Blues pass ‘test’ with flying colours
EDEN Hazard’s finishing masterclass dragged Chelsea ever closer to the Premier League title as the Londoners saw off Bournemouth 3-1 at Dean Court.
The leaders maintained their seven-point cushion over Tottenham in all the style befitting champions-elect, and now need at the most 15 points from seven matches to seal the silverware.
Diego Costa’s woeful fly-hack forced an own goal from Adam Smith to hand Chelsea the lead in the final match of the day, before Hazard outfoxed Artur Boruc for his 14th Premier League goal of the season.
Joshua King’s deflected strike handed Bournemouth hope of a recovery, before Marcos Alonso’s curling free-kick sealed Chelsea’s fifth win in six matches.
“We passed a test,” said Hazard. “We knew the result of Tottenham before the game and today we deserved to win. “It’s more easy to control the game when you score first but at the end of the first half we were a little bit down. But in the second half we did well to control the game.
“We have to believe in everything. Now is one step closer to the title and we have seven games left.”
Spurs had earlier closed the gap on the Blues to four points with a 4-0 defeat of Watford at White Hart Lane in the first match of the day.
Mauricio Pochettino’s team took control of the contest in 11 first-half minutes, when Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Son Heung-min scored.
Alli broke the deadlock with a curling rightfoot strike in the 33rd minute, Dier blasted in the second six minutes later, before South Korean Son scored with another effort from distance, a low left-footed shot.
Son tapped in Kieran Trippier’s cross 10 minutes into the second half to complete the scoring, although there was another big cheer when Harry Kane returned from injury as a substitute just past the hour mark.
Liverpool held on to third place with a 2-1 win at Stoke, where they came from behind to get the three points.
Jonathan Walters headed a close-range goal from Xherdan Shaqiri’s cross to give Stoke a 44th-minute lead, prompting Reds boss Jurgen Klopp to make changes at halftime.
Philippe Coutinho volleyed a 64th-minute equaliser, before fellow substitute Roberto Firmino gave Stoke goalkeeper Lee Grant no chance with another volley two minutes later.
Manchester City stay fourth after a comfortable 3-1 defeat of Hull City at the Etihad Stadium. City took the lead just past the half hour when Jesus Navas’ cross was turned into his own net by Ahmed Elmohamady, then Sergio Aguero doubled the lead three minutes into the second half.
Fabian Delph wrapped up the win in the 64th minute with a well-struck 20-yard effort, before Andrea Ranocchia pulled a goal back for the strugglers with five minutes remaining.
West Ham eased their relegation fears with a 1-0 win over struggling Swansea, with Cheikhou Kouyate making the decisive breakthrough with a low shot just before half-time. Second-bottom Middlesbrough were frustrated by Burnley, with Robbie Brady wasting the game’s best chance of the goalless draw.