Cheslea 1-0 Crystal Palace
by Amar Azam
at Stamford Bridge

They may be deserving champions but they haven’t won many friends along the way. Nor will this Chelsea side be remembered as the great entertainers. Few connected with the club will care right now, however.

Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea captured the Premier League title, their first since 2010, with this victory over Crystal Palace. Stamford Bridge erupted at the final whistle as celebrations began in west London.

In so doing, Chelsea claim the league crown with three matches to spare, just as Mourinho did 10 years ago when he first won the league title for the club owned by Roman Abramovich. He has now nine trophies to his name at Chelsea, with 22 overall in a glittering managerial career.

“I am so happy and proud because I have won another Premier League title,” said Mourinho. “Everyone knows that we deserved this.”

Eden Hazard, the PFA Player of the Year, put his side on the way with a header off his rebounded penalty miss at the end of the first half. It was enough to seal the three points that his side needed to secure the championship.

Mourinho refused to single out the Belgian playmaker for special praise. “All of the players are equally important,” he added. “He did fantastic things for us. But everyone did.”

After a frustrating first half in which it appeared that the visitors had come to frustrate the champions elect, Chelsea took the lead moments before the interval.

Hazard won a spot-kick after being fouled by midfielder James McArthur. He stepped up to take the penalty but it was poorly taken and goalkeeper Julian Speroni saved the initial effort but couldn’t stop the rebound from being put away.

The visitors did not look as confident after the break, and buoyed on by the home supporters, Mourinho’s men went in search of the second goal that would have secured the three points that they needed to wrap things up.

In the end, they held on despite Palace coming close with a few chances.

Palace manager Alan Pardew said: “We’ve given a good account of ourselves. It’s what champions do, they don’t let you back in.”

Chelsea will have to wait until their home match against Sunderland, on May 24, to be presented with the league trophy.