Aston Villa 3-0

Independent:
Diego Costa continues remarkable form in Jose Mourinho's 250th game in charge of the Blues
 
Chelsea 3 Aston Villa 0
Miguel Delaney  

Chelsea may look in full health following another fine home win, but Jose Mourinho now wants to ensure Diego Costa reaches the same condition.
 
The Portuguese called for Spain to rest the striker for the October internationals away to Slovakia and Luxembourg, stating that the full 15 days off would ensure Costa is finally more readily able to play two games a week for club and country. The 25-year-old has struggled with his hamstring since May, and Mourinho feels he merely needs an extra period of rest without a match.
“I think if he doesn’t go to the national team, and stays here for 15 days on treatment, recovering and making the muscle and the other areas around the muscle stronger, he has the perfect chance to be top for Chelsea and top for the national team.
“If he doesn’t have this period, he will always play one game, the other one is in trouble. The muscle will be tight, the muscle [will be susceptible] to a rupture.”
Mourinho said he would not expressly ask Spanish manager Vicente Del Bosque to rest the player, as he did not feel that was proper.
“I can’t. I don’t do that, and don’t think I should. The players, from the moment they are selected for the national team, belong to them. Everything is in their hands and, from club, you have to respect decisions.”
Mourinho revealed Costa is barely training right now.
“He’s doing almost nothing. He’s just resting and recovering from the tight muscle he has every time he accumulates fatigue.”
Asked whether Costa would start away to Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday, Mourinho said “I want to”.
Chelsea certainly started well against Aston Villa, and Costa got his usual clinical finish to score, and make it a personal eight goals in six games.
Any element of doubt here was dismissed within eight minutes, as Chelsea took the lead. Willian streaked down the right, before finding space and pummelling a shot at Brad Guzan. The goalkeeper managed to parry it away but only to Oscar, who slid the ball between Philippe Senderos’s legs.
The scorer was influential in other ways. Despite Villa flooding the midfield in a manner that caused Chelsea - and specifically Cesc Fabregas - problems in previous games this season, Oscar shuttled brilliantly between there and attack to shore the gap. Mourinho was impressed.
“I think he needs this confidence that comes with matches,” the Portuguese said. “His performance was good. He was in important areas in our game. The connection between him and [Nemanja] Matic was good. The connection between him and the attacking players was good.
As such, it quickly developed into one of those very typical Mourinho home wins, even if there was more spark in attack and a little bit more looseness in defence. That back-line still has some work to do, in spite of the eventual clean sheet. They certainly didn’t display the old assurance at set-pieces on 23 minutes, when Aly Cissokho poked just wide from an effective free shot after a corner.
Despite their overall conservatism, Villa looked a little dangerous on the break, which is also something that has been a common problem for Chelsea so far this season. A common sight has been Branislav Ivanovic chasing back to try and cover an acre of space left in behind, and it was much the same just after half-time here, when Andreas Weimann suddenly released Gabriel Agbonlahor.
The England winger took his touch too far wide, however, and Chelsea were able to re-adjust. The home side soon re-asserted their authority, too, as Costa returned to his best. On 58 minutes, the Spaniard scored his first goal in three games - a relative drought given his sensational start to the season.
This was a typically tidy goal. First, Willian and Eden Hazard interchanged nicely on the left, before cutting the ball back for Cesar Azpilicueta. He curled the ball in, for Costa to plunder a header past Guzan.
Willian had been brilliant throughout the game and eventually got the goal he deserved. After another Chelsea siege on 79 minutes, the ball ricocheted around the box, with Cissokho deflecting towards his own net. Willian made sure, poking the ball in from close range.
The most ominous aspect is that Mourinho still does not think they’re close to their best.
“We are fine, playing well, scoring goals, we are happy,” Mourinho said, although he scotched suggestions Chelsea are already in a commanding position.
“I think nobody is convinced Chelsea is going to keep this run for 10, 15 matches, getting positive results. We know this Premier League. Everyone knows it’s possible for top teams to lose points.
“We are not perfect. We have a lot to improve in every area of our game but we are playing well.”
A fully fit Costa would greatly help.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois 7; Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 8; Matic 7, Fabregas 7; Willian 8, Oscar 8 (Mikel 77; 6), Hazard 7 (Schurrle 68; 6); Costa 7 (Remy 79; 6)

Aston Villa (4-5-1): Guzan 6; Hutton 5, Senderos 5, Baker 5, Cissokho 6; Richardson 6 (Bent 67; 5), Cleverley 5, Westwood 5, Delph 5, Weimann 6 (N’Zogbia 67; 6); Agbonlahor 6

Referee: Phil Dowd
Match rating: 6/10
Man of the match: Oscar

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Observer:

Chelsea’s Diego Costa nets eighth league goal in win over Aston Villa
Chelsea 3 - 0 Aston Villa

Simon Burnton at Stamford Bridge

Against Arsenal last week Aston Villa’s team had been laid low by a virus; this time they were brought to their knees by a phenomenon they found similarly impossible to defend against and equally destructive to their morale and their victory chances, in the rather more human shape of Diego Costa.
The Chelsea striker scored one – his eighth goal in six league matches – and created another before coming off to spend the last 10 minutes resting his suspect hamstrings, the leaders’ victory assured. It was a fine if imperfect display from the Spaniard, whose passing outside the penalty area was often imprecise, but, more importantly, his movement was constant and menacing, and when the ball fell his way in the area he was typically devastating.
José Mourinho said that goals were of particular importance for Costa given that he is doing “almost nothing” in training. “For me what’s important is that the team scores enough goals to win,” he said. “But I know it’s good for him and for his confidence, especially for a player like him who’s not training as he should, so he cannot be on top of his game.”
Having complained earlier in the week that Spain remain free to select Costa despite his injury concerns, Mourinho now pinpointed the period next month in which they have back-to-back qualifiers against Slovakia and Luxembourg as key to Costa’s long-term fortunes for club and country. ‚
“If he stays here, and spends 15 days just on treatment and recovery and making the muscle stronger, he has the perfect chance to be top for Chelsea and for the national team,” he said. “If he doesn’t have this chance, he will always play one game, and the next he’s in trouble.”
He played this game, and it was Villa who were in trouble. The visitors had built their impressive early-season form on defensive solidity rather than attacking brio – they arrived here with three clean sheets and just eight shots on target in five previous games – but a team that struggles so badly to create and take chances is unlikely to prosper against this calibre of opponent.
They were never overrun but Thibaut Courtois made only one save, from Alan Hutton’s tame effort at the end of a long individual run in the 69th minute, despite a flurry of almost-chances at the start of each half.
“Against teams like this, when you get a chance you have to score,” said the Villa manager, Paul Lambert. “But when you come here, if you get beat you’ve got to leave with your confidence intact, which we certainly are. Other than failing to get a goal, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
From Lambert’s perspective there was an element of misfortune about the first and third goals, with Willian benefitting from handy ricochets on both occasions.
For the first, the Brazilian was sent scurrying down the right by Branislav Ivanovic and, with all team-mates to his left marked, he shot low and hard towards the near post. Brad Guzan pushed the ball straight back into his path, and this time Willian pulled back to the now-clear Oscar, whose finish trundled through Philippe Senderos’s legs on its way to goal.
Willian came close to a second in the 15th minute when he ran on to Costa’s excellent backheel flick and set off down the centre but Nathan Baker diligently shepherded him wide of goal, from where his shot was deflected the wrong side of the near post.
Though their advantage remained slender, Chelsea displayed the class and confidence that befits league leaders and title favourites, with Oscar beating Senderos with a drop of the shoulder that provoked not so much cheers from the nearby fans as a collective sigh of pleasure, and Eden Hazard, who was otherwise becalmed, attempting a showy rabona.
“I don’t remember feeling fear or scared or not comfortable,” said Mourinho. “The team always gave the feeling that everything was under control.”
All the more so when, in the 59th minute, the Villa defence was momentarily mesmerised by some neat triangular passing on the left and forgot to keep an eye on Costa, who scored with a powerful header when César Azpilicueta finally speared in a cross.
Twenty minutes later, Aly Cissokho having in the meantime cleared Oscar’s casual effort as it rolled towards the line, Costa was found in too much space on the left, from where he cut inside, cut inside a little more and then sent in a shot that bounced off Guzan and Cissokho before landing helpfully between Willian and an empty net.

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Telegraph:

Chelsea 3 Aston Villa 0: Jose Mourinho celebrates easy win in 250th game in charge
By  Jim White, Stamford Bridge

This was José Mourinho's 250th game in charge at Stamford Bridge. And rarely can he have enjoyed an afternoon of such telling dominance. In beating Villa 3-0 with goals from the Brazilian-born trio of Oscar, Diego Costa and Willian, this was Chelsea at their most compelling. From the moment Villa kicked off, not for one second was the result in doubt.
“I think everything was under control,” said Mourinho, ever the master of understatement. “I don't remember when we felt scared or not comfortable.” The manager's new Chelsea team is rapidly emerging, a side of greater cunning and initiative than the muscular pragmatists of his first title-winning outfit.
Where it was once a thing of power and strength, his midfield now fizzes with speed and intricacy. Against a quick, athletic, but ultimately limited Villa team, Willian whipped and zipped, Oscar tricked and tormented, Eden Hazard feinted and flicked.
But it was from Cesc Fabregas that the real mark of authority flowed. Hanging off just behind his sparkling colleagues, the former Arsenal man made himself constantly available, always there to spread play, his passes endlessly probing and threatening. Not once in the entire game did he waste possession.
In the sixth minute came a goal typical of Mourinho's Chelsea mark two. Branislav Ivanovic galloped down the right wing to receive Fabregas's perfectly weighted pass. He slid the ball in behind Villa's left back Aly Cissokho for Willian to run on to.
Free and unencumbered by any hint of Villa defence, the Brazilian slapped a shot at Brad Guzan; the keeper diving to his left, scooped the ball back straight in the direction it had come. Willian, showing admirable composure, cunningly tucked it to the unmarked Oscar standing in the middle of the goal, who duly scored.
Eight minutes later, Fabregas almost returned the compliment to Ivanovic, beautifully playing him through. But Guzan was too quick. A minute later, Willian again required the American to save. This time there was no rebound. And so the pattern continued for much of the first half: Chelsea probing, Villa's Nathan Baker endlessly obliged to make last second interventions, Guzan constantly involved.
Not that Villa were entirely without threat. As early as the second minute, they gave notice of their pace on the breakaway, the weapon that had brought them maximum points on the road this season, taking them briefly to third in the table.
As a Chelsea corner was knocked away, Fabian Delph and Kieran Richardson tore at the home back line, exchanging passes to arrive in the box. Thiboult Courtois was too quick for Richardson to pounce, however. In the 25th minute, Gary Cahill was booked for a rugby-style tap tackle on Gabby Agbonlahor as the Villa forward was poised to leg it away.
Mourinho, perhaps anxious to get involved in his landmark game, stared menacingly at the Villa assistant manager Roy Keane as he bearded the referee following Cahill's intervention. Eye-balling Roy Keane: possibly not the most certain way to guarantee you'll be around for another 250 games.
As the game developed, there was a growing sense that Chelsea just needed a finish to convert supremacy into certainty. It came, inevitably, from Diego Costa, the man who cannot stop scoring, despite apparently operating on only one leg. Twice he had planted headers in Guzan's palms, before he finally found his range in the 58th minute.
Out on the left wing, Hazard back-heeled the ball deftly to Cesar Azpilicueta whose precise chip was powered home via the Spanish international's forehead. Oscar should then have made it three, two minutes later, slipping the ball past Guzan, but Cissokho scooped it clear.
Appropriately, though, it was Fabregas who had the final say. Picking up the ball inside his own half, he unleashed a quite magnificent crossfield pass, dipping over the head of Alan Hutton to fall perfectly into the path of Costa. The forward skipped inside and fired hard at Guzan. For the second time, the American saw his save rebound straight at an opponent, this time Willian, who ran the ball cheerily into the net.
“It is too early,” said Mourinho when asked if the three point cushion his side now enjoys at the top of the table is of wider significance. “But it is a little bit of a space that gives you a good feeling.”
The kind of good feeling that comes from supervising the 165th win across his two spells at Stamford Bridge. With Fabregas in this sort of form, you suspect there will be plenty more where that came from.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1) Courtois 6; Ivanovic 7, Cahill 6, Terry 6, Azpilicueta 6; Matic 6, Fabregas 8; Willian 7, Oscar 7 (Mikel 76), Hazard 6 (Schurrle 67); Costa 7 (Remy 80) Subs Cech, Luis, Zouma, Drogba. Booked Cahill, Fabregas

Aston Villa (4-2-3-1) Guzan 7; Hutton 5, Baker 7, Senderos 6, Cissokho 5; Cleverley 5, Delph 6; Westwood 5, Weimann 5 (N'Zogbia 67), Richardson 5 (Bent 67); Agbonlahor 5 Subs Given, Clark, Bacuna, Sanchez, Grealish. Booked Senderos, Cleverley

Referee Phil Dowd (Staffs)
Attendance 41,616

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Times:

Chelsea 3 Aston Villa 0: Easy does it for Costa
Andrew Longmore 

CHELSEA were so dominant and Aston Villa were so timid that it was easy to forget that this was first versus third in the Premier League.
With a tricky away trip to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Tuesday and the visit of Arsenal next Sunday, Chelsea could not have asked for a gentler afternoon once Oscar opened the scoring after seven minutes.
Mindful of some previous thrashings at the Bridge and the absence of Ron Vlaar, their inspirational captain, Aston Villa started with five men strung across midfield and played as if they were 17th in the League and already battling for survival.
Oscar and Eden Hazard were rested for the final quarter of the contest, though it was touch and go whether sitting on the bench or playing was the more arduous task. Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, was even able to wait for Diego Costa to score his eighth goal in five games on the hour before substituting the Spaniard 10 minutes from time.
Willian, who had helped to create the first, bundled in the last to complete a run-of-the-mill win for Chelsea.
According to the Chelsea manager, Costa is doing almost nothing in training at the moment in a bid to protect a tight hamstring. Furthermore, Mourinho wants his £32m striker to stay in England for the next international break, during which Spain have Euro 2016 qualifying matches against Slovakia and Luxemburg, but the Spaniard’s free-scoring run of form does not help that particular cause.
“Everyone knows what is going on with Diego but it is their [Spain’s] decision — it is completely out of my control,” Mourinho said.
Asked to explain the difference between this team and the Chelsea of last autumn, Mourinho highlighted the strength and versatility of his new forward. “He is a different kind of striker,” said Mourinho. “He can move to the sides, he can hold the ball up and he can score goals.”
Heaven help the rest of the division if Costa ever does get fit. Chelsea certainly look more compact this season and with Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas dictating the midfield there was never any risk that Aston Villa would recover from Oscar’s early strike.
“I don’t remember feeling any fear or not being comfortable even at 1-0,” said Mourinho. “Everything was under control and the second goal kills everything.”
Paul Lambert’s critics have been silenced by Villa’s excellent start to the season, but Villa’s passivity in the face of a typically robust and fluent performance by the home team would have renewed their fears. The Villa manager did not switch tactics until his side were 2-0 down and the cause was lost. If Roy Keane, who looks more and more like a wizened old submarine captain, has been brought in to lend some steel to Villa’s backbone, he might begin his task in the bootroom. Villa, as they showed in occasional counterattacks, are better than this.
“This team [Chelsea] will be close winning the title and possibly the Champions League,” Lambert said. “It’s hard to come here at the best of times but we gave it a right good go.” A long-range shot by Fabian Delph and a poked volley just wide by Aly Cissokho from a corner were about the sum of Villa’s aggression. Thibaut Courtois will rarely have a more relaxed afternoon.
With Andreas Weimann on the left, Matic and Fabregas were invited to run the game, which they duly did. Willian’s fierce shot was parried by Brad Guzan, but fell invitingly back to the Brazilian, whose cut back was tucked home by Oscar in the seventh minute. Villa did well to keep the score within reach until half-time, but Costa with a clinical header from Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross, and Willian, from close range, gave the scoreline a more realistic look.
With a three-point gap at the head of the table and 19 goals in six games, Chelsea will still be top when Arsenal visit the Bridge on Sunday.
They will take some shifting too. “Different players are scoring goals in different ways,” added Mourinho with just a hint of pride. “We are not perfect, but we are happy with what we are doing.”

 Chelsea: Courtois 7, Cahill, 7 Ivanovic 7, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 7, Matic 8, Fabregas 7, Hazard 6 (Schurrle 68min), Willian 7, Oscar 7 (Mikel 77min), Costa 7 (Remy 81min)

 Aston Villa: Guzan 7, Hutton 6, Senderos 5, Baker 6, Cissokho 6, Delph 6, Cleverley 7, Westwood 6, Richardson 5 (Bent 69min), Agbonlahor 6, Weimann 5 (N’Zogbia 69min)

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Mail:

Chelsea 3-0 Aston Villa:
Oscar, Diego Costa and Willian strike as Jose Mourinho's Premier League leaders breeze to victory
By Matt Barlow

For an hour or so, Diego Costa had the look of a striker who might have been nursing a hamstring problem; one which was preying on his mind, eating away at confidence and preventing him from turning his dial to full power.
Then he crashed a header past Villa keeper Brad Guzan to score Chelsea’s second goal — his eighth in seven games this season — created the third for Willian and, with Chelsea’s opponents beaten, left the field to another standing ovation.
Jose Mourinho’s team continue to forge ahead at the top of the Premier League. They have won from the front before and are shaping up as if in the mood to do it again. Yet the lingering concerns over Costa’s fitness will stop anyone getting carried away in west London.
Without him, they lose their cold spearhead. While he is fit and tormenting centre-halves they seem well-armed to charge clear.
Loic Remy replaced Costa for the last 10 minutes, as Mourinho turned his thoughts to Tuesday’s game against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League and wondered whether he can risk him from the start in Portugal. Mourinho’s team remain unbeaten this season. They have dropped only two points from six games. After Sporting, they play Arsenal at home and Mourinho knows his striker must be handled with extreme care.
‘He is doing almost nothing [between games],’ said Mourinho. ‘He’s just resting and recovering from the tight muscle he has every time he accumulates fatigue. I hope he goes home after this game and sleeps until tomorrow morning.
‘He cannot be at the top of his game but even so, scoring a goal is good for his confidence.’
‘If he doesn’t go to the national team, and stays here for 15 days of treatment, he has the perfect chance to be top for Chelsea and top for national team. We can’t do anything. I can’t speak to the Spain manager.’
If there was any cause for complaint yesterday, it might have been that the manager would have liked the points to be secure sooner, especially as it had started so well, when Oscar fired in a seventh-minute opener, a goal owing everything to the persistence of Willian.
Branislav Ivanovic slid a pass to the latter, who forced Guzan into a save but the rebound spilled kindly to Willian, who spotted Oscar unmarked.
From seven yards, Oscar swept in his first Premier League goal of the season. Willian went close soon after but the visitors responded.
Aly Cissokho almost turned a shot on target when Chelsea failed to clear a corner and Gary Cahill was booked for tripping Gabriel Agbonlahor after being turned and left on the turf by the Villa striker.
It was the home team, however, who dominated both in terms of possession and unconverted chances, defied as they were by wasteful finishing, solid defending and good goalkeeping.
For almost an hour Costa had lacked some of his usual menace. Twice, either side of half time, he was found in front of goal and twice Guzan saved without fuss. The sequence ended in the 59th minute.
Cesar Azpilicueta delivered the cross from the left, clipped towards the near post for Costa, who climbed above Nathan Baker and this time beat Guzan for power.
This was the goal to sink Villa. They had set up to play on the counter-attack and there was plenty to admire about their spirit and energy. Fabian Delph impressed in an English midfield trio with Ashley Westwood and Tom Cleverley and almost equalised in the second half with a shot from distance.
‘If you told me we would take three points from Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, I would probably have taken it,’ said Villa manager Paul Lambert. ‘It’s tough and we’re up against Manchester City next. ’
Despite the quality of the opposition, it is back-to-back 3-0 defeats for Villa and their 1-0 win at Anfield on September 13 loses its gloss with each subsequent game Liverpool fail to win.
Villa are still without captain Ron Vlaar and striker Christian Benteke and a positive start to the campaign has taken a turn for the worse since the club was struck by a virus last week. And yesterday Lambert was left to reflect on chances not taken when they trailed 1-0; Baker headed a good one over from a free-kick and Lambert said: ‘When you get a chance you have to score. It’s hard to come here at the best of times. Chelsea will be close to winning the title and the Champions League.’
By the end, however, Villa had managed only one shot on target and Thibaut Courtois celebrated his second clean sheet of the season.
Chelsea pressed on after the second goal. Cissokho recovered well to clear off his own line from Oscar but Willian then grabbed the goal his performance deserved by scoring from Costa’s rebound.
This was enough for Mourinho. With a three-goal lead, off came Costa to be wrapped in cotton wool.

CHELSEA 4-2-3-1: Courtois 6.5; Ivanovic 7, Cahill 5.5, Terry 6, Azpilicueta 6; Fabregas 7, Matic 7; Willian 7.5, Oscar 7 (Mikel 77), Hazard 6 (Schurrle 68, 6); Costa 7 (Remy 81).
Subs not used: Cech, Luis, Zouma, Drogba, Remy.
Bookings: Cahill, Fabregas.
Manager: Jose Mourinho 7.

ASTON VILLA 4-5-1: Guzan 6.5; Hutton 6, Senderos 6, Baker 6, Cissokho 6; Richardson 6 (Bent 69, 5), Cleverley 6.5, Westwood 6.5, Delph 7, Weimann 5 (N’Zogbia 69, 5); Agbolahor 7.
Subs not used: Given, Clark, Bacuna, Sanchez, Grealish.
Bookings: Cleverley, Senderos
Manager: Paul Lambert 6

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Mirror:

Chelsea 3-0 Aston Villa: Blues record comprehensive victory to extend impressive start

Steve Stammers

The west Londoners underlined their title credentials with another convincing win at home, thanks to goals from Oscar, Costa and Willian
 
Cold, clinical, professional – the qualities required by champions were evident at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea eventually overcame a ­stubborn Aston Villa outfit to extend their unbeaten start to the season.
The hosts were not at their most fluent, or indeed their most creative.
But they had enough class to see off the spirited challenge of a side who are now finding their true level in the Premier League.
It was for days like this that Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho invested so heavily in the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa.
Villa’s energy and commitment was enough to survive a potential collapse after they conceded a seventh-minute goal.
In fact, it was only in the last half-hour that they folded to produce a replica scoreline to the one against Arsenal seven days earlier.
And as Chelsea worked to build on the early strike by Oscar, it was Fabregas who was the heartbeat of the team.
Always available, he invariably chose the right option with either a short or raking pass and enabled his team to maintain what was to be a match-winning tempo.
And eventually Costa was able to prove once again that he is evolving as the front man to fear in the Premier League.
“And he is not yet 100 per cent fit,” said Mourinho. “What training does he do between games? None! He has to be nursed because he could maybe rupture the muscle that is the problem for him.”
That ‘muscle’ is his hamstring though Villa’s central defenders Nathan Baker and Philippe Senderos will need some convincing that the Brazilian-born striker adopted by Spain is below par.
But Mourinho will hope that Spain manager Vicente del Bosque does him a favour and omits Costa from ­forthcoming European Championship qualifiers against lesser lights Slovakia and Luxembourg.
Of the match, Mourinho was content enough with the performance and result. “We looked solid and we looked ­comfortable,” he said. “And we can still improve.”
His Villa counterpart Paul Lambert was pleased with the resilience shown by his team. “It was against a team who could well win both the Premier League and the Champions League,” he said. “We had a couple of chances and against teams like Chelsea, you have to take them.”
The hosts’ start was bright enough. The breakthrough came when their arch-warrior Branislav Ivanovic initiated the move with an inch-perfect pass to release Willian.
The Brazilian honed in on goal and unleashed a drive that Brad Guzan was relieved to push away. ­Unfortunately the reprieve was short-lived.
Possession was regained by Willian and this time the option was a low cross converted by compatriot Oscar.
But then the threatened deluge did not ­materialise, for two reasons: Chelsea seemed to assume that the goals would come.
And Villa were ­determined not to capitulate.
But Fabregas kept on feeding the danger-men Oscar and Eden Hazard and there was a kind of inevitability that a second goal would come.
Come the hour, come the man. Costa, naturally. A neat interchange of passes between Hazard and Cesar Azpilicueta and the Spanish defender crossed for Costa to power a header past Guzan. In reality, it was game over.
Villa continued to press and challenge all over the park but Chelsea were now approaching cruise control and 11 minutes from time came the goal that finally killed any resistance.
There was a hint of good fortune as Guzan kept out Costa’s fierce shot only to see the ball ricochet off Aly Cissokho into the path of Willian a yard out.
Not a great week for the French defender. Cissokho scored an own-goal against Arsenal and now he can claim an ­involuntary ‘assist’.
A comprehensive win by the team labelled ‘the little horse’ by Mourinho last season. Not applicable now. More like thoroughbreds.

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Express:

Chelsea 3 - Aston Villa 0: Costa fires up lethal Blues to keep Mourinho humming

DIEGO COSTA continued his hot-streak as table-topping Chelsea sent out another warning to the Premier League.

By: Mike Carey

Jose Mourinho claims his £32million striker is still not fully fit and can play only one game a week.
But even on one leg he cut an impressive figure as he took his season's tally to eight goals. He even had a say in Willian's late strike as Chelsea coasted home.
Oscar's early opener threatened to open the floodgates. That never materialised but Mourinho's men hardly had to break sweat to see out this one-sided contest.
Mourinho said: "We kept control of the game all the time. We are fine, playing well, scoring goals and we are happy."
And the Chelsea boss insisted Costa needed more recovery time, adding: "He's doing almost nothing. He's just resting and recovering from the tight muscle he has every time he accumulates fatigue."
Aston Villa's good start to the season came to a shuddering halt against Arsenal last time out and they knew it would not get any easier here.
Chelsea have been scoring goals for fun and Villa knew their 100 per cent record on the road was on the line.
And with Costa the Premier League's deadliest marksman, it would take something special to blunt the hosts.
Villa boss Paul Lambert did his best to pack his midfield and then look to break with pace at every opportunity.
That chance almost presented itself in the second minute as Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was out quickly to smother Fabian Delph following a breakaway.
But Oscar drew first blood in the seventh minute. Willian's shot was blocked by Brad Guzan but the rebound fell kindly for the Brazilian to set up his countryman's close-range finish.
And it could have got worse in the 15th minute. Costa's clever flick freed Willian and his cross was deflected inches wide off Alan Hutton. Villa's best hope probably lay in a set-piece play and that almost contributed to a 19th-minute leveller.
Ashley Westwood's corner caused a scramble in the Chelsea box, but Aly Cissokho stabbed wide.
Cesc Fabregas drove wide from the edge of the box on the half-hour mark and the impressive Willian then crossed for Costa to force Guzan into a routine save from a tame header.
Content to frustrate the hosts, Villa finally broke out and threatened just two minutes after the restart.
Delph's quick feet found him some extra room and the new England midfielder saw his 25-yard shot curl the wrong side of the post.
This wasn't the same Chelsea side that blitzed Everton and Swansea in the opening few weeks. Much of that was down to the visitors and they sounded a warning of themselves with 54 minutes on the clock.
Westwood's free-kick found Nathan Baker but the defender could only head onto the top of the net.
It was the wake-up call Chelsea needed as Costa continued his sparking start to life in west London in the 59th minute.
Costa got a run on Baker to power home a header from Cesar Azpilicueta's cross beyond Guzan.
Costa tormented the Villa defence again and after his shot was beaten out by Guzan the ball rebounded for Willian to score in the 79th minute.
Costa was replaced moments later but his job was already done.
Lambert lamented: "When you get a chance you have to score.
"We gave it a right go but we are playing without a recognised striker at the moment. We are in a run of games that is really tough."

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Star:

Chelsea 3 - Aston Villa 0: Diego Costa scores again as Blues stay top
DIEGO COSTA continued his hot-streak as table-topping Chelsea sent out another Premier League warning.


By Adrian Stiles

Jose Mourinho claims his £32million striker is still not fully-fit and can only play one game a week.
But even on one leg he cuts an impressive figure as he took his season’s tally to eight goals. He even had a say in Willian’s late strike.
Oscar’s early opener threatened to open the floodgates. That never materialised but Mourinho’s men hardly had to break sweat to see out this one-sided contest.
Aston Villa’s good start to their season came to a shuddering halt against Arsenal last time out and it they knew it would not get any easier here.
And with Costa the Premier League’s deadliest marksman, it would take something special to blunt the hosts.
Mourinho explained how he is wrapping his star striker in cotton wool. “Diego is doing almost nothing,” he said. “He’s just resting and recovering from the tight muscle he has every time he accumulates fatigue.
“I think if he doesn’t go to the national team and stays here 15 days for treatment, recovering, he has the perfect chance to be the top for Chelsea. If he doesn’t have this period, he will always play one game.”
Paul Lambert did his best to pack his midfield and then look to break with pace at every opportunity.
That Chance almost came in the second minute as Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois was a out in a flash to stop Fabian Delph following a breakaway.
But the ploy was wrecked when Oscar drew first blood in the seventh minute.
Willians shot was blocked by Brad Guzan but the redound fell kindly for the Brazilian to set his compatriot up for a close range finish. Villa's best hope probably lay in a set piece play and that almost brought a 19th minute leveller.
Ashley Westwood's corner caused a scramble in the Chelsea box but Aly Cissokho could only stab wide.
That was a rare moment of panic as Villa did their best to keep Chelsea at bay.
To their credit, Mourinho's men were largely restricted to long range efforts.
Once they came within range, Cesc Fabregas drove wide from the edge of the box on the half-hour mark.
The impressive Willian crossed for Costa to force Guzan into a routine save from a tame header.
Villa were happy to sit and soak up pressure.
Content to frustrate the hosts, Villa finally broke out and threatened two minutes after the restart.
Delph's quick feet found himself some extra room and the new England midfielder saw his 25-yard shot curl wide of the post.
Westwood’s free-kick found Nathan Baker unmarked but the defender could only head on to the top of Courtois’ net.
It was the wake-up call Chelsea needed as Costa continued his sparkling start to life in west London in the 59th minute.
The Spain international got a run on Baker to power home a header from Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross.
Villa knew they had to take any chance that presented itself and Alan Hutton would have been disappointed to shoot straight at Courtois.
Unsurprisingly, it was Chelsea who increased their advantage.
Oscar’s free-kick saw John Terry head wide but it was brief respite as Willian got the goal his display deserved.
Costa tormented the Villa defence again and after his shot was beaten out by Guzan, the ball rebounded kindly for the Brazilian in the 79th minute.
Costa was replaced moments later but his job was already done.
Villa boss Lambert said: “It’s hard to come here at the best of times. We gave it a right go but we are playing without a recognised striker at the moment.
“We are in a run of games that is really tough.
“You are playing against top sides. You know it’s tough and we are up against Manchester City next.”

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