Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace: Blues clinch Premier League title as Eden Hazard heads home after seeing initial penalty saved

By the end of the day, all those in Chelsea blue had what they came for and Roman Abramovich was waving and smiling down from his executive seat.

When you see Abramovich crack his surly Russian visage and display such emotion, you are witnessing a special moment, and here was his fourth Barclays Premier League title in 12 years since buying the club.

It ends a wait of five years and was clinched with three games to spare, thanks to a goal from Eden Hazard, who nodded in the rebound of a poor penalty he had seen saved, just before half-time.

Chelsea had to dig in and defend but Jose Mourinho's team do this so well. They produced another clean sheet and the best team in the land are the champions.

Out came the streamers and that song by Queen. Champagne corks popped and the bubbly was sprayed, scarves were wrapped around heads and players slid across the turf on their bellies. Messages, photographs and videos started to fly from their social media accounts.

The DJ moved onto 'One Step Beyond', a ska anthem of celebration at Stamford Bridge and it all began to sink in: a first Premier League title for many of the squad, including Hazard.

He was an appropriate match-winner on such a day, although his scruffy goal came with accusations that he dived for the penalty and there were uneasy moments when the coronation party seemed about to fall flat.

Mourinho's touchline activities provided a strange side-show. At times he sulked moodily, clearly dissatisfied with the support of the home crowd for his team, while seeming to court the noisy Palace fans in the Shed End.

The Chelsea manager ignored those in the Matthew Harding Stand when they sang his name and then seemed to react angrily when they sang Frank Lampard's.

'It was not a game to enjoy,' said Mourinho, who has been under added stress since his father, Felix, suffered a brain haemorrhage, last week. He dashed to Portugal by private plane after winning at Leicester, returned to the club and made another flying visit home on Friday.

'I was there with him at the most difficult moment, the moment of surgery,' he added. 'After that, everything is under control. He is getting strong and better and I am much more relaxed.'

On Sunday his wife Matilde was in the crowd. She rarely comes to watch but this was a special occasion and Mourinho went straight to her on the final whistle.

Palace made Chelsea sweat for the points, but these players have been injected with the sort of brutal mentality which is the hallmark of Mourinho's teams.

When not playing fluently, they still find a way to win. Rather than snipe and whinge about their style of football, his rivals might prefer to adopt this quality which Chelsea have boasted since he built his first team at the Bridge.

It has been most evident in the title run-in, when Mourinho's small squad was beset by injuries, most notably to top-scorer Diego Costa. Oscar was missing on Sunday and Ramires was taken ill during the warm-up and sent to hospital, which catapulted Juan Cuadrado into the team.

Cuadrado has not found his stride since arriving from Fiorentina in January and he struggled again. He did not make it past half-time. John Obi Mikel replaced him, the first of several defensive shifts from Chelsea.

By the end, Mourinho had six recognised defenders on the pitch protecting the one-goal lead plus midfield enforcers Mikel and Nemanja Matic.

Palace can be flattered. They had performed well, initially offering stubborn resistance which played on frayed nerves inside Stamford Bridge and then threatening on the break until the final seconds of the game.

Goalkeeper Julian Speroni denied Matic and Didier Drogba before Hazard won the penalty, threading a pass to Willian, collecting the return and wriggling into the box from his usual berth, wide on the left.

James McArthur closed him down and tried to pull out of the tackle but Hazard forced the contact. At real-speed, it seemed a penalty and referee Kevin Friend gave it in a flash. On the slow-motion replays, it looked more like Hazard had engineered it.

The Belgian put the ball on the spot and took it himself, but his kick was tame and easily saved by Speroni. It was the first time Hazard had missed from the spot in the Premier League, but this one looped up, straight onto his head.

Hazard seized this second chance. He buried a header inside the post and ran off to soak up the applause while mopping his brow in mock relief.

Palace fans were in no doubt what they thought. Hazard's first touch of the second-half was greeted with a chorus of: 'He's gonna dive in a minute.'

Pardew refused to wade into controversy on Chelsea's day of celebration, but he thought his team deserved a penalty for handball against John Terry as he blocked a fierce drive by Jason Puncheon when the game was goalless.

'They're difficult once they go ahead,' said the Palace boss. 'That's what champions do, they don't let you back in once they take the lead. They've had two defeats all season and they've done the job. That's why this guy earns the money he earns. He wins trophies and he'll win the manner he sees fit for the occasion.'

Chelsea could not find a second to soothe the nerves. Increasingly desperate efforts came in from increasingly ambitious angles but it was Puncheon who came closest to changing the result, with another flashing effort which zipped inches wide.

When Thibaut Courtois blocked the final effort at Wilfried Zaha's feet to preserve the slender lead it seemed like the best way to cross the line: goal conjured by Hazard, followed by a solid display of defensive might.

Chelsea are champions. Worthy champions, it has to be said. More than one step beyond. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3066184/Chelsea-1-0-Crystal-Palace-Blues-clinch-Premier-League-title-Eden-Hazard-heads-home-seeing-initial-penalty-saved.html#ixzz3Z7HzoPB0 

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Arsenal deny Chelsea but José Mourinho’s side edge closer to title

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/26/arsenal-chelsea-premier-league-match-report

By the end, there was the unmistakable feeling that all Arsenal were doing was delaying the inevitable. The earliest Chelsea can win the title now is at home to Crystal Palace next Sunday and, if not then, the following week against Liverpool. The only question is when the coronation happens but the real detail is that the victory parade has already been arranged for 25 May – and there was nothing Arsenal could do here to make that feel even the slightest bit premature.

Instead, we had the result that everybody could probably have predicted when they saw José Mourinho had started with a team devoid of an orthodox centre-forward. Chelsea, once again, showed their qualities of structure and defensive organisation and it is now five games since Arsenal last managed a goal against them. Arsène Wenger has still not beaten Mourinho in 13 attempts and Chelsea stubbornly refused to be drawn into the kind of match that would suit their opponents.

“Boring, boring Chelsea,” Arsenal’s supporters taunted. Mourinho came prepared into his press conference. “Boring?” he asked. “Ten years without a title – that’s boring.”

As put-downs go, it was one of his better ones. Yet he could hardly deny Chelsea’s conservatism. The tactic was to keep at least half a dozen players behind the ball and insure themselves against the counterattack, Wenger’s weapon of choice. Chelsea are grinding their way to glory but, boy, they are good at these smothering techniques.

John Terry made it seem implausible he was not even on the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year award, leading Mourinho to describe it as the greatest performance he had seen from his captain. César Azpilicueta excelled at left-back and at the final whistle the fist-pumping told its own story. Branislav Ivanovic launched himself into the air. Terry let out a cry of pent-up emotion. Gary Cahill embraced Azpilicueta. That sturdy quartet of thou-shall-not-pass defenders punched the sky and screamed their delight in a collective appreciation of their own work.

Did Chelsea come for the scoreless draw? No, Mourinho always wants to win but the priority was certainly to hold the fort – and there is no better team in England when it comes to subduing high-calibre opponents. It is the first time Wenger’s team have dropped points at home since November and we have to go back to the previous February to find the last occasion they did not score a league goal at home. Mesut Özil, Alexis Sánchez and their other danger men had lots of the ball but there was always that formidable bank of blue shirts ahead of them.

The paradox, perhaps, is that Chelsea could also reflect the game might have turned out very differently but for the moment, a quarter of an hour in, that provided the game’s biggest controversy. David Ospina, Arsenal’s goalkeeper, was certainly fortunate not to be punished after charging from his goalline, missing the ball and clattering into Oscar. Héctor Bellerín prevented Oscar’s looping effort from bouncing into the goal and Chelsea had every right to argue it should have been a penalty.

Wenger admitted afterwards his team had been lucky but Chelsea lose an element of sympathy because of the other occasions they resorted to deceptions to try to win a penalty. Oscar can just about be given the benefit of the doubt after an optimistic fall in front of Bellerín but Cesc Fàbregas deserved all the condemnation that came his way when he wafted his leg in the direction of Santi Cazorla, then plopped to the ground in the vain hope that the referee, Michael Oliver, might be conned. All of Mourinho’s grievances will be undermined as long as his players try it on this way.

Arsenal had complaints of their own bearing in mind the incident later in the first half when Cahill’s left arm blocked Cazorla’s goal-bound shot inside the penalty area. Özil was Arsenal’s greatest threat in the first half. Aaron Ramsey’s link-up play with the overlapping Bellerín was another feature but, with less of the ball, Mourinho’s team still created the best chances of that period. Fàbregas’s pass for Oscar’s opportunity was the outstanding moment and, seven minutes before the interval, Ramires ought to have done better after Willian’s pass.

Oscar had to go off at half-time, taken to hospital and still suffering the effects of the collision with Ospina, and Didier Drogba took over as their centre-forward to give the team a more orthodox look.

Fàbregas took up a more attacking position and Willian switched to the right, with Ramires dropping inside to partner Nemanja Matic. Yet their tactics rarely deviated. At one point Willian led a promising break and there was only Drogba and Fàbregas who showed the faintest interest in supporting their colleague. The rest hung back.

Fàbregas had a mixed afternoon on his first game back at his old club. A lot of passes were misplaced and, in the worst moments, it felt as if the protective mask he is wearing to protect a broken nose must be hampering his vision.

Fàbregas eventually removed it after one lapse. There were boos every time he touched the ball and, unforgivably, one Arsenal supporter decided the minute’s silence for the forthcoming 30th anniversary of the Bradford City fire was an appropriate time to abuse an old favourite. Equally, many applauded him when the Spaniard was substituted late on.

The more important matter for Chelsea was that they had edged another point closer to where they want to be. The substitute Danny Welbeck could not adjust his feet quickly enough with a stoppage-time chance and Chelsea’s celebrations at the end were so jubilant it said one thing: they knew.

Man of the match John Terry (Chelsea)

Tottenham remain point above Southampton

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/32363003

Tottenham twice came from behind to earn a valuable point at Southampton in the battle to secure European football.

Graziano Pelle gave the hosts the lead after seizing on a defensive lapse to prod home before Erik Lamela diverted the ball home via his arm for 1-1.

Pelle again put the Saints in front with a powerful header, but their lead lasted just five minutes.

Nacer Chadli latched on to Eric Dier's through ball and converted from close range to secure a point.

The result means Spurs remain sixth, a point ahead of Saints and level with fifth-placed Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

outhampton fans renamed the match Ronald Koeman Day in support of their Dutch manager and arrived at the game dressed in orange as former boss Mauricio Pochettino made his first return to St Mary's since his acrimonious departure to Spurs last summer.

Morgan Schneiderlin forced Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris into the first save of the game before the opener arrived in the 30th minute.

Sadio Mane did the damage, splitting the Spurs defence with a searing run into the box and, with the ball at his feet and facing his own goal, Spurs left-back Ben Davies hesitated and Pelle nipped in to prod home from close range.

St Mary's was stunned into silence before the break with Lamela appearing to deflect the ball into the net with his arm as he attempted a header from Dier's cross for the equaliser.

Liverpool 1-2 Manchester United: Juan Mata nets double to open up five-point lead over Brendan Rodgers' side

Sometimes, a man can rage just a little too hard against the dying of the light. That was the pitiful reality of Steven Gerrard’s final match for Liverpool against Manchester United.

He wanted it too much. The heroic last hurrah, the script from the heavens, the breathless drama, the epic final scene.

Gerrard’s codas are rarely short of spectacular. Last-minute goals, revivals, miracles even. This was a screen grab — blink and you’d miss it — a dismal little cameo that, knowing the man, will probably haunt him into his twilight years. And not just as a footballer either. 

Gerrard hoped for so much from his final Anfield appearance against Manchester United. These are the games he knows he will miss and he wanted so badly to make it count. It was over before it had begun.

Thirty-eight seconds. That was Gerrard’s contribution to this game. Introduced at half-time by Brendan Rodgers, with Liverpool already trailing, Gerrard no doubt hoped to make a big impact on the 45 minutes. He failed even to make it to 45 seconds — seven short when a stamp on Ander Herrera ended his involvement.

It is possible to have sympathy for Gerrard’s misguided desire while also believing referee Martin Atkinson’s straight red card was entirely merited. Gerrard put one in on Juan Mata — very hard but fair — Herrera then gave him one back, and Gerrard stamped on him in fury as retaliation. Atkinson saw it and flashed a red card instantly.

He also booked Herrera, although that may have been as a sop to the home crowd, watching their talisman disappearing forlornly down the tunnel. Gerrard didn’t even protest greatly. He knew he was wrong, he knew he had lost it in his desperation to leave the pitch a winner on 90 minutes. He knew he had let his team-mates down, too — and admitted it in a heartfelt apology, made immediately after the match. 

Last year, the slip against Chelsea — that was misfortune. This he recognised was little short of madness. Did it cost Liverpool the game, or at least a point? Possibly. Considering how close the scoreline was with 10, who knows if United would have held out against 11? Certainly, Gerrard’s exit left Liverpool with a hill to climb, doubly so when Mata scored his second of the game — one of the goals of the season to stretch United’s lead to 2-0.

The defeat leaves Liverpool five points adrift of the top four and still to visit Arsenal and Chelsea. The first of those games must be played without Gerrard, who will also miss next month’s FA Cup quarter-final replay against Blackburn Rovers.

After this, how much he will start of the remainder of the season is unknown. A player so overwhelmed by need as his final weeks slip away is hardly reliable. Gerrard had not been sent off in the Premier League for nine years, so this was entirely out of character. That will worry Rodgers as he prepares to regroup for one last assault on Champions League qualification.

Manchester United are in the box seat now. Having ridden their luck so often this season, with a daunting run of fixtures one of two things had to happen. They would either improve, as promised by Louis van Gaal, who claimed his teams always got stronger in the second half of his first season; or United would experience a fearful reckoning, savaged by tougher opponents.

Following an impressive display against Tottenham Hotspur last week, United appear to have taken option one. The first half here, certainly, was as good as they have played all season.

They reduced Liverpool to less than 40 per cent possession, the midfield was exceptional and they scored a vital goal through Mata. 

He is one of the three most improved players under Van Gaal and all were in effect. Michael Carrick has had a huge influence as a defensive screen since returning from injury, while Marouane Fellaini has tremendous nuisance value as a deep-lying targetman, a unique position Van Gaal appears to have created for him.

Mata is in much better nick than this time last season under David Moyes, too, particularly as a goal-scorer. His two on Sunday were exceptionally taken — and constructed. It was a beautifully worked move for the 14th-minute opener. Daley Blind won the ball on the left, feeding Fellaini who picked out Herrera in the middle. It was his pass that clinched it, splitting the Liverpool defence and leaving Mata with only Simon Mignolet to beat. The finish was equally impressive, shooting across the goalkeeper inside the far post. Liverpool’s usual fluency was missing but after 35 minutes they should have levelled. Jordan Henderson crossed from the right, the ball falling to Daniel Sturridge, who generously laid it back to Adam Lallana.

Maybe he regretted his decision after Lallana powered his shot low against the perimeter advertising. It wasn’t terribly wide, but Lallana had to do better from there. He made way for Gerrard at half-time.

Liverpool improved, strangely, despite being reduced to 10 but United were worth their victory and — Gerrard’s sad exit aside — were responsible for the most memorable moment of the afternoon.

It came after 59 minutes. Carrick broke up play and fed the ball to Herrera. His blocked shot fell to Mata who then found substitute Angel di Maria. He paused, waited for the opening, and chipped it back to Mata. What happened next was simply delightful. Mata took two steps back, sized up the dropping ball and hit a sideways scissor kick on the volley which utterly defeated Mignolet. 

By far the best team for an hour, United could have won by more had Wayne Rooney not had an injury-time penalty saved after Emre Can had clumsily felled Blind. It was a fine diving stop by Mignolet and of particular frustration for Rooney, being only his fourth shot on target at Anfield in his career.

That Liverpool had earlier got a goal back and had Van Gaal’s men sweating for a while is tribute to a spirit that is increasingly independent of Gerrard’s presence — and will need to be in the coming weeks.

The goal came from Sturridge in the 69th minute, beating David de Gea at his near post from a lovely pass by Philippe Coutinho, to remind Roy Hodgson there is not just the one prolific English striker in the Premier League right now.

At the end, Atkinson was booed by the locals, although it is hard to see what he got so drastically wrong. If anything Liverpool were lucky — Martin Skrtel appearing to stamp on De Gea in the last move of the match, provoking a mild scuffle. Atkinson looked to have missed it, the television cameras didn’t, and considering what happened to Diego Costa earlier in the season, it is unlikely the FA will either

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho frustrated by penalty decisions vs. Southampton

http://www.espnfcasia.com/chelsea/story/2349491/chelsea-boss-jose-mourinho-frustrated-by-penalty-decisions-against-southampton

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho believes a wrongly awarded penalty in the 1-1 draw with Southampton denied his side an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

The Blues are six points clear of second-placed Manchester City with a game in hand but, for the second time against Southampton this season, Mourinho bemoaned decisions by the officials.

He was fined 25,000 pounds for saying there was a "clear campaign" against his side after Cesc Fabregas was denied a penalty and booked for diving instead in the 1-1 draw against the Saints at St Mary's in December.

On Sunday, Mourinho was frustrated that Nemanja Matic was penalised, allowing Dusan Tadic to score from the spot and cancel out Diego Costa's first Premier League goal for almost two months, and that Branislav Ivanovic was not awarded a spot kick at the other end.

"I'm happy with the situation. I'm happy with the six-point lead, but I'm not happy with the result,'' he said.

"If you remember our two matches against Southampton: in one game, one penalty that is not a penalty, and in another game a penalty that was not given. You are speaking about six points transformed into two points.''

Mourinho was upset with the penalty decisions, but bit his tongue on this occasion.

He said: "My opinion is not important. Important is Mr Mike Dean [the referee]. His decision was a penalty [for Southampton] and his decision was no penalty on Ivanovic.''

Ivanovic may have been clipped by Tadic but fell theatrically, possibly dissuading Dean from pointing to the spot.

Asked about the fall, Mourinho deferred to his media officer sitting alongside him, saying: "You have to control me, if not...''

He was told that television pundit Graeme Souness -- with whom he had a public exchange of views this week after he criticised Chelsea's conduct in the Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain -- thought that Matic had conceded a penalty.

"Graeme Souness says also that it's more a reason to criticise a player who asks for a yellow card than a player who kicks somebody in the chest,'' Mourinho added.

"I went to Sky and they told me their pundits said it's a penalty. I went to BBC and they told me it's not a penalty. I went to the radios and they told me it's not a penalty.

"Pundits are paid to wear my suit, but I'm not paid to wear their suit or to comment on their comments.

"If one day I become a pundit, I will wear a manager's suit. I will win every game, because pundits win every game, and then I can be critical and I can be phenomenal like they are.''

Matic was replaced by Ramires soon after a second-half foul on Sadio Mane that could have seen him booked for a second time and sent off for a second successive Premier League game.

"When that penalty is given you have to believe that the second yellow card can come,'' Mourinho said, referring to Ramires' sending off at Aston Villa last season.

The manager was pleased with his players' response to their European elimination on away goals as their grip on a first title in five years tightened following Manchester City's 1-0 loss at Burnley on Saturday.

But the Portuguese said he felt third-placed Arsenal, seven points behind, are still in the title race.

He said the Gunners have an easier run-in than Chelsea and added: "More teams are in the race.

"For me, which momentum [for Arsenal]? Three-one against Monaco or 3-0 against West Ham? It depends on the momentum.

"If somebody tells me in August that at the end of March we are six points in front and one match in hand, I would sign immediately. No doubts."

Southampton beat Manchester United 1-0

Manchester United 0-1 Southampton: Substitute Dusan Tadic hits the winner for high-flying Saints as they overtake United and move up to third in the Premier League table

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2905569/Manchester-United-0-1-Southampton-Substitute-Dusan-Tadic-hits-winner-high-flying-Saints-overtake-United-Premier-League-table.html#ixzz3Ohp6VGBT 
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

This defeat will hurt Louis van Gaal. History tells us that he doesn’t like conceding ground to Ronald Koeman.

It will disturb Manchester United supporters even more, though, simply because it is indicative of changed circumstances.

During the golden years, only the really big teams came to Old Trafford with victory in mind. Now, that invitation is open to any side who have the courage and nerve to take it. Sides such as Southampton. 

Koeman’s team didn’t win this match with a smash and grab. It was no backs-to-the-wall, hang-on-and-hope operation. Not a bit of it.

Southampton came to Manchester looking to outplay United, while Saints’ manager came to prove himself tactically more astute than the compatriot with whom he once worked fractiously at Ajax.

As the result suggests, both plans worked. The winning goal in the 69th minute, from Serbian substitute Dusan Tadic, surprised nobody, while United’s jumbled attacking formation failed to produce anything resembling a chance until Juan Mata missed a couple of opportunities late on.

Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster had to be vigilant but no more than that. He won’t be washing his gloves this week, so rarely did he have to use them.

An interesting fact — the one that dominated social-media chat at full-time — was that United ended the game without registering a shot on target. That put Wayne Rooney’s suggestion that United had ‘deserved to win’ into its proper context and was indicative of the home team’s impotence in the final third of the field. 

Perhaps equally as pertinent, though, was that this was a game that ended with no late cavalry charge from United. Here at Old Trafford, United teams used to view the possibility of victory for their opponents as an affront to their pride, as an insult even.

Even on the days they did lose, they did so while threatening to kick the door down.

Not on Sunday, though. Van Gaal made late substitutions and changed things round a bit. He pushed Rooney up the middle and threw on Marouane Fellaini to try to unsettle Southampton physically.United still ended the game quietly, though. Beaten in every way.

Young striker James Wilson remained on the substitutes’ bench while Radamel Falcao — £280,000-a-week Radamel Falcao — watched from afar, having failed to make the squad.

It was all a little odd, but then maybe not that odd at all. For this is the type of thing that always looks as though it may happen to United these days.

The misery and defeatism of David Moyes’s time at United has disappeared but a vulnerability remains. Indeed, Van Gaal’s United have the same number of points that Moyes’s team did after the same number of games. Koeman was gracious afterwards but still struck a relevant theme when he mentioned the ‘difficulties’ of United’s three central defenders. He also stated that victory had not surprised him.

‘It is a good feeling,’ he said. ‘Certainly it’s better than how I felt when United beat us at Southampton.’ 

Southampton began brightly, and Steven Davis and Pelle were denied by interventions from Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw respectively. Pelle also headed wide from a corner before, with 21 minutes to go, United’s defence was breached.

It was Tadic’s vision that did the damage. He seemed to have his head down amid a sea of red after United had failed to clear a long pass to the edge of their own area. But somehow the Southampton man spotted Pelle unmarked to his right and squeezed the ball out to his team-mate.

One on one with David de Gea, Pelle should have scored, but even though his shot rebounded from the near post, Tadic was alert enough and calm enough to side-foot the ball back into the empty goal from 15 yards.

There was still time for United and Mata could — maybe should — have scored late on.

Twice Daley Blind provided the Spaniard with good chances but twice he failed to hit the target. Soon after, he missed again with a half volley.

In many ways, Mata sums up the current United. Talented but unreliable, only sporadically impressive.

Manchester United ruthless against Liverpool 3-0

Premier League: Manchester United beat Liverpool 3-0 as David De Gea excels

David De Gea produced a man-of-the-match performance as Manchester United extended their winning run in the Premier League to six games with a 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford.

First-half goals from Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata and a third after the break from Robin van Persie saw Louis van Gaal’s side consolidate third in the table and close to within five points of second-placed Manchester City.

However, their defensive frailties were all too apparent throughout the game and they were hugely indebted to De Gea, who produced no fewer than six excellent saves in a superb performance.

Liverpool had little trouble creating chances against United’s porous back three, but defensive errors of their own and a mistake from the officials for Mata’s goal ensured they remain ninth in the table, seven points adrift of the top four.

Sterling thwarted

Brendan Rodgers's side started with pace and intensity and should have taken the lead when Adam Lallana slipped in Raheem Sterling after 12 minutes, but the England winger saw his low left-footed shot saved by the alert De Gea.

United immediately went down the other end and scored through Rooney, who side-footed home from the edge of the penalty area after Antonio Valencia eased past Joe Allen on the right wing and cut the ball back beautifully.

The goal settled the hosts down and they enjoyed more possession, yet it was Liverpool who continued to create the better opportunities. After Steven Gerrard had seen a right-foot strike from distance deflected into the arms of De Gea, the Spanish goalkeeper produced another point-blank save after 23 minutes to once again deny Sterling, who had skipped past a static Phil Jones in the left channel.

The visitors were then made to pay for their profligacy when Mata doubled the lead by nodding home unmarked at the back post on 40 minutes, although they were not helped by the officials failing to spot that Van Persie had flicked Ashley Young’s left-wing cross on to the Spaniard, rendering him a couple of yards offside.

Liverpool started quickly once again in the second half and should have been level within six minutes. However, Jordan Henderson sent a free header in the box inexplicably over, before De Gea produced yet another superb piece of goalkeeping to block a low shot from Sterling, who had pounced on a tame backpass from Ashley Young and was through one-on-one.

Balotelli disbelief

But De Gea’s best save was kept for half-time substitute Mario Balotelli, who looked stunned when he saw the United goalkeeper tip his goalbound shot on to the crossbar after 67 minutes.

Liverpool appeared buoyed by the chances they were being afforded, but all belief then drained out of them when Van Persie added United’s third after 71 minutes.

Dejan Lovren made a horrible mess of clearing Rooney’s cross and presented the ball straight to Mata, who could have shot but instead spread the ball right for the unmarked Dutchman to side-foot home.

De Gea’s virtuoso display was not yet over, though, because he denied Balotelli twice more, first clawing a low shot out of the bottom corner eight minutes from time and then blocking the disbelieving striker’s effort when through one on one five minutes later.

Hutton scores as Aston Villa edged Leicester City

Premier League: Alan Hutton scores first Aston Villa goal to secure victory over Leicester City

Aston Villa won at home for only the second time this season as they came from behind to beat Leicester City 2-1.

Leonardo Ulloa gave the visitors the lead after 13 minutes when he tapped in from close range after a mistake from Brad Guzan, but Villa were soon level as Ciaran Clark headed home Ashley Westwood’s free-kick a few minutes later.

Westwood was carried off on a stretcher before half-time after a challenge from Jamie Vardy but Villa secured victory when Alan Hutton fired a low shot past Kasper Schmeichel in the 71st minute.

Leicester ended the game with 10 men after Paul Konchesky was shown a straight red card following an altercation with Hutton.

The win moves Villa up to 11th in the Premier League table while Leicester remain bottom.

Both sides made two changes from their midweek matches, Charles N’Zogbia and Carlos Sanchez coming in for Villa and Danny Simpson and Liam Moore starting for Leicester.

The Foxes had struggled for goals on their travels this season – scoring just three in their previous seven matches – but they were given a helping hand for the opener by Guzan.

The Villa goalkeeper should have gathered Riyad Mahrez’s low shot in the 13th minute but looked to be wrong-footed and instead could only deflect it out for Ulloa to tap in.

Fortunately for the American it did not take his side long to respond as just four minutes later Westwood curled in a fine free-kick that Clark stooped to head home from eight yards out.

Buoyed by the goal, Villa looked the better side for the rest of the half as they worked the ball around well without creating too many chances.

Guzan was also largely untroubled at the other end but did narrowly avoid conceding a penalty when he came rushing out to try to beat Vardy to a ball over the top and just got there ahead of the forward.

The half ended on a sour note for Villa when Westwood had to be carried off on a stretcher after a tackle from Vardy.

Leicester were also forced into a change at the interval after Ulloa picked up a knock late in the half and was replaced by David Nugent.

Both sides went close during a bright start to the second half as Tom Cleverley and Jeffrey Schlupp failed to hit the target from promising positions.

Christian Benteke then spurned an excellent opportunity to give Villa the lead when he was played in by Kieran Richardso only to be foiled by Schmeichel who came diving out at his feet.

Schmeichel saved from Agbonlahor a few minutes later while at the other end Guzan also had to make a sharp stop to palm Nugent’s dipping half-volley over the bar.

A few minutes later Villa found the winning goal when Agbonlahor broke away down the left and passed inside for Benteke, who clipped a pass over the top for Hutton as he came charging up from right-back.

The defender had not scored for four years but showed good composure to take a touch and volley a low shot past Schmeichel.

It was the first time Villa had scored in the second half since April 5 but their efforts to add to their lead were thwarted by Schmeichel, who saved well from a Benteke header and then kept out another effort from the following corner.

Leicester's task was made more difficult when Konchesky was shown a straight red card in the 80th minute following a clash with Hutton.

It was unclear whether the defender was dismissed for the challenge or the following altercation with Hutton, but Leicester could not stage a late comeback with 10 men as their run without a victory extended to 10 matches.

Newcastle dealt Chelsea its first Premier League loss 2-1

Newcastle 2-1 Chelsea: Papiss Cisse scores twice as Toon end Premier League leaders' unbeaten start to the season

Jose Mourinho always said it was mission impossible and so it proved. No-one, it seems, goes unbeaten in England throughout a season these days. Arsene Wenger still has at least one up on his nemesis.

Alan Pardew’s Newcastle United, the team which two months ago looked an abject parody of a Premier League side, achieved what many believed to be impossible – and they did so in some style.

They survived a torrid opening thirty minutes, when Chelsea looked to be at their formidable best; they survived losing their goalkeeper at half-time and bringing on a 21-year-old debutant; and they survived playing out the closing exchanges with 10 men. 

And when the fourth official Robert Madley signalled for six minutes of stoppage time at the end, there were howls of protest around an indignant St James’ Park. It was entirely understandable. A famous victory looked to be in doubt. The sense that, given enough time, Chelsea would rectify the deficit, was inescapable. And given how well Newcastle had played, that would have been hard to bear.

Quite how Pardew had turned around the shambolic team that looked so dreadful when they lost at Southampton is one of the season’s mysteries. It wasn’t that they clung on to a win; they matched Chelsea and, while having periods where they had to defend, at times were the better team.

The discipline, shape and determination were exemplary – Papiss Cisse will take the plaudits for is two goals after coming off the bench, but it is the engine room comprised of Jack Colback, Moussa Sissoko and – enjoying an authentic champagne moment – Cheick Tiote who provided the platform for this win.

It didn’t look to be shaping up that way early on. There is something a little ominous about Chelsea when they slowly move through the gears and began to open up the throttle. The opening 30 minutes had that feel. Slowly, surely, they were overhauling Newcastle. The sheer speed of the passing, the quality of the link-ups looked to have the home side on the back foot. 

There was the shot from Willian just wide on 11 minutes, which came after the slickest multi-pass build imaginable, with Chelsea simply weaving their way through their opponents. Eden Hazard dashed down the left wing on 14 minutes, causing consternation, but shot wide. John Terry then headed just over from a Cesc Fabregas corner.

Willian then had a delightful curling shot just wide on 19 minutes and Fabregas was tipped away by Rob Elliot. Chelsea test every facet of your game. Be it skill or physicality, strength in the air or sheer power, they stretch you in all departments. It seemed only a matter of time before they unpicked Newcastle.

And yet, Alan Pardew’s team hung on in. Sissoko and Colback in particular refused to give the game up for lost. Bit by bit, they worked their way back into the game. They never lost their shape, each and every player pressing when required and strong in the challenge when necessary.

Eventually, their endurance began to pay some dividends. On 33 minutes they produced a delightful moment when Sammy Ameobi played in a ball for the impressive Ayoze Perez. The Spaniard held the ball up and played it in for Colback who was through on goal, only for Thibaut Courtois to rush from his line to smother the ball.

Newcastle’s progress might have been undone at half-time, however, with keeper Elliot, already a stand in for Tim Krul, unable to continue. On came Jak Alnwick, 21 and the brother of Ben, for a debut in the most testing circumstances imaginable. He started well, however: flattening Diego Costa as he came for his first punch.

Newcastle continued to hold their own, though John Obi Mikel should have put Chelsea ahead on 56 minutes, heading wide from a Fabregas free-kick with a clear sight of goal.

But slowly the limited vulnerabilities of Chelsea begun to show – and they can be penetrated when confronted by the quickest of attackers. Sissoko led the charge on 57 minutes, sprinting away before releasing Ameobi on the right. His cross should have been cut out by Gary Cahill but he allowed it through to Cisse, who had only been on the pitch for four minutes, to score from close range with his first touch.

Chelsea tried to respond. Certainly in terms of possession they were impressive. But despite sending on Didier Drogba, the chances never came. On 77 minutes, Eden Hazard hit the post, which was as close as it got. And yet within a minute, they were further behind.

Colback, hugely impressive, first won the ball in midfield and then drove on to release Sissoko, who was through on goal. Courtois came out to block but the ball deflected into the path of Cisse, on hand, to steer in his second of the game.

Finally, a subdued St James’ Park erupted. This was turning into an outstanding performance; and then Steven Taylor, in his eagerness, jeopardised it, scything through Andre Schurrle in the 81st minute. It was a clear red card, and barely a protest was registered. From the free-kick on 83 minutes, Fabregas curled the ball in and Alnwick, excellent until then, failed to come and collect, and Drogba simply headed home.

Alnwick would redeem himself – saves from Costa and Felipe Luis in the dying minutes saved his team. His day, his manager’s day was complete. Newcastle earned their win – and Mourinho’s invincibles are no more.