Hazard double eases Chelsea towards title
EDEN Hazard scored twice as Chelsea fought off the challenge of Manchester City to take a step closer to the Premier League title with a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge.
Antonio Conte’s side showed resilience in responding from their surprise loss to Crystal Palace and the gap at the top remained seven points as second-placed Tottenham came from behind to win at Swansea.
Goalkeeping errors contributed to the opening goals as Hazard shot through Willy Caballero and Thibaut Courtois gifted City an equaliser, scored by Sergio Aguero.
Hazard saw a penalty saved by Caballero, but tucked in the follow up to give Chelsea a 2-1 half-time lead which they would not relinquish.
City poured forwards time and again in the second half and John Stones missed from three yards in stoppage time.
The visitors were ultimately undone by their first-half fragility. The excellent David Silva, in particular, did not deserve to experience defeat.
Should Pep Guardiola resolve the familiar failings this summer, City will surely challenge for the title next term.
Guardiola, at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, had never experienced home and away championship defeats to the same opposition manager – now he has.
Conte’s Chelsea need 18 points in their remaining eight games to clinch the title. Next they face Bournemouth.
Hull climbed out of the bottom three of the Premier League for the first time since October and shoved Middlesbrough closer towards relegation with a thrilling 4-2 win at the KCOM Stadium.
Oumar Niasse and Abel Hernandez gave Hull a two-goal cushion after team-mate Lazar Markovic had cancelled out Alvaro Negredo’s early opener for Middlesbrough in a breath-taking first 45 minutes.
Boro hit back in first-half stoppage-time through Marten De Roon’s controversial header before Harry Maguire headed Hull’s fourth midway through the second period.
Victory was the Tigers’ fifth in six home league games and lifted them two points above Swansea, while Boro, without a league win since December 17, appear destined for a return to the Sky Bet Championship.
Liverpool let a lead slip away late on to draw 2-2 against Bournemouth and miss the chance to strengthen their grip on third place.
Goals from Philippe Coutinho, equalling Juninho’s tally of 29 to become the joint top-scoring Brazilian in the Premier League, and Divock Origi appeared to have put the hosts on course to open up a six-point gap on fourth-placed Manchester City.