Chelsea suffer first league loss under Hiddink

Swansea City 1 Chelsea 0

A lacklustre Chelsea lost their first Premier League game under Guus Hiddink.

The Blues trailed to Gylfi Sigurdsson’s strike at the break after an increasingly careless defensive display and only occasionally threatened to draw level despite dominating possession in the latter stages.

Alexandre Pato came closest to an equaliser, shooting wide in first-half injury-time and then just failing to turn in Pedro’s cross after a fine move that also involved Ruben Loftus-Cheek soon after the break.

Loftus-Cheek also saw a deflected shot go just wide, as did substitute Falcao, who was playing his first game since October.

But a point would have been barely deserved from an error-strewn performance against a Swansea side who failed to make the most of numerous excellent positions and situations.

After Sigurdsson scored with a volley from the edge of the area to put the hosts ahead, Chelsea looked disorganised at the back and could have been further behind at the break.

Matt Miazga was taken off at half-time and replaced by Kenedy, with John Mikel Obi playing as a makeshift centre-back.

And while Miazga was the man to pay for the defensive frailties, keeper Asmir Begovic – who making his first Premier League start since November – and Branislav Ivanovic, and full-backs Cesar Azpilicueta and Baba Rahman were all far from convincing.

Begovic did make a fine save from Sigurdsson with the score at 0-0 but Chelsea struggled to contain Swansea’s movement up front – particularly the outstanding Jefferson Montero.

The winger’s pace and trickery caused constant panic but, despite almost teeing up several chances, the hosts did not need the security of a second goal.

Chelsea: Begovic; Azpilicueta, Miazga [Kenedy 46], Ivanovic, Baba Rahman; Mikel, Fabregas; Pedro, Loftus-Cheek [Falcao 76], Oscar; Pato [Traore 64].
Subs: Courtois, Aina, Colkett, Palmer.