Hazard brace helps Chelsea to victory over Brighton

Chelsea went into the game looking to arrest a run of five straight draws in all competitions and they did so comfortably, mainly thanks to an early blitz at the Amex.

The ‘Blues’ found themselves two goals to the good after just six minutes, forcing the hosts to throw their gameplan out of the window.

Chelsea took the lead with just three minutes on the clock as Eden Hazard powered home from Victor Moses’ low cross from the right for his 100th career league goal.

Just three minutes later that lead was doubled as Willian, celebrating a landmark of his own, finished off a beautiful team move full of sumptuous flicks with a rasping drive from the edge of the box.

Chelsea were threatening to run away with the game early on, with Brighton not knowing what had hit them.

Nevertheless, the hosts regrouped and were unfortunate not to be given a penalty when Ezequiel Schelotto was felled by stand-in goalkeeper Willy Caballero.

Matt Ryan in the home goal had to be alert to make good save from Hazard and midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko as Chelsea looked for the third goal that would end the tie as a contest.

Willian saw a powerful effort beaten away by Ryan at his near post, whilst Michy Batshuayi missed a chance to underline his position as a potential starter when he fired straight at the Australian when well placed.

The hosts did threaten on occasion though and were denied a leveller by a fine Caballero save after Tomer Hemed met Pascal Gross’ cross from the right.

As the minutes ticked away until half-time Schelotto once again went down in the box, under a challenge from Bakayoko this time but his protests were waved away.

Moses couldn’t quite grow enough to convert Hazard’s cross just before the break meaning that the visitors were made to do with a two-goal lead.

Brighton had the first clear-cut chance of the second period as Davy Propper crashed a header off the post from Solly March’s right wing cross.

- Chelsea's injury woe - 

Chelsea were dealt a blow when young defender Andreas Christensen was forced off with a suspected concussion after a clash of heads with Shane Duffy, but they almost sealed the victory just seconds later as Ryan tipped a Willian free kick onto the post.

Sloppy defending from Marcos Alonso presented Schelotto with a chance to halve the deficit with 66 minutes gone, but Caballero stayed big to deny him and with that chance went Brighton's hopes of getting anything from the game.

With just 13 minutes to go Hazard got the all-important third, dancing inside Connor Goldson after being fed by Willian and rolling the ball back across Ryan and into the far corner from the edge of the box.

Moses then put the icing on the cake with just a minute to go as he finished after a superb ball from deep from substitute Charly Musonda.

It was a comfortable victory in the end for Chelsea, who will have been buoyed by their ability to score goals, despite the absences of Pedro and Alvaro Morata through suspension.