Chelsea 5-0 Everton: Eden Hazard stars as Blues power to the top

HAZARD, AZPI AND PEDRO

Eden Hazard scored twice as Chelsea powered to the top of the Premier League with an emphatic 5-0 thrashing of Everton at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening.

In a hugely one-sided contest, Hazard set the hosts on their way with the opening goal in the 19th minute.

Marcos Alonso doubled the advantage 23 seconds later and Diego Costa made it 3-0 shortly before the break.

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Hazard scored the fourth for a Chelsea side brimming with confidence and Pedro completed the rout in the 65th minute.

The win sees Chelsea go top of the Premier League after Manchester City were held at home by Middlesbrough earlier in the day.

It is also their fifth successive league victory and clean sheet, neither of which ever really looked in doubt against an overwhelmed and below-par Everton.

Toffees boss Ronald Koeman tried to match the hosts with three at the back, as Phil Jagielka and Maarten Stekelenburg returned to the starting line-up along with Tom Cleverley.

But the visitors' plans started to unravel as soon as the 19th minute when Gareth Barry lost possession midway inside the Chelsea half, the hosts countered and Hazard cut in from the left and fired into the far corner.

Less than a minute later it was 2-0 as Hazard's clever turn set up another break and Pedro cut across for Alonso to drill a shot through the legs of Stekelenburg.

Chelsea continued to dominate and Victor Moses struck the post after meeting Alonso's cross on the half volley.

The visitors offered nothing in response in a remarkably one-sided first half.

Costa extended Chelsea's lead in the 42nd minute when he fired in from a corner and the striker could have scored a second in injury-time when he raced clear, but failed to hit the target.

The slick hosts did add another after the break, Hazard driving goalwards after collecting a backheel from Pedro and then drilling a shot into the bottom corner.

Everton looked completely hapless and, after Stekelenburg saved from Costa, it was 5-0 when Hazard's shot was palmed out for Pedro to finish into an empty net.

Still the visitors showed no sign of a comeback and Stekelenburg had to save from Costa and then David Luiz as Chelsea pushed for more.

Moses had the hosts' final chance but he saw his effort saved as Antonio Conte's side had to settle for five.

Player ratings

Chelsea: Courtois (6), Azpilicueta (7), David Luiz (7), Cahill (7), Moses (8), Kante (7), Matic (8), Alonso (8), Pedro (8), Costa (8), Hazard (9).

Subs: Terry (5), Oscar (5), Batshuayi (5).

Everton: Stekelenburg (5), Coleman (4), Williams (3), Jagielka (3), Oviedo (3), Funes Mori (3), Barry (3), Bolasie (3), Barkley (3), Cleverley (3), Lukaku (4).

Subs: Mirallas (5), Davies (5), Lennon (5).

Man of the match: Eden Hazard