Eden Hazard’s 19th goal of the season was enough to claim top spot with three games to spare. The recently crowned Player of the Year scored on the stroke of half-time after his initial penalty had been saved and from then on, the win was never really in doubt.

Thibaut Courtois was asked to make one decent second-half save but more danger from the visitors from the other side of the Thames had come when the game was scoreless.

Didier Drogba, a man for so many successful seasons, tested the visitors’ keeper with a powerful free-kick during the first half and he, along with Willian and Branislav Ivanovic came close to doubling the lead in the second half but shot wide.

One goal always looked as if it would be enough however and so it proved. Let the party begin in west London! And around the globe for all Chelsea fans – wherever you may be!



Team news

Jose Mourinho had to make a late change to the teamsheet originally handed in. Ramires, who had been in the starting line-up, was struck by illness and was ruled altogether so Juan Cuadrado came in for his third Premier League start.

The other change from the side which began the game against Leicester on Wednesday was between the posts with Courtois returning. Loic Remy, having overcome his calf injury, was on the bench so Drogba continued to lead the attack with behind him, Willian in the middle, Eden Hazard out left and Cuadrado on the right. Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas were the deeper central midfielders.

The back four was the same as selected for the previous five games during which they conceded just two goals.

Following two home defeats, Alan Pardew made changes to the Palace side with Yannick Bolasie asked to play as the most forward attacker instead of Glenn Murray who was on the bench. Both full-backs were changed from the 2-0 reverse against Hull last time out with Adrian Mariappa and Joel Ward coming in, and Joe Ledley was preferred to Mile Jedinak in central midfield.



First half

Three points. The mathematics could not have been simpler for the Blues to claim our fifth league championship today, and with the previous four, we had done the business at the first time of asking as soon as one win was enough.

After a wet morning in London, the sun obliged by coming out to light the occasion and roared on by a vibrant Sunday lunchtime crowd inside Stamford Bridge, Jose Mourinho’s men started with good intensity.