LONDON:Diego Costa continued his remarkable start to life in the Premier League as Jose Mourinho celebrated his 250th match as Chelsea boss with a 3-0 defeat of Aston VillaOscar put the Blues in front after seven minutes before Costa, selected despite his troublesome hamstring limiting him to one game a week, headed in after 59 minutes.
The clinical streak seems, initially at least, to fully justify the B£32million Chelsea paid Atletico Madrid in the summer, although Costa also missed chances against a stubborn Villa.
A third Chelsea goal came from Costa’s saved shot as Willian netted before the Spain striker was taken off in the hope he can recover in time to feature in Tuesday’s Champions League Group G clash at Sporting Lisbon.
Villa began the day in third, three points behind leaders Chelsea, who reverted to 10 of the side which began last Sunday’s draw at Manchester City.
Phil Jagielka rifled a shot into the top corner in injury time to earn Everton a dramatic 1-1 draw in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.
The hosts looked to have earned what would have been a deserved victory through Steven Gerrard’s 65th-minute free-kick – a record ninth Barclays Premier League goal in the fixture for the Reds captain.But, with 91 minutes on the clock, Jagielka, who had not scored for Everton since April 2013, let fly with an effort that gave Simon Mignolet no chance.
It still leaves Everton without a victory at Anfield since 1999, but rarely will a point ever have felt so sweet.There was a surprise in the Everton team, with veteran full-back Tony Hibbert making his first league start since December 2012 in place of the injured Seamus Coleman.
Midfielder Muhamed Besic made his first league start for the visitors while Liverpool were again without influential striker Daniel Sturridge, who had targeted a return in this game from a thigh injury.
As well as their long drought at Anfield, Everton were looking for a first derby win of any kind in four years.
Roberto Martinez was hoping the fact the game was being played exactly 15 years to the day since their last win at Anfield could be a good omen.
Both managers saw the match as a potential injection of life into their respective seasons, with Brendan Rodgers looking back to January, when a 4-0 win began a sequence of 37 points from a possible 39.(Reuters)