Chelsea's Diego Costa celebrates scoring his side's second goal against Southampton during their English Premier League soccer match at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, England.(Photo|AP)
Chelsea's Diego Costa celebrates scoring his side's second goal against Southampton during their English Premier League soccer match at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, England.(Photo|AP)

Hazard and Costa consign Chelsea's old woes to 'history'

A run of four straight Premier League wins - including that 4-0 victory against Mourinho's United - has put them into a top four with Manchester City.

It is hard just now to know whether it is the performances of Chelsea or Manchester United which provide the more damning illustration for how Jose Mourinho's once stunning coaching career is suffering an equally spectacular dip. 

Mourinho's current difficulties at United have been well documented but perhaps even more revealing is how, with largely the same group of players as last season, Antonio Conte continues to inspire Chelsea's revival. 

From being only a point off the relegation zone when Mourinho was sacked shortly before Christmas last year, Chelsea are back where they have largely belonged over the past decade as legitimate title contenders.

A run of four straight Premier League wins - including that 4-0 victory against Mourinho's United - has put them into a top four with Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool that is now separated by just a single point.

Such form has been underpinned by not conceding a single Premier League goal since Gary Cahill, David Luiz and Cesar Azpilicueta came together in a back three but, while the 3-4-3 formation is something very new, the attacking inspiration has been derived from a very familiar old source. 

In beating Southampton here yesterday 2-0, Chelsea's Eden Hazard and Diego Costa simply delivered another timely reminder that form might by temporary but class is permanent. 

The Southampton manager, Claude Puel, had actually given a 16-year-old Hazard his debut at Lille back in 2007 and his old protege was excellent here in scoring Chelsea's first and then creating their second to take his own personal Premier League goal tally for the season to five. Hazard managed only four during the whole of last season. 

Similarly, Costa is now on a run of eight goals in 10 Premier League games after contributing only 12 through the whole of last season. Conte last night described that most unwanted campaign in Chelsea's recent past as "history" but, pointedly, also stressed that Hazard and Costa were not the only underachievers. 

"I think the last season is there, and you can see it," the Chelsea manager said. "It's history. It was bad, but not only for one player but many players. The season wasn't good for all the team. You win and you lose together. Never as only one player. I want to see my players always working together and enjoying playing football together, and to win together. Sometimes to lose together, too." 

This was ultimately a very comfortable win together for Chelsea even if Southampton, who had not previously lost at home this season, had actually started on the front foot. 

In his planning for the match, Puel would have identified the areas behind Chelsea's wing-backs as a potential area of vulnerability and Dusan Tadic did quickly drift into that space down the right. He cut inside and then back outside the Chelsea defence before flashing a dangerous cross along the six-yard line. 

It seemed like the pattern for the match had been established but a combination of some slick Chelsea passing and slack Southampton  defending soon completely changed the dynamic of the game.

Hazard had driven forward into space down Southampton's left that had been vacated by Ryan Bertrand and darted into the penalty area following an exchange of passes with Victor Moses. Steven Davis tried to track Hazard's run but was then much too hesitant with his attempted tackle as the Chelsea player dragged the ball back inside and smashed a low angled shot between the legs of goalkeeper Fraser Forster. 

Only six minutes had elapsed but Chelsea already had Southampton exactly where they wanted. They then brilliantly sat back and absorbed Southampton's attacks, with wing-backs Moses and Marcos Alonso as deep-lying as any conventional full-backs, either side of a three-man central defence. 

The selfless team play of Alonso and Moses has been one of the big features this season of Chelsea's 
improvement and was later specifically praised by Conte. N'Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic were also content to sit deeply in central midfield and break up Southampton's attacks before launching rapid counters for Pedro, Hazard and Costa. 

It could barely have worked better and so, even with possession statistics that were heavily weighted in Southampton's favour, the best chances were all falling to Chelsea.

Hazard again burst forward and had a curling shot saved by Forster before Matic dispossessed Jordy Clasie and then put Costa clear on goal. His finish just lacked precision and was blocked by Forster's leg but in the 55th minute he more than made amends from an even more difficult position. 

Hazard provided the assist this time and, from 25 yards, Costa cut inside and took advantage of a 
defensive lapse in concentration by the Southampton right-back Cuco Martina to curl a wonderful finish past Forster. 

Costa had several chances for a second but was just unable to meet Hazard's cross before also failing to finish after Forster had only parried Moses's powerful drive. 

Puel responded by bringing on record signing Sofiane Boufal - the scorer of a wonderful winner against Sunderland in the EFL Cup on Wednesday - but the closest Southampton came to troubling Chelsea was late on when substitute Sam McQueen crossed for Charlie Austin, who had just drifted offside before finishing past Thibaut Courtois.

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