Ruthless Chelsea passed title test, says Hazard

The Belgium playmaker’s masterful finish helped leaders Chelsea cement a seven-point cushion over Tottenham, with Antonio Conte’s men requiring at most 15 points from seven games to claim the title.

Tottenham temporarily cut Chelsea’s lead at the top to just four points in the early game at White Hart Lane, comfortably disposing of Walter Mazzarri’s Watford side.

He added: “It’s a massive win for us, especially as we knew what Tottenham had done”.

“It’s normal that when you play after your opponents that you will see your opponents very close”.

Spurs will be praying that their London rivals begin to feel the pressure and suffer a collapse similar to Liverpool’s in the 2013/14 season.

A rampant Tottenham Hotspur may continue to dream of a title challenge but, for an extremely resolute Chelsea, that is little more than a mirage.

The Spain worldwide has never gone four games without scoring a goal in the EPL, but Conte still sees the striker as an important part of the team.

“We scored two very attractive goals in the second-half”.

While it’s easy to say that we ignore all that noise, it clearly filters back to the players and the manager, not only through pre- and post-match interviews, but through Twitter, Facebook, and whatever other fake or non-fake channels of media the youth of today uses to stay informed. Hazard once again displayed the type of mercurial trickery that unpicks defences and wins games.

“We needed a win”. And we must have the same desire.

The 26-year-old has a contract until 2020 with Chelsea and has played a key role this season as the Blues march towards a Premier League title.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte during their Premier League match against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge, April 1, 2017.

Diego Costa’s Premier League goal drought stretched to four games, with the Spain hitman having only hit the net three times in the league since January. “This is a good answer”, Chelsea manager Conte told BBC Sport. “I’m happy for him but above all for the team”.

Forward Diego Costa settled the previous meeting with his goal in a 1-0 victory over West Brom and Conte will be prepared for a resilient test in the reverse fixtures.

The in-from King pulled a goal back for the hosts but the visitors had too much quality and sealed the win when the often unheralded Alonso curled home a breathtaking free kick to cap an impressive personal performance.

Eddie Howe opted for attacking changes in the closing stages of the top flight contest, but Bournemouth rarely threatened in the second period against a team few would now bet against slipping up in the title race.

Hardly a classic at The Riverside as Middlesbrough and Burnley played out a goalless draw.