Two for Alonso as Chelsea easily win without Costa

Leicester 0 Chelsea 3

Marcos Alonso scored twice – and very nearly had a hat-trick – as Chelsea easily won without Diego Costa.

Pedro also found the net for the Premier League leaders, who are seven points clear at the top.

It was the perfect response to the recent defeat against Tottenham.

Alonso, passed fit after a leg injury, opened the scoring at the King Power Stadium after just six minutes.

Leicester were unable to deal with Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross and Eden Hazard teed up Alonso, who fired home right-footed from near the edge of the six-yard box.

Alonso also netted six minutes into the second half – this time with the help of two deflections.

Willian’s right-wing cross was cleared as far as Alonso on the edge of the box and his shot struck Wes Morgan and then Danny Drinkwater on the way past keeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Pedro made it three on 71 minutes, rounding off a lovely move by nodding home after Willian had lifted the ball over Schmeichel.

Hazard and Willian interchanged in the central attacking role in the absence of Costa, who was left out of the Chelsea squad following a dispute with a member of the club’s backroom team.

Chelsea did not miss him, and after going ahead were denied what seemed like a clear penalty when Ben Chilwell hacked down Victor Moses in the area.

After doubling their lead, Alonso very nearly scored again in spectacular fashion when he volleyed Moses’ cross inches wide.

Pedro eventually added the third – his seventh goal of the season.

Chelsea: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso; Willian (Loftus-Cheek 84), Hazard (Fabregas 79), Pedro (Batshuayi 84).
Subs not used: Begovic, Ivanovic, Zouma, Chalobah, Loftus-Cheek.