LONDON: Diego Costa scored his 10th goal of the campaign as Premier League leaders Chelsea continued their unbeaten start to the season by winning 2-1 at Liverpool on Saturday.
Bidding to avenge their costly 2-0 loss in last season’s corresponding fixture in April, scene of captain Steven Gerrard’s infamous slip, Liverpool took an early lead through Emre Can’s deflected shot.
But Gary Cahill equalised almost immediately for Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea before Costa slammed home 23 minutes from time to silence Anfield and provisionally increase his side’s lead at the summit to seven points.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers felt that his side have should been awarded a late penalty after a shot from Gerrard struck Cahill on the arm in front of the Kop.
Can had a shot deflected over by John Terry in the first minute, but Chelsea did not heed the warning and when he took aim from similar range moments later, the ball cannoned off Cahill and into the net. But within five minutes Chelsea were level, after a goal that required the aid of goal-line technology.
While Chelsea finished the first half strongly, they were indebted to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois for getting down sharply to thwart Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling either side of half-time.
Having been embroiled in a physical tussle with Martin Skrtel for much of the game, Costa provided a reminder of his predatory instincts to settle the game in the 67th minute. After eluding Coutinho on the Chelsea left, Cesar Azpilicueta saw his cross pushed out by Mignolet, but Costa was in the right place to rattle a half-volley into the net from close range.
Second-place Southampton will attempt to return to within four points of Chelsea when they host Leicester City later on Saturday.
Substitute Juan Mata eased the tension at Old Trafford with the only goal as an injury-hit Manchester United edged Crystal Palace 1-0 in the Premier League, here in Manchester, on Saturday. The Spaniard scored with a slightly deflected shot four minutes after coming on in the second half to give Louis van Gaal’s team a first victory in four attempts.
The relief was evident on the faces of Van Gaal and Ryan Giggs, the manager’s assistant, in the home dug-out and palpable among the 75,325 fans inside the stadium.
It was Mata’s third goal of the season and the former Chelsea playmaker came close to adding to his tally when his first-time shot struck the post after Speroni had foiled Persie. (AFP)