Chelsea winning run hits record 12 – Man City wear down Hull, go second

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Chelsea’s Spanish midfielder Pedro (left), controls the ball tracked by Bournemouth’s English defender Simon Francis (right), during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge in London on Dec 26. (AFP)

LONDON, Dec 26, (AFP): Pedro struck twice as Premier League leaders Chelsea registered a club record 12th successive league win by beating Bournemouth 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Monday.

Antonio Conte’s side can edge ever closer to Arsenal’s Premier League record of 14 consecutive wins when they face Stoke at the Bridge on Saturday.

Victory then would set up the possibility of matching the record, set across the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, when they travel to face London rivals Tottenham on January 4.

On this form, few would bet against the Blues extending their current run after they moved nine points clear of second placed Liverpool, who host Stoke on Tuesday.

In control long before Pedro put them ahead with a superb individual strike in the 24th minute, they effectively killed off Bournemouth’s hopes with Eden Hazard’s 49th-minute penalty before Pedro’s deflected second wrapped up the win.

Diego Costa’s one-match ban meant Conte was forced to reshuffle his forward line for the first time since his team embarked on their winning run, with Michy Batshuayi hoping to make his first league start since his arrival from Marseille.

Conte, though, had made it clear in the build-up to the game that the 23-year-old still has work to do as he attempts to acclimatise to life in the Premier League.

And Batshuayi once again found himself on the bench as the Chelsea boss opted to stick with his established senior players, moving Hazard into the middle with Willian and Pedro operating either side of the Belgium international.

Conte also made an enforced change in midfield with Cesc Fabregas slotting in alongside Nemanja Matic in place of the suspended N’Golo Kante.

Chelsea’s form has been such, however, that the changes had little effect on Conte’s side, who once again demonstrated the confidence that comes with winning matches.

Last December, Bournemouth’s win at Stamford Bridge helped hasten the departure of former Blues manager Jose Mourinho.

This time around there seemed little chance of a repeat upset with Eddie Howe’s side having won just one of eight away games.

Meanwhile, Manchester City wore down last-placed Hull to win 3-0 in the English Premier League, thanks to late goals by Yaya Toure and substitute Kelechi Iheanacho as well as an own-goal on Monday.

Toure converted a penalty kick in the 72nd minute after Raheem Sterling was tripped by Andrew Robertson as the England winger drove into the area.

Up until that point, City lacked inspiration going forward as Hull defended valiantly and in numbers, but more spaces opened up to allow the visitors a second goal.

Kevin De Bruyne laid in David Silva, whose pinpoint cross was tapped home by Iheanacho at the far post in the 78th. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Sterling weaved his way into the area and sent in a cross that was deflected into his own net by Curtis Davies

A third straight win continued City’s recovery after a sticky period of results for coach Pep Guardiola, lifting the team into second place ahead of Liverpool. Liverpool play their game in hand against Stoke on Tuesday.

City are seven points behind Chelsea after 18 rounds of the 38-game season.

Toure has scored all 10 of his penalties for City and has three goals since returning to the team after being ostracized by Guardiola early in the season.

The former Ivory Coast midfielder could have a key part to play in City’s title challenge this season now that fellow midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign with damaged knee ligaments.

Hull will rue Robertson’s moment of madness in bringing down Sterling as the bottom side was looking compact in defense and giving up few chances. Only De Bruyne, with a low shot against the post, had come close to breaking the deadlock before Toure’s penalty.

 

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