Didier Drogba got on the scoresheet as Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea made light of Diego Costas absence in a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur for their fourth win in five league matches. Costa - scorer of 11 goals in 11 BPL matches this season - missed Wednesdays London derby at Stamford Bridge due to suspension, but that mattered little. Chelsea legend Drogba, who returned to the club from Galatasaray in July, led the line superbly as Jose Mourinhos unbeaten side - who top the table by six points - overcame a bright start from the visitors to win comfortably. Harry Kane hit the crossbar early on for Spurs but Chelsea responded with two quick-fire goals. Eden Hazard set Chelsea on their way in the 19th minute, playing a one-two with Drogba before gliding past three Spurs players and slotting under Hugo Lloris from a tight angle. Drogba put Chelsea two ahead less than 180 seconds later, his second league goal of the season, when he fired home after Lloris clearance fell to Hazard. Substitute Loic Remy, who replaced Drogba, sealed the convincing home win 17 minutes from time with a side-footed shot as Tottenham Hotspurs winless run at Chelsea - which dates back to 1990 - continued. Manchester City kept up with their rivals as a Sergio Aguero masterclass helped his side to a 4-1 victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. The striker scored twice to take his goal tally to 14 in the BPL this season as Manuel Pellegrinis side claimed the points to remain second in the table. It looked like City may be in for a tricky evening against a team they had not beaten in their previous four league meetings when Connor Wickham fortuitously put Sunderland ahead when Pablo Zabaletas sliding tackle ricocheted off his foot and into the corner. But Aguero had other ideas and, having rocketed home a brilliant solo goal on 21 minutes, turned provider for Stevan Jovetic to make it 2-1 six minutes before half-time. Gus Poyets men were pegged back further not long after the interval as Zabaleta added a third goal with a sublime chip over Black Cats goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon after a neat one-two with Samir Nasri. And Aguero was back on centre stage in the 71st minute, converting coolly from James Milners cross to wrap up a comfortable nights work for City. Southampton lost ground on the BPL leaders as Alexis Sanchez struck in the 89th minute to give Arsenal a 1-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium. Saints, in third spot, produced a spirited display and they looked to have frustrated Arsenal with Fraser Forster putting on a goalkeeping masterclass to sensationally deny Danny Welbeck twice and Olivier Giroud late on. The visitors, however, had chances of their own, though neither Graziano Pelle nor Shane Long could find the target. And Sanchez popped up late on to sweep the ball home from close range, after Aaron Ramsey found space to cross, to claim his ninth Barclays Premier League goal of the season. The result lifts Arsenal to sixth place in the BPL table, two points off fourth place, while Southampton are now 10 points behind Chelsea. Hull City ended their losing run in the BPL as Sone Alukos strike secured a hard-earned 1-1 draw at Everton. Coming into the contest on the back of four-straight defeats, Hull had dropped into the bottom three after Tuesdays results. A visiting side low on confidence were swamped in the first half at Goodison Park and Everton took a deserved lead 11 minutes before the break when Romelu Lukaku converted Kevin Mirallas cut back. Alukos introduction in the second half sparked Hull City and the Nigerian pegged the home side back with a fine individual equaliser, bursting past Sylvain Distin and into the penalty area before slotting past Tim Howard at the Americans near post on 59 minutes. Hull City could have snatched all three points, Nikica Jelavics header just drifting wide of the post the post, but the draw lifts them back above Burnley and into 17th place.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 15:25:07 +0000