Norwich City 1-0

Guardian:

Chelsea's Juan Mata makes winning difference against Norwich City
Richard Rae at Carrow Road

There may have been only one goal in it instead of eight, but in many respects this was a win which should please and encourage Chelsea supporters almost as much as the drubbing of a callow Aston Villa side a few days earlier. For the interim manager Rafael Benítez, the manner in which his players comfortably contained Chris Hughton's determined, organised Norwich side, while always carrying the greater threat going forward, was a continued demonstration of their all-round improvement in recent matches.
"It is important to see the team working hard and defending well," said Benítez, after watching the outstanding Juan Mata win the game with a 20-yard shot seven minutes before half-time. "Against Villa we were playing very offensive football, today we could manage and could control against a good team. They were quite dangerous on the counter-attack, but we were doing our job as a team."
That that team did not include Frank Lampard, left out for Mikel John Obi, will probably be seized on by those who believe the England midfielder may leave Stamford Bridge next month. On the other hand Lampard came on for the final 15 minutes or so, and while Benítez declined to be drawn on the midfielder's immediate future, or indeed that of Ashley Cole – like Lampard out of contract at the end of the season – he did point out that Mikel, along with the impressive Victor Moses, will be heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations before long.
"From my position [Lampard's situation] is very easy – it is a private conversation between Frank and the club," said Benítez. "That's it. He is a player who is under contract, he is a good player and I will try to bring the best from him. That is my position."
He was more forthcoming when it came to Mata, whose goal was his 13th in the Premier League and 15th of a wonderfully productive season. The former Valencia midfielder, said Benítez, is one of those players who can "make a difference".
"Mata is a player who is very dangerous getting into the box and also outside the box, he is clever and has clever movements. He can play deeper, can go to the right into spaces, and that is hard for the midfielders and the defenders to manage."
Hard though Norwich worked to contain Mata, it was disingenuous of Hughton to maintain they had done so successfully for the most part. Playing behind Fernando Torres, Mata saw an awful lot of the ball and was influential throughout, working particularly well in tandem with David Luiz, once again pushed forward into midfield.
While not as effective as he had been against Villa, the Brazilian revelled in the freedom afforded him. As is sometimes the case, the discipline that saw David Luiz maintain station in a holding role alongside Mikel in the first half began to slip as the second half went on, however, and his shooting was woeful. But there were times when his passing threatened to peel the Norwich defence apart.
As importantly, the Chelsea defence looks infinitely more solid without him in it. Grant Holt got little change out of Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill, and the nearest Norwich came to pinching an equaliser came very late, when Sébastien Bassong's header bounced over the bar and on to the roof of the Chelsea net.
Hughton was disappointed Mata had been allowed to get his shot away, but acknowledged the quality of the goal. "You had to admire it, and that's why clubs like Chelsea pay the amounts they do for the offensive players they have – if there's any difference [in Chelsea] to last season, it's the quality of those players – they're a real quality outfit," said the City manager, whose side have now lost their last two games after a run of 10 without defeat. "We made those two games real tight, and possibly could have got something out of both, so we still have a bit of momentum."
While Lampard is entitled to open talks with clubs abroad in January, and may well do so, it is almost certain he will not be going anywhere until the end of the season. The Norwich fans gave him some ritual abuse while he warmed up on the touchline, followed up with a chant of "sign him up".
Asked if he could continue to improve his team, Benítez insisted he could. "It's a question of keep coaching, keep training – the commitment of the players is there, after the game I was talking with one or two senior players and the attitude was really positive – if they want to improve things, that is the way to move forward."
And by buying? The Spaniard smiled. "There are a lot of ways to improve the team."


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Independent:
David Luiz carries off Frank Lampard impression with aplom

Norwich City 0 Chelsea 1
By AIDAN SEMMENS

The conversion of David Luiz from an error-prone central defender to a free-running midfielder capable of causing, and preying on, others’ errors may prove as valuable a part of Rafael Benitez’s achievement for Chelsea as the much-vaunted restoration of Fernando Torres’s powers as a striker.
It may also be a crucial factor in a change less to the taste of Chelsea’s fans, namely the ending of Frank Lampard’s days in their colours.
Torres, perhaps cowed by suggestions of David Villa’s possible arrival as competition for his place, was so ineffective at Norwich yesterday that one had to check the team sheet at half-time to confirm that he was indeed on it. His strike partner and fellow Spaniard Juan Mata, meanwhile, scored a splendid winning goal, while Luiz, doing much vital ball-winning in advanced areas, ran the show – though his shooting needs a lot of work before it comes near the Lampard class.
Interim manager Benitez is not ready to write off Lampard just yet, despite the midfielder seeming to be on his way in the January transfer window. “He’s under contract, he’s a good player; his future is a matter between him and the club. I will use him [and Ashley Cole, whose contract is also up in the summer] as I see fit as long as they are available,” Benitez said. “It’s important to have different players, different types of player, to give us different options.”
If one of those options proves to be a move to bring in Villa from Barcelona, then Benitez is not letting on. “We don’t talk about these things,” he said. “It’s important for any team to do these things in private.” Asked whether he was confident of improving the Chelsea team, he replied: “Yes. There are a lot of ways to improve a team [other than signing new players].”
Chelsea emerged to chants from their followers of “Super Frankie Lampard” – the 34-year-old, reduced to bench duty, did not appear in person until the 73rd minute – and it was not long before they were regaled with a lengthy chorus of “There’s only one Di Matteo” in reference to their former manager. Benitez has more to do yet to win the fans’ favour even after the eight-goal show against Aston Villa that preceded this more down-to-earth victory – one that seldom looked in doubt, though as Benitez said, “at 1-0 a quick counter-attack can always make a difference”.
The Spaniard added: “We were working hard. We have another clean sheet and we showed we could manage, we could control, against a good team. We’re in a good position but we can improve.”
Though the Londoners showed plenty of endeavour, mostly in the cause of closing down any Norwich player in possession or potential possession, it was 19 minutes before they produced a real shot, and that attempt from Luiz went closer to clearing the stadium roof than troubling Mark Bunn in the City goal. It was Luiz, however, given free rein by Benitez to venture forward at will – into Lampard’s place, you might say – who created the first clear chance in the 30th minute, robbing Wes Hoolahan to set up Mata, who found the side-netting from close range. But an increase in pressure by Benitez’s side was rewarded in the 38th minute with a finish of high class from Mata, whose shot from the edge of the penalty arc left Bunn flailing at fresh air as it lodged in the far corner of his net.
The strike impressed the Norwich City manager, Chris Hughton, who said: “That’s why clubs like Chelsea pay the amounts of money they do for offensive players. It was probably the one moment of real quality in the game.”
It was hard, after it, to see Norwich gaining anything from a game in which they had worked hard but been able to create little, and their loss might have been heavier but for Bunn, who made good second-half saves from Victor Moses – who also shot just wide after bringing down a cross superbly on his chest – and from Mata’s attempt to deceive him with a quickly-taken free-kick.
“If the team’s playing well, a clever player like Mata can make the difference,” Benitez said. Quite.


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Telegraph:

Norwich City 0 Chelsea 1
by Oliver Brown

Chelsea replaced elan with cold-eyed efficiency as they suppressed Norwich City in the latest chapter of the their resurgence under Rafael Benítez.
There was precious little of the flamboyance with which they had dismembered Aston Villa just three days earlier, but plenty of the manager’s customary emphasis on discipline as Juan Mata’s superb first-half goal ensured they cemented their grip on third place in the Premier League.
The rancour that characterised the first days of Benítez’s tenure appeared long forgotten as Chelsea secured a third straight league win to carry them within four points of Manchester City in second.
Mata’s wonderful strike illuminated a game often bereft of attacking flair, while Norwich discovered that the heady performances of recent weeks at last caught up with them. They did not force Petr Cech into a noteworthy save all match.
Chelsea’s players seemed a more organised collective than at any point this season, while even their fans sounded subdued, chanting 'Super Frank’ in honour of substitute Frank Lampard from first whistle to last.
Lampard, finally called into action in the 73rd minute after a knee injury to John Obi Mikel, could leave Stamford Bridge as early as next month as the club give him permission to talk to other suitors.
The likelihood is that Lampard will wait until next summer to join the Los Angeles Galaxy, understood to be his preferred destination, although Benítez refused to be drawn last night into any discussion about the
midfielder’s contract. “It’s very easy,” he said. “It’s a private conversation between Frank and the club, and that’s it. He’s a player who is under contract, he’s a good player, and I will try to bring the best from him. That is my position.”
Benítez instead wished to concentrate on the manner of this valuable victory, every bit as satisfying to this connoisseur of the defensive arts as the 8-0 filleting of Villa.
“It’s important to see the team working hard and working well,” he said. “We could manage, we could control, we had another clean sheet – and all of this against a good team. We are defending but we are creating, too.”
Those mutinous renegades among the Chelsea fanbase, who would throw abuse at Benítez at every opportunity, now seem strangely quiescent.
The Spaniard, with the exception of defeat in the Club World Cup revival, has engineered a rapid revival that even prompted supporters to sing nostalgically yesterday about their status as European champions.
With Fernando Torres’ influence limited, no player was more central to Chelsea’s work against Norwich than Mata. The striker experienced a brief dip in form in the dying embers of Roberto di Matteo’s reign but here he was a player transformed, propelling the side’s forward thrust and fashioning an exquisite finish to confirm his standing as one of the league’s most luminous performers.
“He has clever movement,” Benítez said. “He can play high, he can play deeper, he can go into the right spaces. He always makes it difficult for the defenders or the midfielders.”
Mata’s flourish was a long time coming. After an attritional first half-an-hour, David Luiz, weaving his creative influence from the back of midfield, finally enabled Chelsea to gain some semblance of rhythm.
Piercing the Norwich defence with a typically instinctive pass, he set Mata free for a clear sight of goal, but the 24 year-old struggled to plant his feet correctly and succeeded only in scuffing his shot into the side-netting.
Luiz again played his part in setting up John Obi Mikel, whose fearsome drive was beautifully struck but always flying fractionally over the bar.
The breakthrough, when it arrived, was worth the wait. Mata, picked out neatly by Oscar, found space in an area thronged with yellow jerseys and with a minimum of backlift fired the ball comfortably beyond Mark Bunn for a stunning goal.
Only Benítez looked unmoved. From the technical area there came not a flicker of reaction. While Bunn might have been slow to react, no goalkeeper in the league stood a chance in the face of Mata’s cultured left boot. In any case, he excelled himself early in the second half, scrambling away Victor Moses’ effort with his body after the striker met Oscar’s corner with a glancing header.
Norwich were restricted to the most fleeting counterattacks. Grant Holt had the best of the chances, running clear of César Azpilicueta before dragging his finish wide of the far post from an offside position.
Elsewhere, Robert Snodgrass merely embarrassed himself by going to ground without a hint of contact from Branislav Ivanovic. When Bradley Johnson then tried the same trick under pressure from Luiz, referee Jon Moss did not hesitate in booking him.
Manager Chris Hughton, digesting back-to-defeats and a rare toothless showing by his players, still could not find fault with Norwich’s total of 25 points at the halfway stage. “I think if you had offered that to me at the start of the season then yes, I certainly would have taken it,” he said.
Norwich, with their weaknesses up front, could yet endure a struggle for Premier League survival. But for Chelsea, now 11 points behind the leaders Manchester United with a game in hand, the trajectory continues ever upwards.

Window shopping
NORWICH CITY
The club’s recent run, including home wins over Arsenal and Manchester United, has only served to mask deeper deficiencies. They are desperate for another striker to avoid an over-reliance upon Grant Holt and Wes Hoolahan.
CHELSEA
Rafael Benítez smiled enigmatically when asked if there was any truth to rumours that David Villa would be joining from Barcelona next month. He confirmed only that the club were seeking to strengthen - and on the evidence of another anonymous display by Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao cannot arrive soon enough.

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Times:

Norwich 0 Chelsea 1: Juan Mata proves difference yet again
By Gary Jacob

It was a controlled, rather than captivating, performance from Chelsea, but when two of your rivals have been overrun and humiliated at Carrow Road this season, victory was all that mattered.
 There was none of the effervescent attacking of Sunday’s 8-0 win over Aston Villa, but credit Chelsea for not giving Norwich City any sort of sniff until a scare in stoppage time and for hitting a most exquisite strike that illuminated a quite dreary afternoon.
 Once again it was Juan Mata who made the difference. The Spaniard seemed to be wriggling and drifting away from goal when, with no backlift, he unleashed a left-footed shot back across Mark Bunn, the Norwich goalkeeper, and into the top corner shortly before the interval.
 Mata has been Chelsea’s most consistent attacking performer this season, save for a small dip towards the end of Roberto Di Matteo’s tenure, with a haul of six goals in his past eight games and a tally of 13 for the season. No wonder Rafael Benítez, the interim manager, suggested that he was up there with the best in the top flight.
 “Mata is one of the best for sure — but it depends on the team — and he can be better,” Benítez said. “He is very dangerous getting in the box, has mobility and clever movements and can make a difference. He can play deeper and go to the right into spaces and that is hard for midfielders and defenders to manage.”
 Mata had missed a far simpler chance from six yards out when he toe-poked to ripple the side-netting after being fed through by David Luiz, who impressed in his midfield role.
 His long hair drenched from the pouring rain, the Brazilian looked like a shaggy dog as he chased around the pitch, breaking up and starting play, and he denied Norwich the energetic tempo and surges that they had enjoyed in home victories over Arsenal and Manchester United this season. Gary Cahill excellently marshalled Grant Holt, who had bullied defenders in those games.
 Norwich, usually so good at using their wingers, were stifled until the final moments when Ashley Cole was forced to clear a free kick hurriedly in front of his goal and from the resulting corner Sébastien Bassong headed down and on to the roof of the net when he was unmarked.
 Chelsea’s hard work was very nearly wasted, but a third consecutive league win lifted them to within four points of Manchester City, in second place in the Barclays Premier League, and a further seven points to United, with a game in hand.
 “The message is very clear: if we can improve and keep winning games, we will have our chance, but if United keep winning, you can do nothing,” Benítez said.
 The Spaniard seemed almost happier with grinding out this win than the eight goals Chelsea scored on Sunday, because it showed his team’s command. “We played very offensive against Villa, today we could manage and could control a quite dangerous team on the counter-attack,” he said.
 Victor Moses steered just wide from Oscar’s corner after the restart and he should have wrapped up the game when he drilled wide midway through the second half. Mata glanced a header wide and Eden Hazard, who after going on as a substitute pulled his shirtsleeves over his hands to protect himself from the cold, forced Bunn to smother at the death.
 The travelling supporters had been singing the name of Frank Lampard for the majority of the game and Benítez introduced the 34-year-old midfielder with 17 minutes remaining. Reports have suggested that Lampard, whose contract expires in the summer, has been told to find another club during the transfer window next month, but Benítez would not confirm them.
 “From my position it is very easy, it [talks about Lampard’s future] is a private conversation between Frank and the club and that is it,” Benítez said. “He is a good player and I would like to bring the best from him, that is my position.”
 Chris Hughton, the Norwich manager, said: “If you had offered me our points total at the start of the season I would certainly have taken it.”

 Norwich City (4-4-1-1): M Bunn — R Martin, M Turner, S Bassong, J Garrido — R Snodgrass, A Tettey, B Johnson (sub: J Howson, 82min), A Pilkington (sub: S Morison, 79) — W Hoolahan (sub: E Bennett, 88) — G Holt. Substitutes not used: D Rudd, S Jackson, L Barnett, R Bennett. Booked: Johnson.
 Chelsea (4-2-3-1): P Cech — C Azpilicueta, G Cahill, B Ivanovic, A Cole — David Luiz, J O Mikel (sub: F Lampard, 74) — V Moses (sub: E Hazard, 79), J Mata (sub: N Ake, 90), Oscar — F Torres. Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, P Ferreira, M Marin, L Piazón. Booked: Hazard.
 Referee: J Moss. Attendance: 26,831.


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Mail:

Norwich 0 Chelsea 1: Mata strike sees off Canaries for third straight win
By Matt Barlow

As Chelsea feasted upon pre-Christmas goals against Aston Villa on Sunday, Juan Mata was strangely absent from a long list of scorers. How typically sensible that he seemed to have saved it for a day when it really counted.
Seven minutes before half-time, Mata collected a pass from the left, created himself a tiny pocket of space and lashed a shot inside the post. It was Chelsea’s 27th of the month but this time it was a story of quality not quantity.
After eight against Villa, one would do in Norwich and it happened to be scored by arguably the best player in the Barclays Premier League this season. Norwich  manager Chris Hughton called him ‘outstanding’ and ‘exceptional’ and it is hard to disagree.
When managers ramble on about those mercurial creators who operate ‘between the lines’ they should simply point to Mata. He is a thinker. He reads the game, he finds the space and, most importantly, when he does, he makes it count.
It is football intelligence combined with natural gifts. ‘He is clever and he has clever movement,’ said Rafa Benitez. ‘He can play high or deeper. He goes to the right spaces and always makes it difficult for the defenders. He has mobility.
‘The Premier League has a lot of good players and Mata is one of the best. Even without the ball he’s working hard but when we’re in possession he’s making the difference. It depends on the rest of the team. He can be even better.’
Since failing to win in his first three games, significant improvements under Benitez are clear. Chelsea have won three on the bounce, conceding once and lurk 11 points from the summit with a game in hand.
He may be only an ‘interim manager’ but at Norwich, he became the first Chelsea boss since Luiz Felipe Scolari in 2008 to win on Boxing Day. It did not start especially well. The visitors were slow into their rhythm but once they took a grip, they squeezed the life from a team who have beaten Manchester United and Arsenal this season. It would have tasted even sweeter had United not summoned a late  winner against Newcastle.
‘We can’t have an influence on other results,’ said Benitez. ‘We cannot be frustrated and thinking too much. The message is very clear, if we can improve and keep winning, we will have our chances.
‘The team is growing and progressing, managing different type of games and still getting results. For me, that’s important. We’re not just a team that can play football, as we showed against Villa. We are a team that can defend and work hard in difficult conditions with the rain and a quick pitch.’
There is lots of encouragement for Benitez and, although he refused to comment on the transfer market, he dodged questions with the confident smile of a manager who knows his squad is about to be strengthened.
Mata has been incredible but there have been unexpected positives since he took over, including Victor Moses, who rarely featured under Roberto Di Matteo but has started seven of the last eight games, making key contributions, as he did ahead of Mata’s goal.
Moses tracked back deep into his own half to win possession and, moments later, made a bullish charge down the left. Norwich cleared his cross but were unable to relieve the pressure before Mata punished them with his wonderful left-foot finish.
Moses is muscular and industrious. It is easy to see why Benitez often prefers his raw talents to the craft of Eden Hazard and Oscar.
If there is something to criticise, it is his finishing. Three chances fell to Moses in the second half. The first two were saved by Mark Bunn but the third, 21 minutes from time, was the best. Moses controlled a fine cross from right back Cesar Azpilicueta, swivelled towards goal and dragged a half-volley wide of the target when he could have killed the game.
Ultimately, it was irrelevant. This has been a quiet Christmas for goalkeeper Petr Cech. Barely troubled by Villa, he was not tested by Norwich and superbly protected by his central defenders.
Ashley Cole came as close as anyone to worrying Cech when he fired a clearance within a foot of his own goal. From the corner which followed, Sebastien Bassong arrived unmarked but headed the ball down into the ground and it sprang over.
That was it for Hughton’s team. Grant Holt was back after a  hamstring injury but Branislav Ivanovic and, in particular, Gary Cahill nullified his return.
‘I thought we did well to restrict them and we broke well,’ said Hughton. His team have lost the last two after 10 unbeaten in the league. ‘We have good momentum and we know what we need to do,’ he added. ‘If anyone had offered me our position at the start of the  season, I would have taken it.’


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Mirror:

Norwich City 0-1 Chelsea
Boxing Day Blues: Canaries grounded as Rafa's Chelsea close the gap on City
by Martin Lipton

Whisper it quietly, whisper it softly, but whisper it emphatically.
No longer also-rans, even if Manchester United keep on winning games at the death.
But far more like genuine contenders. And playing with the focus of a team that, irrespective of what the fans feel, trust their manager.
They didn’t score eight this time. Just one, although a goal of genuine quality, enough to leave the Canaries choking on their sawdust.
Juan Mata’s sixth goal in the last eight games was, arguably, the best of the lot, the Spaniard taking a touch away from Bradley Johnson before arrowing the ball into the bottom corner of Mark Bunn’s goal from 20 yards.
Not enough, due to late events at Old Trafford, to reduce the gap between themselves and the leaders below double figures.
But enough to keep the momentum going, a third straight Premier League win to turn the formerly distant Blue machine into a shadow breathing down Manchester City’s neck.
Still a gap. But one that can be bridged with half a season to go, especially while United continue to creak.
Even more crucially for Rafa Benitez is the knowledge that they did it once more without two of the men who have been integral to Chelsea for so long.
Benitez is counting on John Terry and Frank Lampard to play big parts between now and the end of the campaign. Indeed, the idea that the veteran midfielder will be allowed to go next month is decidedly unlikely.
But, unlike during the slump that cost Roberto Di Matteo his job and parachuted Benitez into the hottest seat of all, Chelsea have learned to win when those two cornerstones are not starters, Lampard coming on when Chelsea had already taken an iron grip.
It was the new vanguard of Chelsea heroes who once more came to the party at Carrow Road.
David Luiz, transformed under Benitez into the midfield orchestrator, set the tempo. A liability no more, it seems.
And, 13 times now this season, including that impressive run for Benitez, Mata with the key moment of quality. A dull encounter scarcely deserved to be illuminated with such a terrific goal as Mata’s perfect left-footer.
While Norwich were all endeavour, they never looked like getting anything out of this one, their efforts foundering on Chelsea’s defensive resolve.
Chelsea also had class in the middle. Luiz, a revelation in his new role, winning the ball at one end, creating at the other – even if his three shots were a combined 35 yards off target.
Seb Bassong’s injury-time header, down into the ground and up on to the roof of Petr Cech’s net, was the nearest Norwich came to scoring – which sums up how toothless they were.
Chelsea, even when playing with the handbrake on – reminiscent of so many performances under Jose Mourinho – were better in most departments.
Benitez will reflect that chances were few and far between, although still of sufficient quality for them to have won by more than they did.
Mata dragged wide from close range, the little Spaniard knowing he should have netted – even if he made up for it soon afterwards.
John Obi Mikel – back from his three-match ban as Lampard returned to the bench – flashed a shot over while Victor Moses had three opportunities in the second half.
The travelling fans imploring a sight of Lampard – again chants about Benitez, for or against, were absent – got what they wanted late on, the substitute creating a chance for fellow replacement Eden Hazard.
Yet it seemed an afterthought at the end of a game both sides seemed to know was already over.
Just like, whisper this as well, the old Chelsea used to do. And we are only at the half-way point.


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Sun:

JUAN MATA is taking over Frank Lampard’s mantle as the midfielder with the golden boot.
by Shaun Custis

The Spaniard’s goals are inspiring Chelsea to a rejuvenated title challenge.
Mata is Juan heck of a player and the £26million Chelsea splashed out to sign him from Valencia at the start of last season is turning out to be money very well spent.
How Arsenal must rue the day they dithered over whether to buy Mata or not.
He is the heartbeat of this Blues side and his 13th goal of the season provided another vital three points.
The gap between third-placed Chelsea and City in second is now only four points and they have a game in hand.
But for Manchester United’s late show against Newcastle, they would have been closing down on Fergie’s men too.
Still, Chelsea can only do what they can do and right now they are doing it very well.
It was a wonder strike by Mata on 38 minutes as he made space 25 yards out and whipped a gem of a shot into the far corner.
And it gave stand-in Canaries keeper Mark Bunn no chance.
With Lampard, who was dropped to the bench, having been told he will not get a new contract at Stamford Bridge, a lot of goals will be going out of the exit door with him.
But Mata has a deadly eye himself and this was his sixth goal in eight games.
The closest Norwich came to equalising was right at the death.
First, Ashley Cole showed incredible coolness to control a difficult ball in his six-yard box and smash it over his own bar for a corner.
Then, from the set-piece, Sebastien Bassong headed down and over the top.
Chelsea had scored five at Leeds in the Capital One Cup and beaten Villa 8-0 at home last Sunday. So it was perhaps asking a lot for a third successive goal fest.
The visitors were also facing a Norwich side who, until losing to West Brom at the weekend, had gone 10 without defeat and beaten Arsenal and United along the way.
So this one was never going to be a pushover for Rafa Benitez’s side.
However, in pouring rain, they showed again that under Benitez they are learning to tighten it up and dig in when required.
It will not get the supporters chanting Rafa’s name but at least it might stop them booing their Spanish gaffer. Progress, of sorts.
Norwich will be disappointed they did not offer more to warm their fans on a grim Boxing Day afternoon.
But, at the same time, Chelsea deserve credit for restricting their chances to a minimum.
Blues fans again made it clear how much they want Lampard to stay by chanting “Super Frankie Lampard” as he pounded up and down the touchline getting soaked in his tracksuit.
He indulged in some friendly banter with the home fans too who first sang “You’re fat and you’ve got the sack”.
Then they took a chance to offer him an olive branch in East Anglia by singing “Sign him up, sign him up”.
Lamps laughed and gave them the thumbs up.
Chelsea, again with David Luiz in midfield, were always taking the game to their opponents.
Although Luiz sent two shots so high over the bar that they rattled the windows of the executive boxes just below the second tier of the stand.
However, on the other side of the coin, Luiz was also trying to play his team-mates in and when he robbed Wes Hoolahan he fed Mata on the right.
Mata had to take it quickly but put his hands to his face as his close-range shot towards the near post hit the side-netting. Luiz again was the architect from a run which set up John Obi Mikel but the Nigerian’s shot fizzed over.
Then came Mata’s stunner which followed good work by Victor Moses and Oscar before a quite wonderful finish.
Bunn had to be alert to keep out a ball at his near post after Oscar’s corner was touched on by Moses just after half-time.
And, when Norwich did manage to mount an attack, a great sliding clearance by Gary Cahill cut out a dangerous cross from Robert Snodgrass.
Grant Holt managed to get away too but he was marginally offside before shooting wide.
Snodgrass went down in the box without Branislav Ivanovic getting near him.
But, in fairness, the Canaries man was quickly back on his feet and the referee spared him a booking for diving.
As the board went up for added time, the Canaries mounted their last-ditch bid for an equaliser.
Centre-back Bassong had been on target three times in his previous seven games.
But the former Tottenham player got too much force on his downward header and it bounced up and over.

DREAM TEAM RATINGS
STAR MAN — JUAN MATA(Chelsea)
NORWICH: Bunn 6, Martin 7, Turner 6, Bassong 7, Garrido 7, Snodgrass 5, Tettey 7, Johnson 6 (Howson 5), Pilkington 5 (Morison 5), Hoolahan 6 (E Bennett 5), Holt 6. Subs not used: Rudd, Jackson, Barnett, Ryan Bennett. Booked: Johnson.
CHELSEA: Cech 6, Azpilicueta 6, Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Cole 7, Mikel 7 (Lampard 6), Luiz 6, Moses 6 (Hazard 6), Oscar 6, Mata 8 (Ake 5), Torres 6. Subs not used: Turnbull, Ferreira, Marin, Piazon. Booked: Hazard.
REF: J Moss 7

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Express:

MATA FIRES CHELSEA TO VICTORY
The win moves the Blues to within four points of second-placed Manchester City in the Barclays Premier League table but it was only a fantastic effortseven minutes from half-time that separated the two sides.
Mata, who scored his sixth goalin eight games with aplomb, also missed a good opportunity with the scoreline 0-0 while Norwich had decent spells of possession but were too blunted in attack to ever truly test Petr Cech.
Chelsea only had two long-range efforts from David Luiz in the opening 25 minutes and both were fired high and wide by the Brazilian.
The Blues were almost ahead after 30 minutes as Luiz robbed Wes Hoolahan of the ball before picking out Mata, who shot into the side-netting when well placed.
The sustained spell of Chelsea pressure eventually paid off and it was Mata who opened the goalscoring in style. The Spain international cut in from the left before letting fly with an effort from 25 yards that flew past Mark Bunn.
A near-post corner at the start of the second half almost doubled Chelsea's advantage as Oscar's set-piece evaded everyone before Bunn reacted well to push the ball wide.
Victor Moses came close for the visitors after Russell Martin missed a headed clearance and the ball fell to the feet of the Nigeria international who fired a shot wide of the post.
Chelsea substitute Eden Hazard forced another decent save from Bunn with only a couple of minutes remaining after being found by a deft flick from Fernando Torres, before receiving a caution moments later for a cynical clip of Martin's heels as the Norwich full-back looked to counter.
The resulting free-kick was almost hooked into his own goal by Ashley Cole before Sebastien Bassong headed the corner over Cech's bar.


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Star:

Norwich 0 - Chelsea 1: Juan Mata's magic makes him special
By David Woods

CHELSEA almost certainly won’t be winning the ­Premier League – but the top individual honour looks to be heading for Stamford Bridge.
Juan Mata’s wonder goal secured a third successive league win for the Blues, but they remain 11 points off leaders Manchester United with a game in hand.
It was The Special Juan’s 13th of the season and the midfielder is the west London club’s top scorer.
He is also a leading candidate to be the PFA’s Footballer of the Year.
His goal yesterday at Carrow Road was a joy to behold. He curled the ball home from close to 30 yards out, ­leaving
Norwich boss Chris Hughton to say: “Mata’s had an incredible ­season. He’s been outstanding.”
The Spaniard has the ability to find space even in crowded areas – and that’s just what he did in the 38th minute.
With yellow shirts all around, he curled the ball in off a post with his left foot, despite using very little backlift.
Typically, Blues boss Rafa Benitez was unwilling to big up Mata too much, as it is not his style.
However, he said: “Mata is very ­dangerous getting into the box and also outside the box, so we are very pleased with him.
“He is in form and doing really well. Even without the ball he is working really hard and when we are in ­possession he is making a difference.
“These kind of players can make a difference. He is clever and has clever movements.
“He can play deeper, go to the right into spaces, and that is hard for the midfielders and defenders to manage. He is a player who has mobility.
“The Premier League has a lot of good players and Mata is one of the best, for sure.”
But a PFA individual award won’t be enough to thrill Chelsea’s demanding owner Roman Abramovich and Benitez admitted the title was out of their hands with United so far ahead.
“The message is very clear – if we can improve our team and keep ­winning games, we will have our chance,” he said.
“If they keep winning games, okay, you can do nothing. But we can ­improve and that will be the main thing for us.”
After the 8-0 thrashing of Aston Villa, this was quite an anti-climax, with precious few ­chances to excite fans.
Norwich, in fact, did not force Petr Cech into a single save.
David Luiz, playing in midfield, set Mata free in the box in the 30th minute, but the Spaniard could not quite get his
feet planted and he scuffed a left-foot shot into the ­sidenetting.
Norwich keeper Mark Bunn had to scramble the ball away with his body in the 49th minute after Victor Moses met Oscar’s corner with a glancing header.
Moses forced the keeper into ­another save soon after from ­another tight angle on the left.
Mata also tried to catch out Bunn with a quick free-kick, but the keeper darted across in time to deny him.
Moses then drove just wide with his right foot when he might have done better and Bunn did well near the end to keep out an Eden Hazard shot, after the Belgium star was played in by Fernando Torres.
There was a bit of late pressure from the Canaries, with Ashley Cole having to clear hastily and Sebastien Bassong heading into the ground and over the bar.
Without Mata’s moment of magic, this could easily have been a 0-0.
But despite their lack of bite, the ­Canaries showed plenty of spirit and at the halfway point are 11th on 25 points.
“If you had offered me that at the start of the season, then, yes, I would have taken it,” said Hughton.