Chelsea top EPL table after posting 9th win on the trot
Chelsea returned to the top of the English Premier League table after registering their ninth win on the trot with a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion at the Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Diego Costa scored the match's only goal in the 76th minute, thereby taking his season's tally to 12 goals in 15 appearances so far.


3.59pm GMT
15:59



2.14pm GMT
14:14



1.51pm GMT
13:51

Peep peep! That?s an excellent win for Chelsea, precisely because they struggled so much against an admirable West Brom. It took a mistake from Garath McAuley and a storming finish from Diego Costa to decide the match, and Chelsea have now won nine league matches in a row. Thanks for your company; please join Nick Ames for Manchester United versus Tottenham Hotspur.Updated
at 2.02pm GMT


1.49pm GMT
13:49

90+3 min Costa runs McAuley and wins a corner. Superb play. He is in immense form at the moment. 

1.47pm GMT
13:47

90+1 min There will be four added minutes of painful hope for West Brom fans.

1.47pm GMT
13:47

90 min Chelsea have looked so dangerous on the counter-attack since going 1-0 up. They really aren?t the kind of team you want to trail. Swansea are the only team to take a point off Chelsea after being behind this season.

1.44pm GMT
13:44

88 min Costa?s cut-back is stabbed wide by Fabregas, who then has the brass neck to look outraged when Mike Dean gives a goal-kick. Matic is then booked for a tactical foul.

1.41pm GMT
13:41

85 min Cahill?s headed clearance comes to Dawson, who chests the ball down and volleys it into orbit. It wouldn?t sit down for him. Meanwhile, we?ve just seen a replay of Costa?s goal and the touchline celebrations. Both were magnificent. Antonio Conte is an endearing breath of stale air, a reminder of a more passionate past.

1.40pm GMT
13:40

84 min West Brom?s final substitution: Hal Robson-Kanu replaces Chris Brunt. 

1.39pm GMT
13:39

83 min Chelsea have declared at 1-0, like all good Italian sides, and West Brom are enjoying more possession than at any point in the match. So far it has all been in front of the Chelsea back six though.

1.35pm GMT
13:35

79 min Substitutions galore: Chelsea bring on Ivanovic for Hazard, and West Brom introduce Chadli and McClean for Phillips and Morrison.

1.34pm GMT
13:34

78 min That is cruel on West Brom. One mistake has undone 77 minutes? immaculate work. 

1.34pm GMT
13:34

This demonstrated everything that is good about Costa. Fabregas lobbed a nothing ball down the right wing, which seemed to be covered by McAuley. Costa made a virtue of a lost cause, muscling McAuley aside before charging into the area. He still had plenty to do from a tightish angle, and he produced a monstrous rising shot across Foster and into the top corner with his left foot. Great goal.Updated
at 1.35pm GMT


1.32pm GMT
13:32

Diego Costa gives Chelsea the lead with a brilliant goal!Updated
at 1.44pm GMT


1.31pm GMT
13:31

75 min They will probably receive no credit outside their own dressing-room, but this has been an intelligent, quietly heroic performance from West Brom. There is so much to admire about them and their manager.Updated
at 1.31pm GMT


1.30pm GMT
13:30

74 min I don?t know if a goal is coming but a chance certainly is - Chelsea are having more sustained pressure in the final third. Fabregas comes on for Moses, so Chelsea are now playing a 4-2-3-1 with ?Cesc? behind Diego Costa.Updated
at 1.36pm GMT


1.28pm GMT
13:28

73 min Fabregas will come on for Chelsea - but only after he?s been show the contents of the coaches? A4 folder. Can?t have you playing on instinct now!

1.27pm GMT
13:27

71 min A draw would take Chelsea top, so 2016 isn?t all bad.

1.26pm GMT
13:26

70 min Chelsea have had 72 per cent of possession but only, I think, one shot on target. They have switched to a back four, if you?re into the whole tactics thing.

1.25pm GMT
13:25

69 min Matic scrunches a shot well wide from 25 yards.

1.24pm GMT
13:24

68 min David Luiz has a long-range shot blocked by Morrison.

1.22pm GMT
13:22

67 min Rondon has had a superb game, particularly with his hold-up play. Now he lumbers down the left side of the box and drags an inviting cutback through Luiz?s legs towards the penalty spot. Fletcher, arriving late, looks set for a simple finish from 10 yards only for Cahill to change direction and make a terrific sliding clearance. Updated
at 1.25pm GMT


1.21pm GMT
13:21

66 min Phillips muscles Willian aside and whips a dangerous cross into the box. Rondon gets there first to stab the ball towards goal but Cahill stretches to make an excellent block. 

1.20pm GMT
13:20

65 min It feels like Chelsea are building some pressure for the first time in the match.

1.20pm GMT
13:20

64 min ?Oh no!? says JR. ?Evans is hurt! Is Lucas Leiva warming up??Look, that was a very disappointing dream, tactically speaking.

1.19pm GMT
13:19

63 min Antonio Conte makes a change, bringing on Willian for Pedro. He worked hard but achieved little.

1.18pm GMT
13:18

61 min The resulting free-kick from Luiz deflects off Hazard in the wall and bounces just wide of the post. Foster had it covered and helped push it wide; Mike Dean missed that and gave a goalkick for the deflection off Hazard. Robbie Savage, who never made a minor mistake in his entire football career, chastises Dean.

1.17pm GMT
13:17

60 min Dawson, already booked, clatters into Costa 25 yards from goal. Most refs would have given a second yellow card for that; Mike Dean Esq. is not most refs. I think it was the right decision, just about.

1.16pm GMT
13:16

59 min Jonny Evans is injured. He will try to continue but it doesn?t look good. He has been superb today and would be perfect for a team like, say, Manchester United.Updated
at 1.22pm GMT


1.15pm GMT
13:15

58 min Chelsea are going through the stages of frustration. We?ve had denial and confusion; now we are on to anger, with West Brom?s clock manipulation their primary source of internal heat.

1.13pm GMT
13:13

57 min If Claudio Yacob started a cult, would it be called a Yac- oh never mind.Updated
at 1.13pm GMT


1.12pm GMT
13:12

56 min Yacob is booked for a tug on Kante.

1.11pm GMT
13:11

55 min Courtois races from his line to take Brunt?s inswinger off the head of McAuley. Chelsea need to be careful here. I still think they?ll win, just because, but West Brom have carried a reasonable threat on the counter-attack. They?ve unquestionably been the better team.Updated
at 1.11pm GMT


1.10pm GMT
13:10

54 min ?I think ?you don?t often see foul throws in the Premier League? is possibly the most-heard phrase in Premier League commentaries,? says Matt Loten.What about ?there are no easy games in this league? or ?Mike Dean awards the penalty??

1.09pm GMT
13:09

52 min West Brom are brazenly timetaking at every opportunity, and the Chelsea fans are getting increasingly irked by that. At the moment, Chelsea look both confused and affronted by West Brom?s defensive excellence.

1.07pm GMT
13:07

51 min Dawson is booked for an off-the-ball rumble with Costa. There wasn?t much to it; he just dragged him over.Updated
at 1.07pm GMT


1.05pm GMT
13:05

50 min Victor Moses is penalised for a foul throw. There will be banter.

1.04pm GMT
13:04

49 min Kante is booked for a late tackle on Dawson.

1.04pm GMT
13:04

48 min Fabregas for Matic is the obvious change, though Robbie Savage reckons right midfield Willian should replace left wing-back Alonso. For now Conte is sticking the starting XI, and they have made a fast start to the half.

1.02pm GMT
13:02

47 min ?While I take umbrage with your assertion that Hazard is the best player in ?this league? right now - that clearly is Sanchez - I do thank you for that Southampton clip,? says Kelvin. ?That truly was a magnificent goal. The best commentary for me was that Agueroooo moment.?Yes, I regularly reflect fondly on that moment.

1.01pm GMT
13:01

46 min Peep peep! Chelsea begin the second half, kicking from right to left.

12.58pm GMT
12:58

Slobwatch?Am currently wearing a pair of ancient fake Crocks in fashionable grubby orange,? says Anthony Webb. ?Can any of my fellow readers out-slob that??

12.48pm GMT
12:48

Half-time readingBarney Ronay on Riyad Mahrez?s quietly divine performance yesterday.

12.47pm GMT
12:47

A 0-0 scoreline is a moral victory for West Brom, who defended immaculately and came closer to scoring than Chelsea. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.

12.46pm GMT
12:46

45 min The man of the half has been Glenn Hoddle, who has made umpteen perceptive points of BT Sport. What a waste of a great coach.

12.45pm GMT
12:45

44 min Chelsea look a bit befuddled by the way the first half has played out. West Brom have done a job on them.