Chelsea star turns on the style to leave Blues on brink
THIS is why they are champions-elect, this is why any idea of late-season drama is wishful thinking.
A world-class game-changer and a world-class coach.
The inspiration of Eden Hazard, who did not have to be anywhere near his best to critically influence matters, and the organisation of Antonio Conte, ready for every elegant Manchester City step.
Not even news of Tottenham’s abrupt comeback could put the slightest of dampeners on the conviction that the title is done and dusted.
That much was clear in Conte’s celebrations, in his exhortations to the crowd, in their buoyancy.
They are not going to blow it from here, Tottenham mettle or no Tottenham mettle.
This was the response Conte – who seemed to be almost moved to tears at the end – demanded, a response founded on concentration and discipline.
As for City, a real battle for a topfour finish looms after the same old, new coach failings.
Starting with something familiar. What is the point in having limitless funds and limited goalkeepers?
Hazard’s strike, the final relatively crisp act of a sweeping move initiated by the Belgian, did kiss Vincent Kompany’s temple but while Willy Caballero’s reflexes were sharp, his wrists were weak.
Pep Guardiola has to find a new keeper this summer, preferably one whose core strength is not as a playmaker.
Take nothing away from Hazard, though. He is a big-game player, never cowed by the occasion, relishing the challenge of quality opposition.
And City, whatever your take on Guardiola’s ideology, are flushed with quality – the sort of quality that does not need a Caballerotype assist.
That is what it got when Thibaut Courtois popped a clearance to David Silva and then beat the shot to the grateful feet of Aguero, who was cupping his ear to Chelsea taunters before accepting the formality.
Courtois cock-up or not, City’s right to be level could hardly be disputed. Indeed, had Courtois not atoned with a block on Leroy Sane, they could have been ahead before Fernandinho blatantly tripped Pedro.
Poor Caballero could not even get a penalty save right, palming a weak kick back into the path of a relieved Hazard, who this time made no mistake.
It was a snapshot of City’s season defensively. This is a team that has, on a regular basis, found new ways to concede.
The ratio of shots against to goals against is presumably about one to one. That is why Premier League ribbons will be the darker shade of blue come the end of May.
It is also why City face a serious scrap to secure a Champions League place.
If one was decided on attacking intent or possession, they would be home and hosed. They pretty much had a monopoly on both.
Silva, the main victim of some typically eccentric referring from Mike Dean, could not have orchestrated proceedings any more demonstratively had he stood on a centre-circle podium, baton in hand.
Indeed, only Dean could get a grip of him. Good as it looked, City’s fluency foundered too often on Chelsea’s central three.
John Stones headed a set-piece at Courtois but most moves were, in their final moments, read and dealt with.
David Luiz, in particular, is proving expert at identifying danger in its infancy.
It was simple, organised, defensive stuff and the only surprise was that on the counter-attack, Hazard did not, with one glorious opportunity, collect his hat-trick.