Blues going strong in Premier League table as they put Everton draw behind them with style
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ALVARO MORATA returned from a ban and headed Chelsea on their way to a sixth straight Premier League home win.
The Spanish striker, who had missed Saturday’s goalless draw at Everton through suspension, nodded home just a minute into the second half to end Brighton’s resistance at Stamford Bridge.
Then after a torrent of Chelsea pressure, Marcos Alonso headed a second on the hour.
Antonio Conte’s men may be light years behind distant leaders Manchester City but at least their title defence has been more respectable than most in recent years.
And that has had much to do with Morata, the summer signing from Real Madrid who has now netted ten league goals for the champions.
Chris Hughton’s Seagulls were at their well-drilled best throughout the first half, restricting Chelsea to only a couple of half chances, which Tiemoue Bakayoko and Victor Moses failed to seize.
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But Conte’s half-time team talk seemed to insert rockets up his players and when Cesar Azpilicueta whipped in a cross from the right, Morata slipped between two defenders and guided a header inside the near post.
After that release of tension, Chelsea were suddenly rampant.
An outstanding through-ball from Cesc Fabregas found Bakayoko, who squared for the lively Eden Hazard - but the Belgian shot wide when he was expected to score.
Alonso then had a curling free-kick pushed away from the top corner by Matt Ryan, who saved again from the resulting corner as Alonso met Fabregas’ centre with a near-post header.
But soon after Chelsea tried the same routine from the opposite flank with greater success – as Fabregas delivered from the left and Alonso headed in.
A swift Chelsea break then ended with a goal-line clearance from Lewis Dunk denying Hazard a goal which his hyperactive performance deserved.
