Chelsea win Premier League: Five vital games on the road to glory

 

KANTE AND MATIC

 

Chelsea clinched the Premier League title with two games to spare as they beat West Brom 1-0 at the Hawthorns on Friday night. Here, we look back at five vital games on their road to glory under Antonio Conte...

Arsenal 3-0 Chelsea (September 24)

Chelsea's trip to the Emirates Stadium in September will be remembered as the biggest turning point in the Blues' season. Antonio Conte's side had drawn with Swansea and lost to Liverpool in their previous games, and they were completely outclassed as Arsenal ran riot in north London.

Alexis Sanchez capitalised on a Gary Cahill error to give the Gunners an early lead, with Theo Walcott converting from Hector Bellerin's pass just three minutes later. Things went from bad to worse for Chelsea when Mesut Ozil scored a breakaway third shortly before half-time.

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The defeat left Chelsea eighth in the Premier League, but, crucially, it also prompted Conte to switch from a back four to a back three. It was an inspired tactical adjustment which would prove vital to their title charge.

The new formation was so effective that many of their rivals soon began to follow suit.

Chelsea 4-0 Manchester United (October 23)

Jose Mourinho left Stamford Bridge with his tail between his legs as Conte's players embarrassed their former manager in the most emphatic style possible on his return to west London.

It only took 30 seconds to strike the first blow, with Pedro punishing slack defending to roll the ball home.

Cahill then smashed in the second after Manchester United failed to clear a corner, with goals from Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante compounding Mourinho's misery in the second half.

After defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal earlier in the season, this was Chelsea's first win of any kind against one of their direct rivals. It was a perfect way to lay down a marker to the rest of the division, and it also provided a psychological boost, allowing Chelsea's players put the misery of the previous season behind them once and for all.

Chelsea were still fourth in the table behind Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool, but suddenly they knew what they were capable of.

Chelsea 2-1 Man City (April 5)

Four days after a shock 2-1 defeat to Sam Allardyce's Crystal Palace, Chelsea's faced a formidable test of their powers of recovery at home to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. Could they get straight back on track after their most disappointing result since September? 

With a mixture of talent and resilience, they managed it. Hazard's early opener was cancelled out by Sergio Aguero, but the Belgian put them back in front before half-time. There was plenty of work to do after that, but steeled themselves to hold on for the three points.

The victory maintained their seven-point advantage over Tottenham and all but ended City's slim hopes of catching them. "We must be pleased because we beat the best team in the league," said Conte. "To win this type of game at this time of the season is great."

Everton 0-3 Chelsea (April 30)

Chelsea's trip to Goodison Park was arguably their toughest remaining test of the season, and with in-form Tottenham breathing down their necks in second place, they could ill-afford to drop points. 

For just over an hour on Merseyside, it seemed that's exactly what was about to happen. Everton defended stubbornly but Chelsea's persistence paid off when Pedro struck a brilliant 25-yarder to open the scoring.

 Cahill then doubled their advantage with his eighth goal of the season, before Willian wrapped up an emphatic victory.

Its significance was clear at the final whistle, as Conte joined his players to celebrate wildly in front of the travelling fans. With only four games of the season to go - including three home meetings with teams in the bottom half of the table - this was a significant step towards the trophy.

West Brom 0-1 Chelsea (May 12)

Chelsea travelled to the West Midlands knowing victory would seal the title, but for a long time at The Hawthorns it seemed they would be made to wait. 

Tony Pulis' side were typically well-organised as the likes of Costa and Hazard struggled to find a way through, and in the end it was left to substitute Michy Batshuayi to be an unlikely hero.

The Belgian, who had not scored a Premier League goal since August, was in the right place at the right time to convert Cesar Azpilicueta's cross with just eight minutes remaining. When the final whistle blew, Conte led the team's jubilant celebrations.

Leicester's Riyad Mahrez to consider future in summer

 

MAHREZ

 

As Leicester prepare to face Manchester City, live on Sky Sports, Riyad Mahrez tells Patrick Davison about the "weird" summer that followed Premier League glory, his struggle to return to form and where his future might lie... 

Being a champion turned out to be harder than Riyad Mahrez expected.

After an incredible season as the creative inspiration behind one of the greatest sporting stories ever told, you'd have thought he'd have spent the summer in a smiley daze; picking up awards, being routinely patted on the back by everyone he bumped into.

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The reality was a little different to that. Life became confusing. Big clubs, giant clubs were reportedly showing an interest.

"It was a weird summer for me because everyone was asking, 'Is he going here or there?'," says Mahrez, who was torn between loyalty to the miracle-makers and an opportunity he may never get again to join one of world football's finest.

For a time his future hung in the balance. In fact, it was more than that.

He said: "At first I wanted to go. When you do a season like I did, you start thinking, 'You have to take this train, maybe it won't come again'.

"There are big clubs, you don't know what's going to happen. Are they going to come back for you in two seasons or three seasons? You don't know.

"Then you have some people around you who have their opinion, your family as well. In the end, though every person has a choice and [in the end] I was thinking I prefer to stay and I don't regret it. It was a good choice."

Initially though, as the season got underway, it looked like he might have been better off jumping on the train to one of his summer suitors.

The team struggled to get anywhere close to the form they'd shown just a few months earlier. So, in truth, did he.

"When you start the league everyone is on you, I always had like three players on me," Mahrez said. "Last season, it could get switched to me and I would be one against one with the full back, now, never, no chance - three players on me is normal.

"We don't have a team of big, big players. Obviously, we have good players and a good team but when you have lots of big stars in your team, the opposition are not just going to focus on you, but this season it was like that for me and Vards."

A slow start became a relegation battle and a crisis which would eventually cost Claudio Ranieri his job.

"It was tough, the first six months were really, really tough," the 26-year-old said. "We were losing games at home, then in away matches I was going into some games and I was like, 'we're not going to win this game'. 

You could just feel it was different."

MNF guest Claudio Ranieri spoke about his season-winning strike partnership - Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez

Different until the change of manager which has sparked a run of seven wins in 10 games, an upturn in Mahrez's own form and got them, comfortably in the end, to safety.

Mahrez said: "It's the change [which caused the turnaround]. A different mentality, different training sessions and everyone is on it again. It's sad for Claudio because we were good with him and I liked him as a man and a manager as well but we have to thank Shakey.

"It's not the same when you become manager after being assistant but with Shakey he didn't change. He didn't start screaming and showing everyone he's the manager. That's why he had the success he's deserves."

Riyad Mahrez

Now another summer looms, another bout of speculation about Mahrez's future is already underway.

"I'm not really thinking about this summer yet, let's finish this season and we'll see," is his answer when I ask him what he wants to do.

"There's still three games to go, still some good games to play. I don't want to put something in my head. At the moment I'm in Leicester, I'm happy and we'll see."

This season Mahrez got his first taste of the Champions League and probably played his best football of the campaign in that competition. Of course, next season Leicester won't be involved and that may make it even harder for them to hold on to their playmaker.

"I want to play Champions League every year, I want to be at a big club and win trophies, that's my target," he says.

Can he do at least some of those things here is my next question.

"Why not? We'll see," is the reply.

Sounds like it might be another weird summer.

Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante the stars of Chelsea's Premier League title win, says Matt Le Tissier

 

HAZARD

 

We asked Matt Le Tissier to rate Chelsea's championship-winning squad after they wrapped up the Premier League title.

Only 13 Chelsea players have actually started five or more games during the season, with manager Antonio Conte benefiting from minimal injury concerns.

The lowest rating Le Tissier has dished out is an eight, while the Sky Sports pundit has reserved special praise for two of the the Blues' star men... 

Thibaut Courtois - 8

He has been protected well by those in front of him and, but for the odd error, has produced when called into action.

Cesar Azpilicueta - 9

I think his level of consistency has been very good and he's slotted into that back three very well. That's been key to Conte being able to use his favoured system.

Gary Cahill - 9

I'd stick him up there as a nine as well. Again he's been pretty consistent and chipped in with important goals, the joint highest for a defender this season in fact.

David Luiz - 9

Again a nine for him. He's shown more maturity this time in the Premier League and considerably cut down on the errors. His decision making has been much better and he's surprised a lot of us.

Marcos Alonso - 9

His contribution has been big, again chipping in with six goals as well as Cahill. A few eyebrows were raised when he signed and again he's far exceeded expectations. 

Victor Moses - 8

He's adapted well to a new position, has been pretty consistent. I feel pretty harsh giving him an eight, but I'm comparing him to Alonso, who has contributed a little more.

N'Golo Kante - 9.5

What an amazing achievement to win back-to-back titles at different clubs. He's been the model of consistency with the way he breaks play up and £32m looks a bargain when you consider Arsenal spent a similar amount on Granit Xhaka. To make it a 10 I'd just want a few goals from him, even though I know it's not his job. I've always preferred flair players so there's a bit of bias there.

Nemanja Matic - 8

I think he's a bit steadier than Cesc Fabregas, but not quite as good as seeing a forward pass. He's done the defensive side well, but not quite as well as Kante, so 'just' an eight for me.

Cesc Fabregas - 9

He's shown a fantastic attitude, which isn't easy when you're not a regular, and has always been ready to step in when needed. I've always admired him as a player - the way he picks a pass and knows when to release it - since his Arsenal days.

Willian - 8

He's probably not played as much as he'd want but also, like Fabregas, he's shown the attitude to deliver when he steps in, never lets anyone down and shows good quality.

Eden Hazard - 9.5

The only reason he's not got a 10 is because two seasons ago he was a bit more consistent, but he's one of those players I'd pay to go and watch.

Pedro - 8.5

I'm a big fan of his. I think he's been pretty consistent and has come up with some important goals, none more so than the screamer at Everton, when Ronald Koeman's side were looking comfortable and he blew the game wide open.

Diego Costa - 9

I certainly can't give him a nine and a half because he's looked more interested in leaving at times, but 20 goals in a season warrants a nine.