Crystal Palace v Chelsea, Premier League 2016/17

“We are showing in the last two games what we have shown most of the year”, said Palace manager Alan Pardew. We are working on our principles.

The Blues have one of the biggest squads in the competition with as many as 38 players playing out on loan this season after 33 last season. That is what Palace fans want to see.

“I am pleased for the good form of my players, but when you play three games in seven days it’s very hard”.

“He’s a good player for us”, Conte said. “We are organised and enjoying it”. “To win 11 games in a row in this division isn’t simple”. “We have to get some points on the board and start winning games”, said Pardew, “but today was always going to be hard”. Just as they were unable to stop Costa’s climb in the penalty area, they could not halt Chelsea‘s ascent or arrest their own slide.

Guus Hiddink’s first spell as the Blues’ interim manager ended – in league terms at least – with successive wins over West Ham, Fulham, Arsenal, Blackburn and Sunderland. In the first half, we saw snow and sleet.

The league leaders were already guaranteed to be top of the tree at Christmas and a first-half goal from Diego Costa extended a run that stretches back to 1 October. They are a good group. Work, fight, improve – been working on them from day one and now Conte gets to reap the benefits.

“I think Michy has great quality”.

Instead, it caused confusion, with Hennessey starting to come for the ball before stopping and Scott Dann failing to monitor Costa’s run, enabling the striker to climb above him and head past Hennessey.

“I like to win and to see my teams have two bad defeats – we deserved two bad defeats – I didn’t like this and I tried to find the right solution on the pitch and outside of the pitch”.

However, there is no replacing Costa in this type of form and so while his critics may argue he brings most of it on himself and plays up to fouls, from a Chelsea perspective there will be concern.

“We need to kill games off when we can because we had so many chances”, the Spain worldwide added. “Hopefully, we will turn a corner”.

Palace’s tactic of defending deep and in numbers frustrated Chelsea, but Costa was able to break the deadlock, heading home Cesar Azpilicueta’s excellent lofted pass into the box from close range.