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 

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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)

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."

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.

Chelsea beat West Bromwich Albion 2-0

Bleacher Report

Diego Costa scored again as Premier League leaders Chelsea marched on with a comfortable 2-0 victory at home to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

Costa put Chelsea on their way with the opener in the 11th minute before Eden Hazard doubled the Blues' advantage midway through the half. 

West Brom played more than an hour with 10 men after Claudio Yacob was sent off for a two-footed challenge on Costa. Chelsea dominated both before and after the red card and could have scored several more goals if not for a strong performance from West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster.

The final score will hardly matter, though, either for Chelsea or Costa. With this latest win—their 10th in 12 league games this season—Chelsea remained unbeaten and maintained their eight-point advantage over defending champions Manchester City. Second-placed Southampton are now seven points behind but will have a chance to close the gap when they play at Aston Villa on Monday.

Costa, meanwhile, continues to display irresistible form, having scored his 11th league goal since joining Chelsea from Atletico Madrid in the summer. The Spain-international striker is the league's second-leading scorer, only one strike behind Manchester City's Sergio Aguero.

Up next for Chelsea is a match at Sunderland next Saturday. 

With nearly one-third of the season played, Jose Mourinho's side look increasingly likely to go through the entire campaign without a defeat. This week, in fact, former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry suggested, per BBC Sport, via MLSSoccer.com, that Chelsea could match the Gunners' Invincibles side that went unbeaten in 2003-04.

West Brom face another tough test next Saturday when they host top-four contenders Arsenal. The Baggies remain firmly in the bottom of the table and will be hoping for a result to keep them above the relegation zone.

Chelsea needed little time to start the onslaught, carving out a first chance in the fifth minute. Hazard and Cesc Fabregas combined on a short corner before Hazard rolled a cross into the middle for John Terry. The captain redirected the ball on target, but Foster scrambled clear to keep the match scoreless.Six minutes later, Chelsea broke the deadlock. Oscar set up the goal, curling in a cross from the left to pick out Costa in the middle of the box. Costa chested the ball into the air and volleyed in past Foster as West Brom's defenders appealed for offside. 

Replays suggested it was a tight decision, with West Brom full-back Andre Wisdom perhaps playing Costa onside.

Chelsea nearly doubled their lead in the 15th minute. Hazard created space with a dribble on the left before cutting back for Oscar; the Brazilian hit his shot across the ball, but Foster made a good save to keep it out. 

Costa then flicked a first-time effort inches wide of the post in the 19th minute, but Chelsea wouldn't have to wait much longer for another goal.

It was only a matter of time before Chelsea found the net again, and Hazard obliged in the 25th minute. Taking advantage of poor defending, Hazard received a corner on the left side of the box and went around Craig Gardner with a deft first touch. The Belgian then finished at the near post for a 2-0 lead.

The situation worsened for West Brom in the 29th minute, as Yacob saw red for a tackle on Costa. Yacob did win the ball with his two-footed challenge, but by leaving his feet to do so, he gave referee Lee Mason little choice.

Six minutes later, Chelsea broke the deadlock. Oscar set up the goal, curling in a cross from the left to pick out Costa in the middle of the box. Costa chested the ball into the air and volleyed in past Foster as West Brom's defenders appealed for offside. Replays suggested it was a tight decision, with West Brom full-back Andre Wisdom perhaps playing Costa onside.

Chelsea nearly doubled their lead in the 15th minute. Hazard created space with a dribble on the left before cutting back for Oscar; the Brazilian hit his shot across the ball, but Foster made a good save to keep it out. 

Costa then flicked a first-time effort inches wide of the post in the 19th minute, but Chelsea wouldn't have to wait much longer for another goal.

It was only a matter of time before Chelsea found the net again, and Hazard obliged in the 25th minute. Taking advantage of poor defending, Hazard received a corner on the left side of the box and went around Craig Gardner with a deft first touch. The Belgian then finished at the near post for a 2-0 lead.

The situation worsened for West Brom in the 29th minute, as Yacob saw red for a tackle on Costa. Yacob did win the ball with his two-footed challenge, but by leaving his feet to do so, he gave referee Lee Mason little choice.

Leading, 2-0, at half-time, Chelsea strolled through the second half.

In the 47th minute, an unmarked Nemanja Matic volleyed over at the back post from an Oscar cross. Foster palmed away a Terry header three minutes later, but the whistle had already blown for a foul.

The pattern remained the same throughout the second 45 minutes as Chelsea continued to dominate without finding the back of the net again. All that was left for Mourinho was to use his full complement of three substitutions, including a late cameo for Didier Drogba, who replaced Costa with six minutes left.

Chelsea masters Arsenal in London derby 2-0

Costa is embraced by John Obi Mikel after scoring his goal. The Spanish striker was a peripheral figure but scored when it mattered at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal: Gunners undone by Eden Hazard as Arsene Wenger continues to suffer against Jose Mourinho 

A one-man team? Chelsea are so much more than that this season. Those who believe the title race rests on the hamstrings of Diego Costa may have to reconsider after this.

For a good 75 minutes, Arsenal snuffed out Costa’s threat. It did not matter. Chelsea were still on course for victory, through the quite brilliant Eden Hazard.

Just when Arsenal began imagining they might get a point from the game, a perfect long pass by Cesc Fabregas killed them. 

Outstanding at the back, tireless through midfield, this Chelsea team is the real deal.

They are five points clear of their nearest rival, Manchester City, after seven games going into the October international break and if that margin is repeated through the season the title comes to Stamford Bridge before the first blossoms of spring.

As the Premier League does not get won by gaps of 25 points, that is unlikely to happen, but finding a way of stopping Chelsea in this form is easier said than done.

Not least because when Thibaut Courtois, arguably the best goalkeeper in the League, gets injured, his replacement is Petr Cech, arguably the second best goalkeeper in the League. Chelsea’s strength in depth sets them apart.

Jose Mourinho has built a powerful squad, full of options and nuance. This was not the 6-0 monstering of Arsenal from last season, but it was impressive nonetheless.

Aside from a Jack Wilshere shot that struck Fabregas’s hand, inspiring a penalty shout, Arsenal did not really threaten. They had good possession, minus the cutting edge, and Danny Welbeck was made to work too hard to have an impact. He ran and ran, but barely got a touch in an area that mattered.

Chelsea cut to the heart of the matter at least twice. Once, when Hazard burst into the penalty area, again when Fabregas set up Costa for his ninth goal in seven Premier League games.

There were two other occasions when Chelsea could have extended their lead, and both were Hazardous. In the 58th minute, the Belgian broke down the left and hit a cross which Mathieu Flamini almost deflected into his own net but for the outstretched hand of Wojciech Szczesny.

Although his goal was a penalty, what preceded it was quite lovely, the breakthrough coming in the 27th minute with a touch of the mazy Maradonas.

Hazard jinked his way through Arsenal’s defences before Laurent Koscielny dashed across and felled him with a clumsy tackle that earned a booking and the inevitable gesture towards the spot by referee Martin Atkinson. Hazard slipped the ball low to the right as Szczesny dived the wrong way.

And then, with 12 minutes remaining, came the moment every Arsenal fan had dreaded. Fabregas, playing his first game for his new English club against the one that made his name, struck the sort of pass that used to define matches in the red and white of the Gunners.

It wasn’t a long ball. That sounds too crude. It was accurate and intelligent and left Costa (left) free of Arsenal’s attention for once, setting him up for a chance that was only ever going to end with the ball in the net. On Costa ran, outstripping the defence before drawing Szczesny and lobbing him, deftly, to put the result beyond doubt.

A lesser team than Chelsea might have been rattled by the misfortune of goalkeeper Courtois after 10 minutes. Then again, a lesser team than Chelsea would not have been summoning Cech from the bench. Arsenal’s stand-in, for instance, was Emiliano Martinez, a 23-year-old Argentinian who spent much of last season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday. Cech spent it being the Premier League’s best goalkeeper.

Arsenal were rumoured to have wanted him this summer, but Chelsea would not sell to a rival on this occasion. This match showed why. Losing Courtois proved no loss at all. His replacement was as good, just older.

Courtois soldiered on for 13 minutes before conceding that, yes, an earlier collision with a charging Alexis Sanchez had affected his vision. He took the full weight of Sanchez’s thigh to the head and at first looked out cold, splayed like a boxer on the receiving end of a sucker punch. Revived, Courtois continued, but a break in play saw him sit down and call for treatment, and there appeared to be evidence of bleeding in his right ear. 

There has been much discussion of late about the treatment of head injuries, but one of the complications is that players tend to disguise the extent of any problem.

Courtois would no doubt have been asked whether he had lost consciousness and whether he could see straight, and would have replied to the medical team’s satisfaction, either being too brave, too foolhardy, or both.

Are football’s rules sufficient? As medical staff are club employees the suspicion will always be that they are under pressure to keep the team at its strongest, although this is a grave slur against any professional carer. A compromise would be to have independent doctors, appointed by the League, at each game making the call on head injuries, and for replacements to be provided without this counting as a substitution. Yet how long before that advance was abused by an unscrupulous coach looking to make a change without cost?

It could happen. Put it this way: who would have believed the circumstances of rugby union’s Bloodgate scandal before it occurred? 

He marched down the touchline towards the incident, encroaching on Chelsea’s technical area in the process. This upset Mourinho, who attempted to stop him, at which point Wenger placed both hands on the Chelsea manager’s chest and gave him a shove.

For a split second, Mourinho seemed a little concerned, as if he might have to summon John Terry or Didier Drogba as back-up. Instead, the fourth official stepped in and restored order, although Wenger did seem keen to go back for seconds. He retired to his corner, an amused smile on his face, with the look of a man who had taken round one on points.

Wenger later said if he had wanted to properly push Mourinho, he would have gone at it a lot harder. He doesn’t know his strength, that boy. Worryingly, Chelsea probably do.

Frank Lampard saves a point for Manchester City against his team Chelsea 1-1

Manchester City 1-1 Chelsea: Blues legend Frank Lampard haunts his former club with late equaliser after Andre Schurrle opener

Frank Lampard has now scored against 39 different Premier League teams. He just didn’t ever imagine Chelsea would be one of them.

Not since Denis Law believed he had condemned Manchester United to relegation – also in a Manchester City shirt, coincidentally – has a player looked so mixed up about scoring. 

Lampard’s 85th minute equaliser came at the end of an afternoon in which his name had been sung as enthusiastically by the away end, as by the fans of his new club.

They held up banners in his honour, and continued to celebrate and embrace him as one of their own. Lampard said he didn’t get a chance to say a proper goodbye. He must have been relishing the opportunity, yet privately dreading a send-off like this. 

More importantly, Zabaleta deserved to go. Already booked for a foul on Eden Hazard – there were nine yellow cards, including Zabaleta’s two – he was reckless in his challenge on Diego Costa and became involved in some pointless grappling after the event. It was the foul that earned the second yellow card, though, and Zabaleta’s protests were futile and misguided. 

He has been sent-off in six of his seven seasons with City and, for all his excellence, has a tendency to hot-headedness. So does Costa, but he was the wronged party here. In the circumstances, City have no cause for complaint.

Chelsea’s breakthrough, which followed soon after, was poetry in motion. Costa held the ball up in midfield perfectly, moving it on and finally out to Hazard on the right flank. His cross was precise as was substitute Andre Schurrle’s run, arriving at the far post as he so often does for club and country, sharper than City’s covering defenders, a goal waiting to happen. 

It could have been all over from there had Costa not hit a post after 81 minutes. This meant he failed to match the Premier League scoring record of eight in five games – held by Micky Quinn at Coventry City.

In these days of sprees measured in hundreds of millions, it is nice to know that an old school figure like Quinn can still have his name in the record books. Lampard, too. Thirty-nine and counting. Don’t think it ends here. He couldn’t stop himself, you know, even if he tried.

Diego Costa finds home in England, scores hat trick in a 4-2 win over Swansea City

Costa hits hat-trick in Chelsea win

By Sam SheringhamBBC Sport

Diego Costa scored his first Chelsea hat-trick as they came from behind to beat Swansea and maintain their 100% start to the Premier League season.

Swansea took the lead as John Terry turned a low cross into his own net but Costa equalised just before half-time. Chelsea's dominance was rewarded when Costa converted a Cesc Fabregas pass.

The Spain striker guided a low Ramires shot past Lukasz Fabianski and Loic Remy scored his first Blues goal before Jonjo Shelvey's late consolation.

As Chelsea opened up a three-point gap at the top of the table, summer signings Costa and Fabregas offered further evidence of the extra edge they have added to a team that finished third last season. Costa, who passed a late fitness test on a hamstring injury suffered on international duty with Spain, departed to a standing ovation after scoring his seventh goal in four games for the Blues. Fabregas now has six assists, a tally only Eden Hazard exceeded in the whole of Chelsea's 2013-14 campaign.

Swansea had started the match as the only other team in the league with an unblemished record and for much of the first half they were the better side. They carved out an early opening as Wayne Routledge found space in the area but could not control his volley. The Welsh team took a surprise lead via a slick passing move. Ki Sung-Yeung opened up the Chelsea defence with a slide-rule pass and left-back Neil Taylor's low cross was diverted by Terry into his own net.

Far from awakening Chelsea, the goal only served to increase Swansea's hunger. Bafetimbi Gomis, making his first start for the club in attack, twice blasted wide before Routledge curled a shot from the corner of the penalty area narrowly wide.

Chelsea improved as the half wore on and an equaliser arrived on the stroke of half-time when Costa fought off his marker to meet a Fabregas corner and power home his header. The Blues began the second period on the front foot and it was no surprise to see their dominance rewarded with a second goal. Fabregas was again the provider, exchanging passes with Branislav Ivanovic on the left before cutting back for Costa to calmly slot in.

Swansea missed a clear chance to equalise when Gomis - clean through on goal - fluffed his attempted chip over Thibault Courtois.  Grateful for the let-off, Chelsea soon made sure of the points.  Costa showed his goalscoring instincts to pounce on Ramires's scuffed effort, before his replacement Remy swept home a square pass from Oscar.

Shelvey's late strike from the edge of the area reduced the deficit, but by then the Swans were well beaten.

Swansea manager Garry Monk: "It was a very good first half hour. Some of the football was the best we've played this season. I think it just showed the world-class quality they have and in the second-half it took its toll a bit. Their power and strength was too much.

"When you play the top teams you gauge where you are at and what you need to work on. But in terms of effort and commitment we were very good."

Chelsea's Fernando Torres goes to AC Milan on loan

Chelsea: Fernando Torres joins AC Milan on two-year loan

Chelsea striker Fernando Torres is to join AC Milan on a two-year loan deal.

The Spaniard's move is subject to him agreeing personal terms and passing a medical on Saturday.

The ex-Liverpool and Atletico Madrid forward joined Chelsea for a then-British record £50m in January 2011 but struggled to live up his price tag.

Torres scored just 20 goals in 110 league appearances during his spell at Stamford Bridge, but was part of the club's 2012 Champions League success.

Speaking just hours before the deal was announced, Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said: "If he wants to leave, it's because he wants to try a new life, a new club, probably a new league. To try to be happier than he was in the last couple of years."

Torres's prospects were hampered further by the arrival of fellow Spain international Diego Costa from Atletico Madrid this summer.

Costa and Didier Drogba remain Chelsea's attacking options.

Milan have been on the lookout for another forward to replace Mario Ballotelli, who left the club for Liverpool last week.

Speaking on Milan's official website  on Wednesday, Rossoneri vice-president Adriano Galliani said: "Torres is certainly an important forward and we will see if we can sign him or another player."

Torres's British record transfer fee stood until Angel Di Maria moved from Real Madrid to Manchester United for £59.7m this week.

While Chelsea fans only saw glimpses of the form that brought Torres 65 goals in 102 league appearances for previous club Liverpool, Mourinho spoke highly of him at Friday's news conference to preview Saturday's trip to Everton.

The Portuguese said he did not expect Torres to depart before the transfer window closed and was against a last-minute deal.

"If that happens in the last hour of the market, we are in trouble," said Mourinho. "In this moment we are doing nothing because our belief is that the market is closed for us.

"I've believed for a long time that the squad is closed. We have our squad. We like our squad. It's not the perfect one, because no squad is perfect, but it's one we like."