missing the ball after Willian had set him up with a cross from the right.

Cech had to be at his brilliant best when Paul Konchesky’s shot looked destined for the bottom corner.

Then Terry proved what he’s all about, kneeing the ball home from close range in the 79th minute to give his men the lead.

It was quick thinking by the skipper who cashed in after Schmeichel had done well to save Cahill’s goalbound header.

Chelsea couldn’t rest easy with just one goal advantage against such plucky opponents and up stepped Ramires with a stunner of a goal.


He fired the ball into the roof of the net from the edge of the box after Fabregas had cut the ball back into his path.

Sunderland 3-1

Independent:

Chelsea 3 Sunderland 1
Loic Remy and Diego Costa on target as Champions battle back from a goal down to win
 
Jack Pitt-Brooke  

This was an all-afternoon party with a football match thrown in, as Chelsea were crowned Premier League champions for the fourth time and gave one of their greats a historic send-off. Chelsea, not that it mattered, beat Sunderland 3-1 but took a few minutes out of the first half to say goodbye to Didier Drogba.

This was the last hurrah for Drogba, who announced before the game that he is leaving, at 37 years old, to find more first-team football in the final seasons of his career. He started, was captain – the idea of John Terry – and was roared on to the pitch.
Drogba played for 28 uneventful minutes before his choreographed exit, without precedent in modern sport. When the boards went up, showing Diego Costa was to come on, Drogba embraced his team-mates before they carried him on their shoulders off the pitch. Drogba, from his perch, waved goodbye to the whole stadium, his final farewell.
The Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, ran his plans past his Sunderland counterpart, Dick Advocaat, beforehand and was delighted by the send-off his players gave Drogba. “The players decided between them because they like him a lot,” he said. “I’m really happy because he was part of the other team, but he belongs also to this new Chelsea.”
That, in brief, was the theme of the afternoon, the final handover from the first champion Mourinho team here to the second. Eight members of that first side – Alexei Smertin, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Claude Makelele, William Gallas, Carlo Cudicini and Geremi – were paraded before kick-off, 10 years on from that first title which set up everything which has followed.
 Didier Drogba was carried off the field by his team-mates in his final ever game for Chelsea 
Drogba, of course, is not the only link from that side to this. Petr Cech has also been a feature of both, and he too was rewarded with a start and with the adulation of the crowd. His future, though, is less clear. Cech, like Drogba, wants to play more first-team football and he still has one year left on his contract. Mourinho would love to keep him at Stamford Bridge but admitted it is not entirely in his hands.
“He is a legend of this club,” Mourinho said, “and one of our strengths this season was to have the two best goalkeepers in the Premier League. It is no problem to have both. But I am not in control of Petr’s decision.”
If Cech does leave there will only be John Terry and Mourinho of the 2004-05 team left, and Mourinho spoke quite touchingly about the transition between generations. “To have the champions of 2005 and the champions of 2015 here is an amazing feeling because I feel as if I belong to both,” he said. “That team of 2005 is over, finished. To be back for the end of that team was hard, but my job is Chelsea’s future. It would be my dream to be here in 2025 and be with the champions of 2005, 2015 and 2025.”
Who knows what will happen in 10 years’ time? But when Mourinho challenged these players to “win on a regular basis” it had an ominous ring.
 Loic Remy celebrates his second goal of the afternoon 
The match itself was beside the point – Sunderland had secured safety from relegation on Wednesday – but they took a surprise lead when Steven Fletcher headed in Adam Johnson’s corner. Costa equalised from the spot – the perfect end to his season – before Loïc Rémy scored twice at the end to win the match.
Advocaat could relax, having masterminded safety, and he admitted afterwards he would decide next week whether to sign the two-year deal Sunderland have offered him to stay in charge. He can leave with his head held high, and he is not the only one.

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

Guardian:

Champions Chelsea ensure Drogba’s goodbye against Sunderland ends well
Chelsea 3 - 1 Sunderland

Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge

It was at 5.12pm when John Terry, the departing Didier Drogba at his side and team-mates coiled to spring at his back, finally hoisted the Premier League trophy. The title had already been theirs for three weeks, although Chelsea’s superiority over allcomers had actually been established during that searing start last autumn and was only fleetingly challenged by Manchester City at the turn of the year. Chelsea have been top for 274 days, the only club of the 92 to remain unbeaten at home. Theirs has been a campaign of utter dominance.
The achievement was rightly celebrated with gusto; players and staff parading with their families amid the ticker-tape as Madness blared out over the public address system and those from the Shed End to the Matthew Harding stand bounced in glee. José Mourinho flung his winner’s medal to his daughter, Matilde, and offered eight fingers to the cameras, the tally of league titles he has secured at four clubs and as many countries. Drogba, crowned by the lid of the trophy, took the microphone and made a point of mentioning the absent Frank Lampard, a scorer for Manchester City on his final appearance in English football at the distant Etihad.
Perhaps all the pomp and circumstance would have been more suited for the immediate aftermath of that victory over Crystal Palace on 3 May, when the title was sealed. At least the joyous delirium gave Drogba and, most likely, Petr Cech fitting sendoffs after glittering careers in these parts. The Ivorian, as befits a player of his charisma, managed to hog the limelight in a last-day win of which he played barely 28 minutes. Chelsea’s captain for the day had been retired from the fray just after Sunderland had taken the lead, the home players propping him on their shoulders – Branislav Ivanovic, Mikel John Obi and Juan Cuadrado took the brunt – and chairlifting him from the field.
It took two minutes for Drogba to depart, the entire coaching staff and the sporting director, Michael Emenalo, waiting on the touchline to clap hands with the striker. The theatre had been pre-arranged, and cleared with Sunderland’s Dick Advocaat before kick-off. It gave the occasion the feel of a testimonial, although some players warrant such adulation.
“He was part of the ‘other’ team,” said Mourinho, a reference to the 2005 Premier League title winners, eight of whose number had joined Cech, Drogba and John Terry on the pitch before kick-off to mark that achievement a decade on. “But he also belongs to this new Chelsea. For these players to know him, train with him, live with him, play with him, share with him is fantastic. He was very, very good for these young people. They learned from a good example.”
His replacement, Diego Costa, duly hauled the hosts level by scoring his 20th league goal of an impressive first campaign in English football from the penalty spot after John O’Shea tripped Cuadrado. Another substitute, Loïc Rémy, scored twice after the interval to ensure the third highest points tally in this club’s history, even if it was Drogba, returning to the pitch post-match, who claimed the match ball as his own. No one was denying him that.
For Cech, an awkward decision awaits. He may already have determined that the time is right to move on, 11 years since he arrived in south-west London, after a frustrating season largely spent playing understudy to Thibaut Courtois. The crowd made clear their desire for him to stay, rejoicing in his denials of Sebastian Larsson, Connor Wickham and Jermain Defoe, even if Steven Fletcher had been able to nod the visitors ahead, having been untracked at a corner beyond the far post.
“He’s a legend of this club but he’s a legend at 33,” Mourinho said of Cech. “And 33 for a goalkeeper is a very young legend. I’m not sure, if Petr was not here to make decisive saves in the seven [league] matches he played, if we could be champions, so his contribution was decisive.” He set Cech’s current team-mates the challenge to secure trophies such as this “on a regular basis”. “This team is just at the beginning,” he added. “It won the Capital One Cup and the Premier League. They have to win more to be better than the side of 2005.”
Sunderland, too, have issues to address. Advocaat’s achievement in staving off relegation was impressive and there is a clamour for him to stay on and instigate the overhaul of the playing staff the Dutchman admitted was necessary. “It’s not up to me because they offered me already two or three years,” he said. “But I have to be honest to myself and to everybody what I will do for the future.”
He will make a decision, in conversation with the sporting director, Lee Congerton, this week at about the same time as Chelsea depart for Thailand and Australia for a post-season tour. The celebrations, to be continued in Monday’s parade through the borough, will be protracted.

Man of the match Loïc Rémy (Chelsea)

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

Telegraph:

Chelsea 3 Sunderland 1: Blues collect Premier League trophy as Didier Drogba and Petr Cech bid farewell

By  Matt Law, at Stamford Bridge

Jose Mourinho displayed eight fingers for his eight career titles before placing the Premier League crown on the head of Didier Drogba as Chelsea celebrated their title success.
Manager Mourinho wants this season’s Premier League trophy to be the start of a new glorious era for him and Chelsea, but it also marks the end of an era for Drogba and most probably Petr Cech.
Drogba was handed the captaincy for the day and was carried off the pitch by his Chelsea team-mates to a standing ovation from fans and the club’s staff in the 30th minute of the victory over Sunderland in a staged tribute to the striker.
One suspects this was also a final Stamford Bridge farewell for goalkeeper Cech, who stood arm-in-arm for ‘selfies’ with Drogba as Chelsea’s players partied on the pitch.
As 37-year-old Drogba posed wearing the top of the Premier League trophy on his head, he conducted the celebrations of the younger players - just as he acted as mentor for the likes of Player of the Year Eden Hazard during the season.
“The substitution of Didier was decided because he had a problem with his knee and, in normal conditions, he could not play for long,” said Mourinho.
“We left him on for half an hour. The captaincy was John’s desire.
“The players to bring him off the pitch? I think that was decided between them because they like him a lot. I’m really happy because he was part of the other [2004/05] team, but he belongs also to this new Chelsea. He was very, very good for these young people - Hazard, Willian, Oscar. They learned from a good example. His was a fantastic contribution this season.” Mourinho refused to accept that this was Cech’s last Chelsea game, insisting the 33-year-old is a “young” legend. Blues fans made their feelings clear by singing “we want you stay.”
“Not just the fans, I also want him to stay,” said Mourinho. “I didn’t sing it, but I keep saying the same. He’s a legend of this club, but he’s a legend at 33. The age of 33 for a goalkeeper is a very young legend.
“One of our strengths this season was to have the two best goalkeepers in the Premier League. When Thibaut (Courtois) was injured, Petr made decisive saves in matches for us. I’m not sure if Petr was not here in these seven matches if we could be champions, so his contribution was decisive.” Asked when talks over Cech’s future will happen, Mourinho added: “I hope never. I hope never, but I don’t know.” Chelsea were one goal down when Drogba was carried off on the shoulders of his team-mates. Adam Johnson’s inswinging corner was headed past Cech at the back post by Steven Fletcher, whose goal was his first for Sunderland since November 3.
But just six minutes after replacing Drogba, Diego Costa netted his 20th Premier League goal of the season from the penalty spot after Juan Cuadrado had been brought down by John O’Shea.
Cuadrado had to be replaced by Loïc Rémy and the Frenchman netted twice to make sure Chelsea signed off in style. His first goal came with a shot from the edge of the penalty area, following good work from Hazard, and his late second was from a Nemanja Matic cross.
Drogba and Cech, together with John Terry, had been part of an on-pitch celebration of the 2004/05 title-winning team ahead of kick-off that was also attended by Carlo Cudicini, Ricardo Carvalho, Claude Makélélé, William Gallas, Geremi, Alexey Smertin, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Paulo Ferreira.
Explaining his personal celebration and how this latest title ranks in his list of achievements, Mourinho said: “Eight [titles] is a lot, eh? I may run out of fingers in the future. Let’s go for ninth and tenth. Then maybe I have to use my feet.
“For me, to have here today the champions of 2004/05 and the champions of 2014/15 is an amazing feeling because I feel as if I belong to both. That team of 2005 is over, finished. I belong to two generations.
“My job is Chelsea’s future and Chelsea’s future is this team that we’ve been working with in the last few years. It’d be a dream to be here in 2025 and be with the champions of 2005, 2015 and 2025. That would be fantastic.
“This team is just at the beginning. It won the Capital One Cup and the Premier League. They have to win more to be better than 2005. You can win something in a certain moment in your career and that’s it. Or, during your career, you can win on a regular basis. That’s what makes the difference between someone who is a champion and ‘the champions’. Let’s motivate them to go in that direction.”
Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat confirmed he has been offered the permanent job and has promised to make a quick decision.
“They offered me already two or three years,” said Advocaat. “I will make a decision as quick as possible, because the club must know.”

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

Mail:

Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland: Loic Remy scores double as champions sign off with victory before lifting Premier League trophy

•Sunderland took the lead through Scotland striker Steven Fletcher who headed home at the back post
•Chelsea replied through Diego Costa's penalty after John O'Shea fouled Juan Cuadrado in the area
•Didier Drogba was carried off by his team-mates after suffering an injury on what will be his final game for the club
•Loic Remy scored a double in the second half to ensure Chelsea's Premier League title party could start in style

By Neil Ashton for the Daily Mail

In the 15 frenzied minutes it took a crew to assemble the stage for Chelsea to receive the Barclays Premier League trophy, their supporters were treated to the raw statistics.
Chelsea had been top of the table for a record 268 days, from the moment they beat Everton 6-3 at Goodison Park on August 30 to this final, momentous day in the English football calendar.
‘That’s why we’re champions,’ they sang from the stands.
Jose Mourinho’s team have been unbeaten at Stamford Bridge, winning 15 matches at home on the way to reclaiming the Premier League title by eight points. ‘Bring on the champions,’ they bayed.
And so they did, one by one until they finally, agonisingly got their hands on some shiny silverware to celebrate in front of their supporters.
There were references to the champions everywhere - more than 100 in the club programme alone - but this is an important day in the history of this club and Mourinho. This lot are winners.
The frenzied celebrations are the start of a 48 hour Chelsea-fest, a party starting at Stamford Bridge that will continue through streets awash with blue and white scarves on Monday.
Their 3-1 victory was almost incidental to the main event, a trophy lift that took place at 510pm, after every member of the backroom staff, coaching staff and playing staff had been wheeled out.
Chelsea have been too good for all comers this season, as they demonstrated by recovering from a goal down to record their 26th victory of a 38 game league programme. The proof is in the pudding.
This sure tasted sweet for those boys in blue, cantering to victory with goals from substitutes Diego Costa, from the penalty spot, and two from Loic Remy after the break.
The trophy lift is a familiar feeling for the captain John Terry, certainly executed far better than the clumsy attempt by the players to hoist Didier Drogba off the field in the 30th minute wearing the captain’s armband.
Drogba had announced, in the hours before kick off, that he would leave Chelsea in search of one final season of first team football farther afield. What a send off it turned out to be.
‘Mr Mourinho came to me before the game and explained it - we knew it would happen,’ admitted Advocaat. ‘It’s no problem, the player deserves it.’ Sunderland had just taken the lead when Steven Fletcher read Adam Johnson’s left footed corner to head Dick Advocaat’s team into the lead after 29 minutes.
It was a spirited start by Sunderland, but the reality is that their season ended when they secured their place in the Premier League with that feverish 0-0 draw at Arsenal on Wednesday.
It has all came together for Chelsea in one joyous celebration, patiently waiting three weeks, since they were confirmed as champions, to get their hands on the trophy itself. The trick is to keep hold of it, to begin the title defence in August with the same resilience and desire that they showed to get back into this game.
Chelsea equalised after 35th minutes when John O’Shea clumsily bundled over Juan Caudrado inside the penalty area to gift them a penalty. Costa, on as a substitute, easily beat Vito Mannone.
They had to wait until late in the second half to pierce Sunderland’s defence again, with Eden Hazard providing the chance for Remy to beat Mannone from long range.
Remy, who had replaced the injured Cuadrado two minutes before half-time, scored again when he read Nemanja Matic’s pass across goal.
There was a glimpse into the future too when the Danish central defender Andreas Christensen was brought on to make his Premier League debut 13 minutes from time. Soon this club will be talking about the past, particularly after Drogba announced that he is to leave Chelsea for the second, presumably final, time. He has been an ambassador for this club.
So has Petr Cech, who will also bid farewell to Chelsea after 10 hugely successful years at the club. Both leave with their heads held high.
‘Petr is a 32 year old legend, and I want him to stay because we have the two best keepers in the Premier League,’ reflected Mourinho, as he sipped champagne and revealed that he had already bought a new watch to celebrate their title win. Mourinho’s smile said so much, handing his daughter Matilde his winner’s medal because his son Jose Junior is in Holland at a tournament with his club Fulham.
Here the lap of honour of appreciation took forever, soaking it all up again as they made their way towards their fans in all four corners of this stadium.
When they clamber on to that bus on Monday, they will be right back at the top.

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

Mirror:
Chelsea finally lift the Premier League trophy after beating Sunderland at Stamford Bridge

By John Cross
 
Goals from Costa and Remy ensured that the Champions got their title-winning party off on the right foot - with a 3-1 victory over the Black Cats

It was as much leaving party as celebration for the champions.
Chelsea legends Didier Drogba, 37, and Petr Cech, 33, were given a wonderful send off as they bid farewell to Stamford Bridge during the post-match knees-up on the pitch.
Drogba’s goodbye was bizarre as he was carried off shoulder high by his team mates - after being substituted to a standing ovation from the fans after just half an hour.
It was the sort of thing you only see in testimonials. And, in truth, it did feel like a friendly at times as Sunderland’s defending didn’t exactly make life difficult for Chelsea.
In fact, Dick Advocaat’s men - already assured of survival - almost played their part in the celebrations as they stood aside and let Chelsea enjoy their coronation.
Steven Fletcher, with his first goal in six months, briefly threatened to be party pooper as he gave Sunderland a 26th minute lead. But it never really looked as if an upset was on the cards.
Diego Costa, who came on for Drogba, equalised from the penalty spot after Sunderland captain John O’Shea tripped Chelsea’s Juan Cuadrado in the 37th minute.
Chelsea substitute Loic Remy, who has been a bit part player for so much of the season, showed he might have much to offer next season with two goals, albeit courtesy of some woeful defending.
Remy’s first came after 70 minutes when Sunderland keeper Vito Mannone should have stopped his 20 yard shot. The second came with a tap-in two minutes from time after the Sunderland defence went AWOL.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho paid a glowing tribute to Drogba - who was made captain - while the fans chanted at Cech “we want you to stay” throughout the game.
Mourinho said: “The substitution was decided because he had a problem with his knee and, in normal conditions, he could not play for long. We left him on for half an hour.
“The captaincy was John's desire, to give him the armband. The players to bring him off the pitch? I think that was decided between them because they like him a lot.
“It’s not just the fans, I also want (Cech to stay). I didn't sing it, but I keep saying the same. He's a legend of this club, but he's a legend at 33. 33 for a goalkeeper is a very young legend.
"When Thibaut Courtois was injured, Petr made decisive saves in matches for us. I'm not sure if Petr was not here in these seven matches if we could be champions, so his contribution was decisive.”
Mourinho held up eight fingers during the post-match celebrations to represent the number of titles he has won at four different clubs. But he has already set his sights on more.
“A lot, eh? I may run out of fingers in the future,” said Mourinho who threw his medal to his daughter Matilde into the crowd. “Let's go for ninth and tenth.
“We had the players from 2005 here. It’d be a dream to be here in 2025 and be with the champions of 2005, 2015 and 2025. That would be fantastic, but my future doesn't matter. What matters is Chelsea's future.”
Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat revealed he has been offered a three year deal to stay but admitted the squad needs a major overhaul and says he will announce his decision quickly.
Advocaat said: “Wait and see. It's not up to me, because they offered me already two or three years. But I have to be honest to myself and to everybody what I will do for the future.”

Player ratings
Chelsea: Cech 7, Ivanovic 6, Cahill 6, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 7, Mikel 6, Matic 6, Willian 7, Cuadrado 6, Hazard 7, Drogba 6
Subs: Costa 6, Remy 8 MOTM, Christensen 6
Sunderland: Mannone 5, Jones 5, O'Shea 5, Coates 5, Van Aanholt 6, Rodwell 6, Larsson 6, Johnson 6, Defoe 6, Wickham 6, Fletcher 6
Subs: Giaccherini 6

====================
Star:

Chelsea 3 Sunderland 1: Blues round off season in style with emotional goodbyes
AS testimonials go, it was more eventful than most.

By Paul Brown

With the title already long won this was all about celebrating and waving goodbye to some of Chelsea’s greatest.
You can’t blame them. They did all the hard work weeks ago and had the championship wrapped up with three games to spare.
But you don’t often see Premier League games conducted like this.
It felt like a testimonial because to all intents and purposes that’s how Chelsea treated it.
There were free squad posters handed out outside, free flags on every seat and you could even have a free photo taken with a Blues player of your choice superimposed on to it next to you.
They also paraded some of the heroes of their 2005 title win before kick-off.
Jose Mourinho stressed in his programme notes how much Chelsea wanted to sign off with a win, and of course they did.
But he also wrote: “When we clinched the title, the warriors were empty, dry, and it is difficult to be ready to compete.”
And it was what happened in the 28th minute of this match that summed up how seriously they took it.
In a pre-planned move, Didier Drogba was carried off the pitch by his team-mates to a standing ovation.
Mystified Sunderland players didn’t know whether to clap along or complain about timewasting. It’s a good job they didn’t need to win to stay up…
Drogba has been a great servant to Chelsea over the years and deserved a great send-off. Even for the second time.
But it felt a little disrespectful to Sunderland, who briefly threatened to spoil the party when Steven Fletcher headed them in front after an unwitting flick-on by Nemanja Matic at a corner.
Petr Cech was also waving goodbye, and Fletcher’s first goal for Sunderland since November denied the Czech a 229th clean sheet for Chelsea.
Then, nine minutes after Drogba’s exit, his replacement scored the equaliser from the penalty spot.
It was a controversial one too, with John O’Shea barely touching Juan Cuadrado as he went down on the edge of the box.
But after complaining about penalties all season, Mourinho wasn’t complaining this time as Diego Costa struck home his 20th goal of the season.
Chelsea took the lead with 20 minutes to go when fellow substitute Loic Remy fired home past Vito Mannone after a storming run from Eden Hazard.
Hazard, the PFA and FWA player of the year, started the game despite having three wisdom teeth removed earlier in the week. It didn’t seem to affect him.
Mind you. He wasn’t up against much. By the time Remy made it three with a tap-in from a Matic cross in the 88th minute the game was being played at walking pace.
Sunderland had won on two of their previous visits to the Bridge.
But with survival already secured they didn’t put up much of a fight, and end the season a place behind next door neighbours Newcastle.
When it was finally over it was handshakes and hugs all round, a sea of blue flags waving from every stand and owner Roman Abramovich, sleeves rolled up, clapping away in his box.
Chelsea are worthy winners. They’ve been top of the table for a record 268 days.
They have the best manager in the business, the best first XI in the country and the best player in the league in Hazard.
They also have a skipper in John Terry who became the first player on a championship-winning team to play every minute of every game since Gary Pallister did it for Manchester United in 1993.
“That’s why we’re champions” they sang just before Terry finally lifted the trophy. It won’t be the last time they sing it.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech 6; Ivanovic 6, Terry 6 Cahill 6, Azpilicueta 6; Mikel 6 (Christensen 78), Matic 6; Cuadrado 6 (REMY 44, 8), Willian 6, Hazard 6; Drogba 5 (Costa 28, 7). Subs: Courtois, Luis, Costa, Christensen, Boga, Solanke
Sunderland: (4-3-3): Mannone 6; Jones 6, Coates 6, O’Shea 5, Van Aanholt 6; Johnson 6 (Giaccherini 75), Larsson 6, Rodwell 6; Wickham 6, Defoe 6; FLETCHER 7. Subs: Pickford, Cattermole, Reveillere, Graham, Vergini, Buckley
Referee: Lee Mason 6

STAR MAN: Loic Remy – Double strike
STAR SHOCKER: John O’Shea – Penalty culprit
Match: 3

West Brom 0-3

Independent:

West Bromwich Albion 3 Chelsea 0

Saido Berahino catches the eye as Chelsea lose their cool

Simon Hart

Even Jose Mourinho’s teams take their foot off the gas sometimes and last night, at the Hawthorns, Chelsea paid the price as they fell to their first Premier League defeat since New Year’s Day.

Chelsea have already proven their championship credentials but here they barely stepped out of second gear and duly succumbed to two goals from Saido Berahino – offering a reminder of his rich potential – and a third from Chris Brunt.

For Chelsea it was a third league defeat of the campaign and their heaviest in the Premier League under Mourinho since a 3-0 loss at Middlesbrough in 2006. It means his 2015 vintage cannot reach the 90-point mark they managed in his two previous championship seasons.

From the Londoners’ perspective, though, it was a night which will be best remembered for the bizarre sending-off of Cesc Fabregas, who responded to a melée sparked by Diego Costa by kicking the ball at Brunt to earn a straight red card – a sanction that should mean he will miss the first two games of next season.

One notable statistic before this match was that John Terry was looking to become the first outfield player in a title-winning team to play every minute of every game since Gary Pallister for Manchester United in 1992/93. The old warhorse completed another 90 minutes here, although his uncharacteristic failure to deal with an early cross into the box led to a chance for Callum McManaman, who skipped away from Filipe Luis and flashed in a shot that Thibaut Courtois turned behind.

If that suggested a lack of intensity in the champions’ play, the feeling was confirmed by Berahino’s ninth-minute strike. Given space to turn on to a Joleon Lescot pass just outside the ‘D’ of the penalty box, the Albion forward curled a wonderful first-time strike to the left of Courtois and into the corner.

After the improbable sight of Craig Dawson nutmegging two Chelsea players in succession, Costa did his best to stir the visitors into life, holding off Darren Fletcher and pulling the ball back for Eden Hazard, whose close-range strike was deflected over. However, rather than simply add some spark to proceedings, the Spanish international then decided to chuck in a  flamethrower, starting the flare-up that led to Fabregas’s red card.

John Terry brings down Berahino for a penalty early in the second half John Terry brings down Berahino for a penalty early in the second half (Reuters)

Sir Alex Ferguson’s famous line about former Stamford Bridge favourite Dennis Wise – “He could start a fight in an empty house” – came to mind as Costa shoved Gareth McAuley to the ground off the ball. When the pair squared up again, referee Mike Jones intervened, booking Costa, and it was at that moment that Fabregas kicked the ball into the crowd of players, striking Brunt’s head.

It gave the home fans a pantomime villain to jeer and they almost had another goal to cheer as James Morrison fed Brunt on the left of the area but Courtois made the save. Instead it was Berahino who doubled the lead with his 20th goal of an impressive season from the penalty spot moments after the restart. Terry was the culprit, swiping at Berahino’s right leg as he shaped to shoot, and although Courtois got a hand to Berahino’s strike he could not keep it out.

Terry could easily have been sent off but escaped even a booking and Chelsea’s 10 men nearly found a foothold in the game when Loïc Rémy beat Boaz Myhill with a shot from 20 yards that cannoned off the foot of the post. As it was, the game was up on the hour when Brunt exchanged passes with Craig Gardner from a short corner and carried the ball into the box before arrowing in a shot off the hands of  Courtois at the near post.

Albion have now taken the scalps of both Manchester United and Chelsea in the past fortnight and the celebratory mood was quite a contrast with last season’s final game when the Hawthorns was virtually empty by the time of the team’s misleadingly titled lap of honour – a transformation that speaks volumes for the impact made by Tony Pulis since he replaced Alan Irvine on New Year’s Day.

Saido Berahino celebrates after giving West Bromwich Albion the lead Saido Berahino celebrates after giving West Bromwich Albion the lead (EPA)

An intriguing summer lies in store with chairman Jeremy Peace confirming that “interested parties” – both overseas investors – are conducting due diligence with a view to a takeover. Peace promised a “smooth transition” with Pulis going nowhere, however.

The game offered further evidence of Pulis’s wisdom in recruiting Fletcher and Albion’s performance made it a difficult evening for Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who lasted 73 minutes before making way for another youngster, Nathan Aké. Mourinho’s final substitute was debutant Isaiah Brown. A product of the Albion academy who made his league debut at 16 in May 2013, he incensed Albion by departing for Stamford Bridge three months later. Even in defeat, Mourinho had managed a last laugh of sorts.



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


Guardian:


West Bromwich’s Chris Brunt has last laugh after Cesc Fàbregas’s sending off

West Brom 3 - 0 Chelsea


Stuart James at The Hawthorns


This was not the way José Mourinho envisaged the Premier League champions playing out the rest of the season and it is a measure of the damage that was done that the repercussions of a chastening night will be felt at the beginning of the next campaign.

Two goals from the impressive Saido Berahino – his 19th and 20th of the season – and another from Chris Brunt secured a memorable victory for West Bromwich Albion and inflicted Chelsea’s heaviest league defeat under Mourinho since 2006. Yet it was the bizarre red card that Cesc Fàbregas received in the 30th minute that riled the Portuguese more than anything.

Mike Jones, the referee, was dealing with a melee on the other side of the penalty area after Diego Costa had been booked following an off-the-ball altercation with Gareth McAuley, when Fàbregas, stood about 20 yards away, kicked the ball in the direction of a crowd of Albion players and caught Brunt on the side of the head.

Darren Fletcher, the Albion captain, reacted furiously and was straying close to the line – arguably overstepping it – when he confronted the Spaniard, almost running into him. Jones, on the scene moments later, reached for his back pocket and brandished the red card.

The offence will go down as violent conduct and means that Fàbregas, in what was essentially a meaningless game, has picked up a three-match suspension that rules him out of the final fixture of this term, at home against Sunderland, and, much more significantly, the first two matches of next season. The debate about whether the decision was harsh was guaranteed to go on long into the night but whatever the rights and wrongs of the sending off, there is no escaping the fact that it was a stupid thing for Fàbregas to do, especially when the referee was stood so close to Brunt.

Mourinho, not surprisingly, took a dim view of the referee’s decision-making and implied that a more experienced official than Jones would have handled it differently and taken a more lenient view.

“I would like to see it again because what is this sending off for?” the Chelsea manager said. “Where is the danger of the situation? Where is the aggressivity in the situation to get a red card in a friendly game almost? I really don’t understand.

“I think Fletcher was aggressive, yes. He pushes in the chest because he is experienced and he knows where he can push for a yellow card but it’s much more aggressive. What Fàbregas did, for me, a top referee, a stable big personality in control of the game goes there, two or three words, and he’s done. It’s a bizarre red card.” Mourinho suggested that Chelsea have no intention of appealing – “We lose all the time, we have a fantastic record on appealing,” he said sarcastically – but the Portuguese reacted with disbelief when told of the length of the suspension. “Three-game ban for this? Jesus Christ. Three-game ban for this? Harsh? Of course it’s harsh, if you get three games with this.”

It was that sort of night for Chelsea as Albion followed up their 1-0 win over Manchester United earlier in the month with another highly impressive result. While Mourinho had a point when he suggested that Chelsea would have played better if the title was not already in the bag – “I think this is a consequence of being champions so early,” he said in defence of their performance – Albion deserve credit for the way in which they punished the visitors.

Berahino was in the mood from the start and with the transfer window soon to open, chose a good evening to showcase his talent. His first goal, beautifully curled into the far corner from about 22 yards, set Albion on their way after nine minutes and the 21-year-old also won and converted the penalty, after John Terry scythed him down, that doubled their lead two minutes after the restart.

Chelsea, for whom the 19-year-old Ruben Loftus-Cheek made a second successive Premier League start, came close to pulling a goal back when Loïc Rémy’s low shot struck the base of an upright in the 56th minute but four minutes later Albion had a third and the game was effectively over. Brunt played a short corner with Craig Gardner and from just inside the penalty area, unleashed a powerful shot that seemed to beat Thibaut Courtois for pace as it flew inside his near post.

Mourinho gave Isaiah Brown, a former Albion schoolboy, his first senior appearance for Chelsea when he brought him on as a late substitute, but even the sight of ‘the one that got away’ was not going to ruin the home supporters’ evening. “Izzy, Izzy, what’s the score?” chanted the jubilant Albion fans.



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


Telegraph:


West Brom 3 Chelsea 0

Saido Berahino bags double as Cesc Fabregas dismissal sparks collapse

By  Henry Winter, Football Correspondent, at the Hawthorns


Jose Mourinho strode across the pitch at the final whistle, heading towards the Chelsea supporters, the Special One holding up one finger to signal they were No 1 over the season. Chelsea had the title won, their season’s work done, but were simply second best from the first whistle here, despite the exhortations of their travelling support.

Saido Berahino scored twice and was an all-round, high-class irritant to Chelsea while Chris Brunt thundered in a marvellous third for Tony Pulis’s free-flowing West Brom. Chelsea’s hopes dropped and their embarrassment rose at 1-0 down when Cesc Fabregas had a moment of madness, kicking the ball at Brunt’s head and being dismissed for violent conduct. Mourinho complained about the imminent three-game ban but really he should have saved his breath and ire for his errant player.

The Chelsea flaw show really erupted on the half-hour. Diego Costa began the handbags convention, pushing his marker who was being constantly hailed by the Albion fans with the chant of “Gareth McAuley is better than JT”. As Mike Jones was cautioning Costa, the usual arguments broke out, particularly Joleon Lescott and Branislav Ivanovic.

The ball had fallen away to the right and Fabregas decided to contribute to the discourse from afar. Nobody expected the Spanish intervention. With one touch Fabregas knocked the ball five yards forward, and with his next, Fabregas thumped it towards the debating society that had gathered around Jones.

Chelsea rather coyly explained via Twitter that “Fabregas was sent off for kicking the ball in the direction of a group of players, and it hit an Albion player”.

Everyone turned to see who had delivered this mad missile. Fabregas’s mask was never going to hide the identity of the offender. Darren Fletcher got there first, risking censure himself by aggressively pushing Fabregas. John Terry was furious about Fletcher’s response. Jones was focused solely on Fabregas, and brandished the inevitable red card.

This was Fabregas’s first dismissal since Jan 21, 2006, during Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Everton. He knocked Tim Cahill over and missed Arsenal’s next game – against Mourinho’s Chelsea. As Fabregas made his way past the technical area towards the tunnel at the Hawthorns, Mourinho ignored him. Fabregas was fortunate that the ball hit Brunt. Its next stop would have been Jones, which would have brought a far longer ban.

Long-running records occupied Chelsea’s thoughts. Their fans’ second-half “We’ve won the league” chant lasted more than half-an-hour, challenging some of their choral endurance efforts, notably the “Chelsea” sung to the tune of “Amazing Grace” at Elland Road in April 1998.

If Terry completes 90 minutes against Sunderland next Sunday, he will become the first outfield player since Gary Pallister in 1992-93 to finish as a champion having played every minute of the season. Frank Lampard was eight minutes short in 2004-05, having been withdrawn early by Mourinho at the Hawthorns. Back during their first title, won by Ted Drake’s side in 1954-55, Derek Saunders and Eric Parsons played all 42 games.

Terry led Chelsea out here as Brunt, Berahino, Fletcher and company formed a guard of honour before setting about the champions of England. Berahino struck after eight minutes. Lescott delivered the ball in from the left for the unmarked Berahino, who was lurking on the edge of the area. As Gary Cahill vainfully tried to close him down, Berahino unleashed his shot, the ball flying between Thibaut Courtois and the keeper’s left-hand upright.

Ending a 10-game drought, Berahino’s 13th Premier League goal of the season meant he has now scored more in the Premier League than the England captain, Wayne Rooney, and there was another to come. Of the contenders for Roy Hodgson’s squad to be announced on Thursday, only Charlie Austin (17) and Harry Kane (20) have scored more. Berahino, though, looks destined for the under-21s party announced by Gareth Southgate at 10.30am on Wednesday.

Fabregas then departed. Chelsea tried to rally. Costa was booed, and soon fouled by Jonas Olsson, presenting Filipe Luis with a free-kick opportunity but Boaz Myhill saved. Although Costa was now in full feisty mood, Albion were in charge, and playing with freedom and invention.

Lescott turned into Franz Beckenbauer briefly, embarking on a run upfield. Claudio Yacob put in an elegant flick. Brunt brought a good low save from Courtois.

Albion struck again two minutes into the second half. When Brunt played the ball through, Berahino turned sharply and was through on goal. Showing a rare lack of composure and timing this season, Terry dived in and brought Berahino down. He could have followed Fabregas but for Cahill covering. Berahino drove his penalty past Courtois.

There is constant talk about the 21-year-old’s future and this was another reminder of Berahino’s quality, and why he will be coveted by others. From Albion’s perspective, it is vital to keep Berahino as he suits Pulis’s tactics so well, playing the front-runner role tirelessly.

Albion fans were loving it, chanting towards the Chelsea faithful: “Champions of England? You’re having a laugh!” The visiting supporters immediately hit back with: “Champions of England – you’ll never sing that!” (Apart from 1920).

Watching their team disintegrate, Chelsea fans contented themselves with chanting “We’ve won the league”. Loïc Rémy hit a post but it was West Brom scoring next on the hour. When Brunt cut in from the right, Chelsea’s defence was again sluggish, allowing him to drill his left-footed shot past Courtois.

Berahino was substituted to great acclaim with 11 minutes remaining, being replaced by Brown Ideye, and passing the incoming Chelsea substitute Izzy Brown. There is still some anger at the Hawthorns over how the home-grown Brown left them for only £1 million.

“Izzy played against Wigan when he was 16 for us, and we lost him the following year,’’ said the chairman Jeremy Peace earlier this season. “He just didn’t come back for pre-season. It’s the carrot dangled in front of the parents. It will be interesting to see who ends up furthest [Berahino or Brown].”

Brown was greeted with chants of “One greedy b------” and “Izzy – what’s the score?” Albion do receive additional cash for each block of five appearances that Brown makes for Chelsea. He led the line briefly but it was soon all over, bar the Mourinho pointing.



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


Mail:

West Brom 3-0 Chelsea: Saido Berahino scores deadly double and Cesc Fabregas sees red for moment of madness as Blues lose

By Neil Ashton for the Daily Mail


Jose Mourinho has watched the champions hit most of their targets this season. Most goals, most wins, pretty much most of everything.

Here at The Hawthorns, on a barmy night for the game, Cesc Fabregas hit the bullseye when he inexplicably let fly with a ball that smacked Chris Brunt on the side of the head from the best part of 20 yards. Two questions remain unanswered: how, and why?

It was struck with such piercing accuracy that it belonged to a coaching academy, a masterclass in target practice as the West Brom midfielder’s bonce shuddered with the shock.

‘Three game ban for this?’ Mourinho inquired. ‘Jesus Christ.’ The tremors could be felt all over the world after the Barclays Premier League champions were so soundly beaten. Fabregas brought back memories of the day when a youth team player at West Ham’s Chadwell Heath training ground was caught on camera hitting Harry Redknapp on the head as part of a dare.

The almighty thwack here, along with the inevitable red card from referee Mike Jones, did nothing to take the gloss off this extraordinary win for Tony Pulis and his rampant West Bromwich team.

By the end West Brom’s players were patting the champions on the head, ruffling their hair as they took the clippers to Mourinho’s team. They were razor sharp here. This victory is one to cherish for Pulis, looking on from his technical area with quiet satisfaction as two goals from Saido Berahino and a beauty from Brunt humbled the champions.

By then West Brom were already ahead, sitting on the eighth minute lead given to them by Berahinho when he received the ball on the edge of the area from Joleon Lescott.

With a twist of his shoulder he took Chelsea defender Gary Cahill out of the game and with barely any backlift he beat the outstretched left arm of Thibaut Courtois.

Berahino ran for the TV cameras, kissing the lens after planting a smacker beyond the Belgian No 1.

His game was full of passion, with the raucous West Brom supporters in the Smethwick End showering him with love as he celebrated in front of them.

The place went bonkers, with West Brom’s brilliant support serenading their heroes with cries of ‘Ole’ every time they touched the ball towards the end of the first half. It was compelling.

So too was the incident leading up to the dismissal of Fabregas because this had been building from the moment West Brom captain Darren Fletcher left a bit on Diego Costa.

The Chelsea forward had begged Mourinho to play, pulling on his No19 shirt for the first time since April 4. Self-discipline is not his strong point.

He was spoiling for a fight as usual, giving it large to Gareth McAuley, among others, when he threatened to invade the centre forward’s personal space. Here he was a waste of space, replaced by the former West Brom academy graduate Izzy Brown in the second half. Chill out, man.

After that it was all about West Brom, with their potent, vibrant football lifting them into 13th place in the Premier League after this stirring win. McAuley, Lescott, Fletcher and Berahino were magnificent here.

There was a sense that the second goal was coming, with that feeling lingering in the air as West Brom launched wave upon wave of attack towards the end of the first.

They were made to wait, but not for long, because Chelsea captain John Terry gave away a penalty a minute into the second half when he brought down Berahinho.

The West Brom striker scored from spot, beating Courtois with a low drive to the keeper’s right. Pulis’ team had snapped and snarled, denying Fabregas, Hazard and Loic Remy room to operate with their usual freedom. West Brom did a number on those three little tricksters.

‘Darren Fletcher, he’s won more than you’ rang out around this stadium, a tribute to a player who has captained this team with distinction since his move from Manchester United.

Hazard toiled out on the left, lacking his customary zest after a season that he will remember for winning the PFA player of the year award and the FWA Footballer of the Year.

He had a decent chance when he exchanged passes with Costa in the first half, but somehow he managed to lift his effort over Boaz Myhill’s crossbar.

This was all about West Brom, though, and they added a third in the 60th minute with a clever set-piece move out on the right that was finished with a low drive from the boot of Brunt.

It finished the night off handsomely for Pulis, turning to Mourinho on the side of pitch to tell him that the champions have been head and shoulders above anyone else.

For the champions, this was nothing more than a slap round the face.



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


Mirror:

West Brom 3-0 Chelsea: Cesc Fabregas sees red as champions slump to defeat at the Hawthorns

By John Cross


Cesc Fabregas was sent off as Chelsea’s end-of-season tour went horribly wrong at The Hawthorns.

West Brom’s two goal hero Saido Berahino piled on the embarrassment for ten-man Chelsea as the champions looked as if they have packed up for the summer already.

And Fabregas will also get an extended summer break because his red card means he will get a three match ban which means he misses the start of next season.

Fabregas got his marching orders in the 29th minute after bizarrely kicking the ball and hitting West Brom midfielder Chris Brunt on the side of the head.

But Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho refused to blame Fabregas or his players - and instead claimed their title rivals were to blame for their defeat.

Mourinho said: “A three game ban for this? Jesus Christ. Of course it’s harsh. I would like to see it again. What is it a sending off for? Was it aggressive? Darren Fletcher pushed Fabregas and was more aggressive.

“The ideal scenario was to be champions, go on holiday and not play again. Look at Bayern Munich they have lost their games since winning the title. We have taken one point from our last two games.

“Let’s blame the players a little bit, myself a little bit, but also the other contenders for not being good enough to challenge us until the end. If we had still needed to win that game, would we have got the result? We won’t know.”

It doesn’t help when Chelsea striker Diego Costa - back after a six week injury absence - looks as if he could start a fight in an empty room.

Typically it was Costa who started the melee which led to Fabregas’s red card. Costa was booked after a ding-dong with Albion defenders Gareth McAuley and Craig Dawson.

But as the players swarmed around the referee in the penalty box, Fabregas kicked the ball towards the group, hit Brunt on the side of the face and got himself sent off.

It was a moment of madness in a bizarre game which saw Berahino fire West Brom ahead with a glorious ninth minute opener as Chelsea suffered only their third defeat of the season.

Chelsea were already down to ten men when they conceded a second from a penalty a minute after the restart. John Terry upended Berahino in the box and the West Brom striker fired in the spot kick. Few strikers have given Terry such a hard game this season.

Brunt then completed the victory with a stunning 20 yard pile driver on the hour mark which beat Courtois.


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


Express:


West Brom 3 Chelsea 0: Baggies stun champions with Berahino at the double

CESC FABREGAS was sent off in bizarre circumstances as champions Chelsea were brought crashing down to earth by West Brom.

By Brendan McLoughlin

Saido Berahino netted twice to take his tally to 20 for the campaign with Chris Brunt adding a third, as Jose Mourinho’s team slumped to a first Premier League defeat since New Year’s Day.

Yet it was the extraordinary 29th-minute red card of Fabregas for which the contest will be ultimately remembered.

With play stopped, the Spain international, some 20 yards away, mindlessly kicked the ball into a crowd of players – still tussling after Diego Costa and Gareth McAuley had clashed – and struck Brunt on the head.

Altogether it was very much a night to forget for the Blues, with the second half played out to a chorus of “We’ve won the league” from their supporters.

Callum McManaman fired an early warning to Chelsea within five minutes, getting the better of Filipe Luis before flashing a shot goalwards from an acute angle, which Thibaut Courtois did well to divert away for a corner with his knees.

The Belgium international had no answer to Berahino’s brilliance four minutes later, however, as the Baggies forward ended a nine-match goal drought.

He controlled Joleon Lescott’s sideways pass 20 yards out and whipped a wonderful, arcing shot inside the right upright.

But after Chelsea’s Eden Hazard had a shot diverted for a corner came the controversy.

Costa was cautioned after he clashied with McAuley off the ball. Fabregas then booted the ball and hit Brunt and, after receiving a furious shove from Albion skipper Darren Fletcher, he received his marching orders from referee Mike Jones.

Chelsea, though, almost levelled when Luis forced a fine save from Boaz Myhill with a well-executed free-kick.

Within two minutes of the restart, Albion were celebrating again. Once again, Berahino was the thorn in Chelsea’s side, turning sharply to outfox Gary Cahill before being sent tumbling inside the penalty area after being clearly caught by John Terry.

Chelsea’s captain, having been the last man, could count himself somewhat fortunate to escape without sanction. Berahino dusted himself down before lashing his penalty into the right corner. Courtois guessed correctly but the shot just had too much venom.

The 57th minute provided further evidence it was not Chelsea’s night as Loic Remy, having side-stepped Claudio Yacob, cracked a shot against the inside of the left post before the ball was scrambled to safety.

It went from bad to worse for Chelsea on the hour mark.

A quickly taken short corner between Brunt and substitute Craig Gardner handed the Northern Ireland international a sight of goal and his driven shot squirmed underneath Courtois to beat the keeper at his near post.

West Brom (4-5-1): Myhill; Dawson, McAuley, Olsson, Lescott; Brunt, Fletcher, Yacob, Morrison (Baird 89), McManaman (Gardner 54); Berahino (Ideye 79). Booked: Fletcher, Olsson, Gardner.  Goals: Berahino 9, 47 pen, Brunt 60. NEXT UP: Arsenal (a), Sun PL.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Filipe Luis; Loftus-Cheek (Ake 73), Matic; Remy (Brown 79), Fabregas, Hazard; Costa (Cuadrado 64). Booked: Costa, Cuadrado. Sent off: Fabregas 29. NEXT UP: Sunderland (h), PL.

Referee: M Jones (Cheshire).


===========

Star:


West Brom 3 Chelsea 0: Berahino double helps Baggies embarrass Blues as Fabregas sees red

SAIDO BERAHINO scored twice as champions Chelsea slumped to only their third league defeat of the season.


By Dave Armitage


But Chelsea were also hit by Cesc Fabregas bizarre sending off as their 16-match unbeaten run, stretching back to New Year's Day came to an abrupt halt at The Hawthorns.

Berahino double strike and one from Chris Brunt capped off a miserable last away day for Jose Mourinho's table-toppers.

Mourinho pointed one finger aloft in front of the travelling fans at the end so this was only a minor irritation.

His side had come out to be saluted with a West Brom guard of honour but that was about as respectful as Albion got as they ripped into the visitors right from the off.

Fabregas' hopes of setting a new Premier League assists record were blown out of the water when he was sent off after 30 minutes for launching a ball at a melee of players and hitting Brunt smack on the head.

His act of stupidity means he misses the chance to take his total of 18 past Thierry Henry's best-ever mark on 20 into the bargain.

Berahino set the ball rolling with a stunning first half goal and a penalty just a minute into the second half.

Brunt blasted home a third on the hour as the ten-man champions struggled to cope.

Anyone who thought it would be a rather tame end of season affair was in for a shock. It was action from the word go and not all of it to suit the purists.

Mourinho resisted the temptation to field a few of his kids and it's probably just as well, as tempers flared in an incident-packed first half hour.

Both teams were at it from the word go and in the ninth minute Berahino rocked the champs with a goal of stunning quality.

The young striker latched onto a short ball from Joleon Lescott, got it into his stride and unleashed an unstoppable 20-yarder into the far corner of the net.

Courtois launched every last inch of his giant frame through the air but couldn't get near the ball as it flew into the far corner of his net.

Then the fun and games really started, finishing with Fabregas' mindless red card.

It started with a dust-up which left everyone wondering where to look next, even referee Mike Jones, who briefly looked like he was losing control.

Diego Costa had already barged Gareth McAuley to the floor before trying to manhandle him again which led to the two squaring up

The referee had to intervene, but as he was sorting it out with a yellow card to the Chelsea man, Fabregas bizarrely kicked the ball into the group from a good 20 yards away.

His ability to pick out a man is legendary but this time he struck Brunt on the head and Mr Jones decided enough was enough and Fabregas was off..

The second half carried on just where the first had finished, Berahino grabbing a second from the spot within a minute of the re-start.

John Terry had sent the fleet-footed striker tumbling with a challenge that was a split-second too late and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Remy so nearly got one back for the visitors but his shot bounced out off the post just before Brunt capped it off with a third minutes later.

WEST BROMWICH (4-5-1): Myhill; Dawson, McAuley, Olsson, Lescott; Yacob, Morrison (Baird 89), Fletcher, McManaman(Gardner 54), Brunt; Berahino (Ideye 79). Subs not used: Rose, Wisdom, Anichebe, Mulumbu.

CHELSEA(4-4-2): Courtois; Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Luis; Matic, Loftus-Cheek (Ake 73), Fabregas, Hazard; Costa(Cuadrado 64), Remy (Brown 79). Subs not used: Blackman, Mikel, Azpilicueta, Chistensen.

REFEREE: Mike Jones.