Eden Hazard ensures Chelsea stay in touch at top with win at Brighton
Eden Hazard departed this contest with a grimace eight minutes from time, his right ankle still smarting from the damage inflicted moments earlier by Dale Stephens’ unpunished challenge. The Belgian has grown used to taping on the ice packs in the dug-out, and would rip it free again once the final whistle had sounded, but at least he could be warmed by the wounds he had inflicted on the opposition.
This had been one of his more mesmeric displays, the kind where markers seem hypnotised by his skill on the ball and quail at his every involvement. He had provided his customary assist to ease Chelsea ahead, and would end a 12-game goal drought before the break, albeit courtesy of Brighton & Hove Albion’s generosity. Leon Balogun, in for the suspended Shane Duffy, passed the ball straight to Willian who easily slipped Hazard through into the vacant home half. The forward’s finish was dispatched crisply inside Mat Ryan’s post with the goalkeeper instinctively expecting the shot to arrow towards the other corner.