Premier League
West BromWest Bromwich Albion3ChelseaChelsea0

West Bromwich Albion 3-0 Chelsea

By James GheerbrantBBC Sport
Saido Berahino celebrates a goal
Saido Berahino took his Premier League goal tally for the season to 14

West Brom inflicted a third league defeat of the season on champions Chelsea in an eventful game at The Hawthorns.

Saido Berahino opened the scoring with a fine 20-yard strike, before Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas was sent off for kicking the ball at Chris Brunt.

Berahino added a second from the spot after he was brought down by John Terry within seconds of the restart.

Brunt rounded off the win with an angled shot from a quick corner.

The power of P
All four managers to beat Jose Mourinho this season have surnames beginning with P: Alan Pardew, Mauricio Pochettino, Phil Parkinson and Tony Pulis.

With Chelsea having already secured the title and West Brom safely ensconced in mid-table, the result had no major significance for either side, but the game began with an intensity that belied the meaningless nature of the contest.

Pulis delight at 'great result'

Berahino had not found the net in his previous eight Premier League matches but he recaptured the sparkling form he showed earlier in the season with a superb goal after just nine minutes.

The 21-year-old received the ball from Joleon Lescott on the edge of the area and turned before curling a stunning shot into the bottom corner.

Chelsea responded well but their hopes of extending their 16-game unbeaten run - the longest in the top flight this season - were rocked when Fabregas was dismissed in farcical circumstances.

Chelsea striker Diego Costa and Baggies centre-back Gareth McAuley became embroiled in a tussle, and as referee Mike Jones tried to restore order, Fabregas kicked the ball at the group of players around the referee, hitting Brunt on the head.

Ever-present Terry
If John Terry plays the full 90 minutes in Chelsea's final match against Sunderland, he will become only the second outfield player to play every single minute of a Premier League season for the champions - after Manchester United's Gary Pallister in 1992-93.

The visitors competed well until half-time despite their numerical disadvantage, but the scale of their task was increased inside 30 seconds of the second half.

Berahino was played through the middle by a brilliant reverse pass from Brunt and Terry hacked the striker down with a desperate challenge - a tackle for which the Chelsea captain was hugely fortunate to escape without a card.

West Brom 3-0 Chelsea: Jose Mourinho blames loss on rivals

Berahino beat Thibaut Courtois from the spot for his 14th league goal of the season - the third-best tally of any English player, behind Harry Kane and Charlie Austin.

Brunt then ensured that Chelsea would leave The Hawthorns winless from their last four visits, by rifling in a powerful shot that beat Courtois at his near post.

There was time for Mourinho to hand a debut to 18-year-old midfielder Izzy Brown at his former club, but he was powerless to prevent Tony Pulis's side completing an impressive victory.

West Brom manager Tony Pulis: "We still have one more game to go but we are delighted we finished 13th. To win at Manchester United, to beat Chelsea, to draw with Liverpool. Those last five games, you were thinking where are the points coming from for us?

"We made it difficult for Chelsea and looked dangerous when we broke. I have managed against Jose Mourinho twice and managed to beat him twice.

"I haven't seen the red card. Until I see it, I will let you know. I don't think Jose has seen it either."

Cesc Fabregas is shown the red card by Mike Jones
Cesc Fabregas's red card was the second of his career - the first coming for Arsenal at Everton in January 2006
Saido Berahino scores from the penalty spot
Saido Berahino has now scored 20 goals in all competitions this season
Chris Brunt celebrates his goal
Chris Brunt's goal was his first in the league since 8 February, when he scored against Burnley
Izzy Brown
Izzy Brown became the 89th player to play for Chelsea under Jose Mourinho

Line-ups

West Brom

Formation 4-3-3

  • 13Myhill
  • 25Dawson
  • 23McAuley
  • 3OlssonBooked at 37mins
  • 6Lescott
  • 24FletcherBooked at 29mins
  • 5Yacob
  • 7MorrisonSubstituted forBairdat 89'minutes
  • 19McManamanSubstituted forGardnerat 54'minutesBooked at 63mins
  • 18BerahinoSubstituted forIdeyeat 79'minutes
  • 11Brunt

Substitutes

  • 2Wisdom
  • 4Baird
  • 8Gardner
  • 9Ideye
  • 10Anichebe
  • 21Mulumbu
  • 38Rose

Chelsea

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 13Courtois
  • 2Ivanovic
  • 24Cahill
  • 26Terry
  • 3Filipe Luís
  • 36Loftus-CheekSubstituted forAkéat 73'minutes
  • 21Matic
  • 18RemySubstituted forBrownat 79'minutes
  • 4FàbregasBooked at 29mins
  • 10E Hazard
  • 19Diego CostaBooked at 28minsSubstituted forJu Cuadradoat 64'minutesBooked at 82mins

Substitutes

  • 6Aké
  • 12Mikel
  • 23Ju Cuadrado
  • 28Azpilicueta
  • 31Christensen
  • 37Brown
  • 46Blackman
Referee:
Mike Jones
Attendance:
24,750

Match Stats

Home TeamWest BromAway TeamChelsea
Possession
Home40%
Away60%
Shots
Home9
Away12
Shots on Target
Home5
Away3
Corners
Home3
Away4
Fouls
Home12
Away11

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, West Bromwich Albion 3, Chelsea 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, West Bromwich Albion 3, Chelsea 0.

  3. Post update

    Foul by Nathan Aké (Chelsea).

  4. Post update

    Darren Fletcher (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  5. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Eden Hazard (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Filipe Luis.

  6. Post update

    Juan Cuadrado (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Joleon Lescott (West Bromwich Albion).

  8. Post update

    Attempt missed. Nemanja Matic (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.

  9. Post update

    Eden Hazard (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Claudio Yacob (West Bromwich Albion).

  11. Substitution

    Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Chris Baird replaces James Morrison.

  12. Post update

    Juan Cuadrado (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Craig Gardner (West Bromwich Albion).

  14. Post update

    Nathan Aké (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Joleon Lescott (West Bromwich Albion).

  16. Booking

    Juan Cuadrado (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  17. Post update

    Foul by Juan Cuadrado (Chelsea).

  18. Post update

    Joleon Lescott (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  19. Substitution

    Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Brown Ideye replaces Saido Berahino.

  20. Substitution

    Substitution, Chelsea. Izzy Brown replaces Loïc Remy.

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Chelsea37259370313984
2Man City37237781384376
3Arsenal36218767353271
4Man Utd37209862372569
5Liverpool37188115142962
6Tottenham37187125753461
7Southampton371861354312360
8Swansea37168134648-256
9Stoke37149144244-251
10Everton371211144849-147
11West Ham371211144445-147
12Crystal Palace37129164651-545
13West Brom371111153747-1044
14Leicester37108194154-1338
15Aston Villa37108193156-2538
16Sunderland36716133050-2037
17Newcastle3799193863-2536
18Hull37810193351-1834
19Burnley37612192753-2630
20QPR3786234168-2730
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