da leao： Chelsea continued their march towards the Premier League title with a fine win over spirited and determined Swansea City side at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
da bet nacional： Goals from Cesc Fabregas, Pedro and Diego Costa sealed a 3-1 victory that means the Blues are now a massive eleven points clear of second place. It’s looking increasingly likely that Antonio Conte’s side will have the honours wrapped up sooner rather than later.
Swansea will feel they may have got something from the game having equalised at 1-1 after a Fernando Llorente header found its way past Courtois.
That hope eventually faded with the Blues eventually showing their class to pick up the win.
These are the FIVE things we learned from Saturday afternoon’s action…
Cesc Fabregas is as good as ever
Fabregas was one of the team’s top performers, showing again why he is still very much a key member of Antonio Conte’s squad. He got on the scoresheet and could have had another after pinging a powerful shot off the woodwork in the second half. In fact that was his only chance, he was a constant goal threat in the final third from midfield, giving the Blues an extra dimension in possession.
On his 300th Premier League appearance he showed he’s still as good as ever.
Pedro is having a much better season
Having now scored 11 goals and contributed another 6 assists for Chelsea this season, it’s clear that winger Pedro is having his best season at Stamford Bridge. He’s already way past his milestone of 7 goals for the season last year having moved from Barcelona.
He was in lethal form against the Swans scoring one and setting up Costa’s too.
The Spaniard now has 7 goals in his last 9 appearances for the club and there seems to be no stopping him when he gets in the mood.
Antonio Conte has worked wonders with him, another sign the manager is destined for greatness at the club.
Costa cannot be stopped
Having gone his previous three Premier League appearances without scoring, Diego Costa will have been delighted to contribute with a goal, something he doesn’t appear to be able to stop doing.
That effort was his 17th of the season, highlighting just how effective he has been this season for the Blues.
He’s perhaps been the key influencer in their Premier League title bid and if he keeps banging in the goals then the trophy will surely by lifted by Chelsea in May.
Chelsea should sign Llorente
With 9 goals already this season, someone like Fernando Llorente would add serious depth to Chelsea’s squad in the summer. They only really have Diego Costa to call upon in the strike areas with Michy Batshuayi yet to prove he has what it takes to succeed at Stamford Bridge.
His header past Courtois was his 9th goal of the season, all set to break into double figures for the first time in his career since the 2013/14 season which was actually played under Antonio Conte at Juventus.
Should Chelsea move for him in the summer and spark that productive relationship with the Italian manager once again?
Conte is on his way to becoming a great
No manager has quite had the impact Antonio Conte has had in his debut Premier League season. His team just can’t stop winning and they appear to be getting better and more solid by the week.
With Champions League football next season a certainty, he’s all set to become a Chelsea legend by competing on that front too. Who’s to say he can’t take on Europe’s best if he keeps dominating English football the way he has been.