Chelsea remain on title track

London – Chelsea brushed aside London rivals West Ham United for a 2-1 win that restored their 10-point lead at the top of the Premier League last night.

Eden Hazard gave them the lead after a swift 25th-minute counter-attack before Diego Costa’s tap-in shortly after the interval put the Blues in control at West Ham’s London Stadium.

West Ham’s Manuel Lanzini grabbed a late consolation in injury time, but the result was never in doubt.

Mid-table West Ham, who knocked Chelsea out of the League Cup earlier in the season when crowd trouble marred the evening, offered little threat for most of the game as Chelsea surged on towards the title.

In another troubling moment last night, an irate male West Ham fan in a black anorak and jeans vaulted the advertising hoardings and attempted to confront Hazard as he celebrated, but was held back by stewards.

Antonio Conte’s side, who have won 21 of their 27 matches this season, have 66 points to the 56 of second-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

With Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City having won at the weekend, this was a test of Chelsea’s nerve, but their assured display suggested there will be few bumps on the road to the title.

Hazard, in particular, brimmed with self-belief, at one point using his back to play a showy pass to N’Golo Kante, while Costa took his tally for the season to 18 goals in all competitions.

Andy Carroll’s return after a month out with a groin injury gave Slaven Bilic’s West Ham a welcome attacking focal point and they looked for the towering striker at every opportunity. Robert Snodgrass and Lanzini curled a succession of testing crosses into the Chelsea box, but the visitors withstood the aerial onslaught. –