Human cyclone Costa could replace Suarez as league's brilliant baddie
Diego Costa of Chelsea tackles Seamus Coleman of Everton
Kevin Mirallas of Everton celebrates scoring his goal against Chelsea
Roberto Martinez (R), manager of Everton gives instructions with Jose Mourinho, manager of Chelsea
Steven Naismith of Everton celebrates scoring his team's second goal
Diego Costa of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team's sixth goal
Chelsea's Nemanja Matic celebrates scoring his goal with Cesc Fabregas (L)
Romelu Lukaku of Everton goes past Nemanja Matic of Chelsea
Kevin Mirallas of Everton scores with a header against Chelsea
Eden Hazard
As the rain battered down on Goodison Park and as the tempestuous skies rumbling in from the Irish Sea became even more threatening, it was tempting to believe that the human cyclone known as Diego Costa was solely responsible for the environment.
He was involved in almost everything for Chelsea, both good and bad, scoring twice and getting involved in a series of scuffles, one of which resulted in a booking.
Even with the game won, however, Jose Mourinho did not take him off.
The Chelsea manager appreciates what he is dealing with and is already trying to set the agenda.
Rather than being the instigator of the mayhem, Costa is the casualty.
"Imagine the millions watching around the world and, because Everton players are chasing him to get cards, I take him off," Mourinho said.
"I don't think that is fair. I don't think this is what the people want. I don't think this is what the Premier League wants."
Mourinho went further, claiming that Costa - despite already becoming the league's leading scorer as well as the first Chelsea player to register a goal in each of his first three games for the club since Adrian Mutu 11 years ago - is unlikely to receive any personal accolades for his achievements.
"Chased, chased!" Mourinho exclaimed. "Normally he would be the player of the month, but he has two yellow cards [the other coming against Burnley]. So he won't get it."
Teasing
Having already opened the scoring, Costa, in the second half, was shown a yellow card for hauling down Seamus Coleman after the pair grappled while waiting for a throw-in.
Soon, Costa was celebrating Coleman's own goal by teasing the defender right in front of the Park End.
The act irritated home spectators and anger was released into the atmosphere.
It irritated Tim Howard, too, and Everton's goalkeeper chased Costa to the edge of the 18-yard box, thrusting a fist into his throat.
For that, Howard was booked; Costa was not, and as the game reached its conclusion, with a devastating finish, he scored again.
This time, however, he embraced with his own supporters in the lower part of the Bullens Road Stand, those who sang his name long after the final whistle had been blown, thus marking the striker's significant influence over the outcome.
Costa will replace Luis Suarez as the most written and talked about player in the Premier League if he carries on like this.
The Chelsea No 9 delivered a performance that consumed an entire stadium. He linked brilliantly with his team-mates, industriously working the channels.
If he was not ceaselessly hunting down opponents, he was winding them up.
He managed to involve the crowd, and of course, the match officials. With goals in the first minute and the last, his presence was felt in everything that happened.
It was an exhausting experience just watching him. The home side had endured enough by the end.
Everton manager Roberto Martinez said that Costa's response to Coleman's misfortune in the 67th minute befitted that of a juvenile.
"He needs to understand that we are quite unique in our league; we are very honest and quite respectful with each other. You don't see that sort of behaviour," Martinez said.
Childish
"That's not a reflection of the class that he has. He's been a top player for a while and has had to fight a lot for what he's got.
"I think his career deserves a lot of credit, so it's a real shame when you've got a childish reaction like that."
Mourinho could have substituted the protagonist at the centre of it all to protect him from being sent off.
Yet Costa remained, even when Mourinho chose to introduce another centre-forward in Didier Drogba with injury time approaching and Chelsea attempting to shield their two-goal lead.
Mourinho, however, was right to say that Chelsea are not just a one-man war.
He spoke about Costa being a "mature guy" but named Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic as the players who have helped Chelsea to become "a lot" more aggressive in possession.
Here, they flattened an Everton team struggling with confidence defensively.
From the 35th second, Chelsea were always ahead. Branislav Ivanovic swiftly made it 2-0 to the visitors and after Kevin Mirallas reduced the deficit just before half-time, five goals were shared inside 10 second-half minutes.
After Coleman slid the ball into his own net, Steven Naismith responded for Everton, then Matic, Samuel Eto'o - on his Everton debut against his former club - and Ramires made the scoreline 3-5.
That all happened even before Costa made the final contribution. It was appropriate that he should. © Daily Telegraph, London.
EVERTON 3
CHELSEA 6
