Easy romp for Chelsea, Arsenal in dramatic tie

LONDON – Diego Costa marked his return to Chelsea duty by scoring the opening goal in a 2-0 victory over Hull yesterday that saw the Premier League leaders go eight points clear after Arsenal went second by coming through late penalty drama.

Costa was reported to have had a training-ground row with fitness coach Julio Tous.

Following a sickening clash of heads between Chelsea’s Gary Cahill and Hull’s Ryan Mason, Costa struck in the seventh minute of first-half stoppagetime when he turned in Victor Moses’s cross.

Hull, belying their position of second-bottom in the table, pushed Chelsea hard and might have had a penalty before Cahill sealed victory for the hosts nine minutes from time at Stamford Bridge when he ran on unchallenged to head in Cesc Fabregas’s free-kick.

Earlier in London, 10-man Arsenal beat Burnley 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium in a match where both sides scored penalties in stoppage-time.

Shkodran Mustafi’s first Arsenal goal put the home side 1-0 up in the 59th minute.

That was still the score when, in the third of seven minutes of time added on, Burnley’s Ashley Barnes was fouled inside the area by Francis Coquelin and referee Jon Moss awarded a penalty. Andre Gray scored from the ensuing spot-kick but there was more drama to come.

With virtually the last attack of the game, Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny was caught by Ben Mee’s high foot as he attempted to head in and Moss once more pointed to the spot. Alexis Sanchez chipped a penalty down the middle to give the Gunners three valuable points. –