Chelsea restored their seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League after they beat Bournemouth 3-1 at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
The Blues got off to a bright start and opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Victor Moses picked out Diego Costa, whose deflected effort found the back of the net off Adam Smith.
Chelsea then doubled their lead three minutes later when N’golo Kante played a wonderful ball over the top for Eden Hazard, who controlled the ball brilliantly before rounding goalkeeper Artur Boruc and sliding the ball into the net from a tight angle.
The Cherries nearly reduced the deficit to one in the 29th minute when Daniels swung a delightful early cross straight into the path of Benik Afobe, but the striker’s first-time volley bounced off the inside of the post and rolled across the face of goal.
Chelsea once again found space down the right-hand side in the 36th minute, this time through Hazard, who picked out Moses six yards out from goal, but the wing back could only turn his header effort narrowly wide of the post.
However, Bournemouth pulled a goal back in the 42nd minute when Afobe played Joshua King through on goal before the striker unleashed a strike at goal, which took a deflection off David Luiz to beat Courtois and find the back of the net.
After the first 45 minutes of the match, Chelsea went into the half time interval with a 2-1 lead over Bournemouth.
Bournemouth had a great chance to draw level in the 50th minute when Pugh and Afobe exchanged a neat one-two on the edge of the Chelsea penalty box, before the latter laid the ball off to Fraser, who drilled his low effort inches wide of the post.
Within the space of two minutes, the Blues had a chance to extend their lead with two crosses into the box, but somehow no Chelsea player could make any contact on the ball as the Cherries defence did well to deal with the threat.
Antonio Conte’s side then extended their lead in the 68th minute when Marcos Alonso curled his free-kick over the wall and into the top corner after Costa was brought down by Cook 25 yards from goal.
Chelsea then had a chance to make it 4-1 when Hazard drifted a cross in towards Alonso at the back post, but the wing back could only head the ball over the crossbar on the stretch in the 72nd minute.
The Blues should’ve added to their lead in the 80th minute when Moses drove into the penalty box, before cutting inside on to his left foot and hitting a fierce effort towards goal,, but Boruc stood tall to make a superb save and deny Chelsea a fourth goal.
Chelsea held on to their 3-1 lead until the final whistle to secure their seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League table, as they walked away with all three points at the Vitality Stadium.
Image: Premier League website
