- OOJ - Chelsea's Eden Hazard celebrates scoring
Premier League, KC Stadium – Hull City 0 Chelsea 2 (Hazard 56 Torres 87)
A moment of individual brilliance from Eden Hazard helped Chelseato a 2-0 victory over Hull City to send them top of the Premier League for at least 24 hours.
Yannick Sagbo spurned a huge opportunity to edge Hull ahead shortly before the half hour when he lashed wide after John Terry’s sloppy pass was closed down by Jake Livermore.
At the other end an even better chance to break the deadlock went the way of the visitors, as Oscar’s close-range effort was somehow tipped over the bar by a wonder save from Allan McGregor.
Chelsea improved after the break and scored the opening goal when Ashley Cole’s clever flick released Hazard, with the Belgian evading several defenders as he ran across the hosts’ penalty area before firing a low shot into the bottom corner.
Hull struggled to create anything of note, and their miserable second-half was compounded when Fernando Torres - who had been completely anonymous throughout the match - marked his 200th Premier League appearance by sliding home a late second.
KEY MOMENTS
PRE-MATCH – Juan Mata benched. He’s got to leave, hasn’t he? Mata takes his place on the Chelsea bench again with Jose Mourinho electing for an attacking midfield trio of Willian, Oscar and Eden Hazard.
25’ – CHANCE - John Terry's sloppy pass is charged down and bobbles into the path of Sagbo. The striker has a crack... Wide! Massive chance wasted. If Hull go on to lose, which is a probable outcome, they will not want to see that again.
33’ – CHANCE: Hazard embarks on a mazy run down the left and cuts the ball back into the path of Oscar. The Brazilian must score... McGregor gambles and flings himself to his right. What. A. Save. Ridiculous goalkeeping.
56’ – GOAL: Hull 0-1 Chelsea. Hazard picks the ball up and dribbles across the edge of the penalty area. He feigns a shot, which sends a poor Hull defender hurtling to the turf, before unleashing a clever effort into the bottom corner. Great goal. Pop yourself back on the bench, Mata...
87’ – GOAL: Hull 0-2 Chelsea. Torres glides past Bruce and smashes it inside the near post of McGregor's goal. He's barely done anything this afternoon, although that is partly down to a lack of service, but the Spaniard comes up with the goods when it matters on his 200th Premier League appearance.
KEY STATS
Petr Cech becomes the first Premier League goalkeeper to keep 150 clean sheets in the competition for just one club – David James’ 170 was split amongst five clubs, with Liverpool (72 clean sheets) his most for one side. (Infostrada)
Hull have won just three Premier League points from losing positions this season – only Crystal Palace, Sunderland & West Ham (all one) have won fewer. (Infostrada)
Chelsea make their 63rd substitution of the season, more than any other team. They are the only team to use all three substitutes in every Premier League game this season. (Infostrada)
Eden Hazard scored his ninth Premier League goal of the season, the same amount that he netted for the club last season. (Infostrada)
TALKING POINT
Are Chelsea one striker short in their title challenge? He might have bagged himself a goal, but Fernando Torres was largely anonymous against Hull. With Manchester City looking increasingly formidable, surely Chelsea’s best hopes of staying in the title race are to invest in a reliable striker pronto.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Eden Hazard (Chelsea): The only one of Chelsea’s attacking contingent to look threatening on a consistent basis. His fine solo goal set the Blues on their way.
PLAYER RATINGS
Hull: McGregor 7, Chester 6, Bruce 6, Davies 6, Elmohamady 6, Figueroa 6, Meyler 6, Huddlestone 6, Livermore 7, Boyd 6, Sagbo 6… Subs: Koren 6, Fryatt 6, Quinn 6.
Chelsea: Cech 6, Azpilicueta 6, Cahill 6, Terry 6, Cole 6, Ramires 6, David Luiz 6, Willian 6, Oscar 6, Hazard 7, Torres 6… Subs: Mikel 6, Schurrle N/A, Essien N/A.
THE MATCH IN A TWEET
Blues go top as Hazard breaks tedium with lovely effort
Polis • Report AbuseI wonder where are the naysayers, the pundits of yahoo, the know-it-all id(i)ots who tried to persuade us that the second coming of Jose was a disaster! Still thinking the same? Have you swallowed your tongues, gobsmacked by the genius mind of one Jose Murinho, the man who will take us to the... More
Reply- Charles • Report Abuse
Yahoo will try to drum up some story that Mata, Luiz, Courtois all want to leave and that Lukaku isn't coming back, that Ashely Cole is finished and that Mourinho really wants the United job. Well, as badly as we are supposed to be playing and as dissatisfied as they claim our players are....... More
Reply - Michaelmus • Report Abuse
It would help the striker(s) if they had Mata on the pitch. He provides the most assists statistically. But Mourinho doesn't care about scoring lots of goals, he's got more in common with David Moyes than Sir Alex Ferguson in that regard. Makes for boring football matches.
1 Reply - Checks • Report Abuse
Curious nobody is talking how Eden Hazard was denied a stonewall penalty in the first half...
6 Replies - Waltjabasco • Report Abuse
Well done Peter Cech,150 clean sheets is going to take some beating and by the time he's
2 Replies
Chelsea career comes to an end he could end up being somewhere between 200/300 Clean
Sheets,with all the big signings that have come and gone and other players that have had the... More - In Moyes We Bust!! • Report Abuse
I think Hazard is the second best player in the league at the moment, after Luis Suarez. His pace and skill is amazing!! He's really matured this season, last season he was good, but he wasn't as consistent as he is this season. And Willian is starting to prove his worth aswell, I think Jose has... More
1 Reply - A Guy From The Netherland ... • Report Abuse
I said it a week or two ago. Chelsea are in a position without playing very well up to now. The likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, ManCity have all played brilliantly, as they have probably never played before. I wonder what will happen once the Blues come into their stride and start playing like... More
Reply - Connor • Report Abuse
Hazard only gets a 7? He was man of the match by far! He was quality today
2 Replies - Neil • Report Abuse
Good performance by Chelsea and a fabulous goal by hazard. Further evidence, however, that the referees need greater assistance making decisions - case in point, the 'handball' by Cahill which clearly came off his collar bone and not even his shoulder might have resulted in a red card and a penalty... More
1 Reply - Checks • Report Abuse
The table is now taking its appropriate shape. Arsenal is trudging lower as expected.
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