Chelsea beat West Brom 1-0 thanks to an emphatic finish from Diego Costa. It was a victory that saw Antonio Conte’s side leapfrog Arsenal to return to the top of the Premier League table.
West Brom’s intentions were clear from the first minute; to frustrate Chelsea. And for the majority of the game, they did. Chelsea were limited to shots from distance and were unable to get in behind the Baggies defence.
That was, until Cesc Fabregas released Diego Costa down the right channel. Costa capitalised on the West Brom defender’s hesitation and powered through on goal. The Spanish international finished expertly to score his 12th goal of the season. You can see Costa’s crucial goal here.
They say that the mark of champions is to win when you are not at your best. Chelsea certainly were not today, but they got the job done and returned to the summit of the Premier League.
That’s nine wins in a row now for Chelsea. During that period the Blues have scored 23 goals and conceding just two.
Chelsea player ratings: Courtois 7, Azpilicueta 6, David Luiz 5, Cahill 7, Moses 5, Kante 7, Matic 7, Alonso 6, Pedro 4, Hazard 5, Diego Costa 8.
West Brom player ratings: Foster 7, Dawson 5, McAuley 6, Evans 7, Nyom 6, Fletcher 7, Yacob 6, Brunt 7, Morrison 6, Phillips 6, Rondon 4.
Man of the match – Diego Costa: In a game that lacked any sort of quality, it was a moment of it from Diego Costa that ultimately proved decisive.