Chelsea stretch lead with win over Swansea
Chelsea’s processional march towards the Premier League title continued at Swansea City’s expense on Saturday as last season’s champions Leicester City dropped into the bottom three.
Antonio Conte’s side were not firing on all cylinders against a resolute Swansea side managed by their former assistant manager Paul Clement but secondhalf goals by Pedro and Diego Costa made sure of a 3-1 victory.
They are now 11 points ahead of Manchester City who have 13 games left to play and while Italian Conte is too cagey to start proclaiming his side yet, only a monumental loss of form can deny them the title. Chelsea’s victory made it mathematically impossible for Leicester to catch them as they are 42 points behind the leaders going into their home clash with Liverpool on Monday - their first fixture since the sacking of manager Claudio Ranieri. Leicester will start that game third bottom after Crystal Palace’s 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough at Selhurst Park on Saturday took them out of the relegation zone.
Patrick van Aanholt’s 34thminute goal was enough to take Palace to 17th place with 22 points, one ahead of Leicester and Hull City who drew 1-1 at home with Burnley. Boro also have 22 points but are sliding towards the drop zone after nine league games without a win.
MISERABLE GOODISON RETURN FOR MOYES
MANCHESTER David Moyes suffered a wretched return to Goodison Park where he made his managerial name as Sunderland were beaten 2-0 by a Romelu Lukaku-inspired Everton on Saturday to stay rooted to the foot of the table.Moyes, who had 11 largely successful years as Everton manager, had to look on with dismay as Idrissa Gueye powered through from midfield to thrash home Seamus Coleman’s cross five minutes before the interval. Romelu Lukaku sealed Everton’s dominance with an accomplished 17th league goal of the season .