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No stopping Chelsea

Published:Saturday | April 8, 2017 | 4:47 PM
AP
Chelsea's Marcos Alonso (centre) celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's third goal during their English Premier League against Bournemouth yesterday. Chelsea won 3-1. At left is Cesar Azpilicueta and Gary Cahill (right).

BOURNEMOUTH, England (AP):

Chelsea answered Tottenham's win with their own by beating Bournemouth 3-1 to restore the seven-point lead in the English Premier League yesterday.

Tottenham, Chelsea's only remaining title rivals, applied pressure by defeating Watford 4-0 hours earlier.

But Chelsea got going early through a fortuitous own goal and Eden Hazard's calm finish.

Josh King pulled one back for Bournemouth, only for Marcos Alonso's stunning free kick to seal victory for Chelsea in the 68th minute.

The effectiveness of Antonio Conte's wing backs in his preferred 3-4-3 formation was apparent once more as the returning Victor Moses played a crucial role in the opener before Alonso produced a moment of individual brilliance.

Moses, who was absent for Chelsea's last two games, took just 17 minutes to show his importance again as he surged down the right and centred for Diego Costa, whose miskicked effort deflected in off the unfortunate Adam Smith.

The contest appeared to be over just three minutes later when Hazard, released by N'Golo KantÈ's throughball, calmly rounded Artur Boruc and finished from a tight angle to double the lead.

Bournemouth's luck turned just before the break when Josh King's powerful effort from the edge of the box flew into the top corner via a deflection from David Luiz.

Other results: Tottenham 4 Watford 0; Manchester City 3 Hull City 1; Middlesbrough 0 Burnley 0; Stoke City 1 Liverpool 2; West Brom 0 Southampton 1; West Ham 1 Swansea 0.