CHELSEA CROWNED CHAMPIONS:
EPL SPECIAL NEW CHAMPS CROWNED Forgotten man Michy comes in from cold to seal Chelsea glory
MICHY BATSHUAYI went from zero to hero as his goal won Chelsea the championship.
The Belgium sub striker cost £33million last summer but had only scored once in the Premier League before last night.
Batshuayi was Antonio Conte’s first signing and his strike in the 83rd minute sealed the Italian gaffer’s first title in England.
And delighted Conte insisted the 23-year-old had paid him back.
He said: “I thought Hazard and Pedro were tired and we needed more energy. Michy paid me a lot with this change! It was great.
“This is a great achievement for the players. I thank them for their commitment and workrate.
“It wasn’t easy for me to arrive in England and try different habits, a different language and inherit players after a bad season.
“But they showed me a great attitude to try to do something great this season.
“After this win we must be happy, we must be pleased.”
Even before kick-off there was a party atmosphere. The Hawthorns was rocking, you could feel the tension and excitement in the air.
It was almost as if West Brom had decided to lay on a title-winning bash for Chelsea.
The Baggies have been on their holidays for weeks – failing to win their previous six games – and, short of handing out party hats, it looked as if they were ready to make it a night to remember for the Blues. Tony Pulis’s men stood off and watched as Cesc Fabregas ran midfield, looking for openings as he tried to unlock West Brom’s defence which at least put up some resistance.
You got the feeling as soon as the visitors got one then more would follow. But for all Chelsea’s pressure and possession, they could not find a way through.
It was a bit too tippy-tappy, lots of nice passes but very little cutting edge. Eden Hazard tried to make things happen, Diego Costa looked in the mood and Pedro made darting runs from midfield.
But it was Fabregas who gave West Brom their first real scare after 32 minutes as he sent a low 20-yard shot whistling past the post with keeper Ben Foster scrambling.
Conte looked edgy on the touchline, barking out orders and getting more animated as his side kept failing to net. Pedro sent another shot fizzing wide.
Whatever the manager said at half-time worked for Chelsea. They came out fired up, with a new energy as they went all out to break the deadlock.
The Blues began to pepper the West Brom goal with shots, keeping Foster on his toes as they put Pulis’s men under real pressure.
Victor Moses drove forward, firing a 48th-minute shot towards the far corner and Foster somehow managed to claw the ball away. It was a brilliant save at full stretch.
Pedro’s cross found Costa and his shot on the turn was well saved. Hazard also went close before Foster denied Moses again.
Chelsea were getting more and more nervous so Conte sent on Willian and Batshuayi with 15 minutes left to try and win it. Finally it came. Batshuayi slid in at the near post to turn in Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross. That sparked the wild celebrations among the visitors.
Conte now has his eye on doing the Double by beating Arsenal in the FA Cup Final.
He added: “It is a great season but we can win the Cup too.”