Costa scores hat-trick in Chelsea victory

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Chelsea 4 Swansea City 2

Diego Costa netted a hat-trick and Loic Remy scored on his debut as Chelsea came from behind to maintain their 100% record in fine style.

John Terry’s clumsy own goal saw Swansea lead after 11 minutes but an out-of-sorts Blues began to dominate possession late in the half and levelled through Costa’s 45th-minute header.

Costa swept home his second after a sumptuous move and added a third with a cool close-range finish, taking his tally to seven goals in four games.

Substitute Remy’s strike made it 4-1 and they eased to victory and moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League despite Jonjo Shelvey’s late goal.

A home win and a repeat of the feelgood factor of the astonishing 6-3 win at Everton seemed highly implausible following an opening 45 minutes full of   misplaced passes and poor decision making.

But Costa’s class and a vastly improved second-half showing saw the hosts win at a canter and almost repeat the Goodison goalfest.

Loic Remy of Chelsea
Striker Remy made the perfect start to his Chelsea career

It was the visitors who settled much better after a frantic opening 10 minutes and they led when Ki Sung-Yeung’s purposeful run freed Neil Taylor on the right and the full-back’s cross was needlessly slid in by Terry.

Oscar, restored to the midfield along with Andre Schurrle, could easily have levelled from the resumption but dragged a good chance wide from the edge of the box.

However, Swansea looked more cohesive and offered plenty of threat on the break, Wayne Routledge curling an effort just wide and Bafetimbi Gomis blazing a shot off target.

A second Swans goal seemed likely, but Chelsea finally started to find some fluency after 30 minutes, with Eden Hazard increasingly influential despite some ruthless and cynical treatment from the away side.

He created several half chances and threatening positions but the closest Chelsea came to an equaliser before Costa struck was when Schurrle’s free-kick was tipped over.

But Costa’s headed equaliser from a Cesc Fabregas corner seconds before the interval changed the course of the match and ended any hopes of the Swans extending their own 100% record.

The Brazilian-born Spain international scored his second goal, finishing well after a glorious move on the right involving Hazard and Fabregas.

And, after Hazard had a rasping strike saved and Gomis had missed a good chance when through on goal, Costa made it 3-1 when he swept the ball home following a Ramires mis-kick.

Costa was then replaced by Remy and the Frenchman made an instant impact, almost scoring with one curled strike and then finding the bottom corner for the fourth goal with a low shot after great work by Hazard.

Shelvey raced through to pull a goal back, and there was time for Swans substitute Jefferson Montero to have a touchline tussle with Blues boss Jose Mourinho.

But by then the victory – a fitting tribute on the first home game since the death of life president Lord Attenborough – was assured.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Fabregas (Salah 82), Matic; Schurrle (Ramires 45), Oscar, Hazard; Costa (Remy 72).
Subs not used: Cech, Luis, Zouma, Salah, Remy, Willian.

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