Chelsea stayed at the top of the Premier League table after a convincing 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday. Goals from Oscar, Diego Costa and Willian handed the Blues the three points, which keeps them three points above second-placed Southampton (who also won) in the table.
It was no more than Chelsea deserved, as they controlled the match from the off, keeping Villa at arm’s length. An early Oscar goal put the Blues in front, and after that Villa sat back and looked to limit the score and break on the counter. But second half goals from Costa and Willian meant the result was a comfortable victory, and it gave Villa their second consecutive 3-0 defeat.
Jose Mourinho’s side started the game with a much-changed side from the League Cup game against Bolton in midweek. Diego Costa was one of the eight changes made for this game as Chelsea named a much stronger XI. However, it was then man who scored the winner against Bolton who started off brightest here.
Oscar was in brilliant form in the first half, controlling almost everything in the midfield. He opened the scoring after just seven minutes, tapping home after Willian had a shot saved by Brad Guzan.
Despite pushing for more, Chelsea went in to the break just 1-0 up but they deserved more. They doubled their lead in the second half when Diego Costa scored for the third consecutive home game. After some good interplay outside the box, Cesar Azpilicueta sent a cross in for Costa to head home, giving him his eighth league goal of the season.
Willian rounded off the win with just over ten minutes to go, wrapping up the triumph for the Blues. Costa was involved again, he jinked past some defenders and sent a shot in, which was saved by Guzan, but the ball then bounced off Cissokho and fell perfectly for Willian. The Brazilian had no problems tapping it in to pick up his first goal of the season.
After the game, Jose Mourinho praised his side, while saying how difficult the Premier League was as a league. “I think everything was under control, we played very well,” he said. “The second and third goal killed the game. Six matches in the Premier League. We are playing well and scoring goals. Every game in the Premier League, it’s possible for a top team to lose. We have different people scoring goals. We are not perfect, we have to improve in every area, but we are doing well.”
On Diego Costa, Mourinho said that he will be taking a break from training in order to make the game against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday night. “He’s doing almost nothing in training, he’s resting,” Mourinho said. The Spaniard is still struggling with a hamstring injury he picked up last season, although you wouldn’t have known on this performance.
LCN Man of the Match: Oscar