Chelsea 2-0 Hull - Costa scores as leaders win

More from Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, speaking to Match of the Day.

Asked about Diego Costa, he said: "In this situation I told always the truth. I am happy for him and to finish this speculation. He played and played very well.

"I am pleased for him and for fans and club. Today finished all types of speculation."

On his side's performance: “This game was very difficult for us. It is not easy to play this type of game. I think our opponent played very good, good organisation and made it difficult for us.

“We are in the second part of the season and every game is now very tough for us and also for the other teams. You can see today the difficulty all of the teams have.”

Here's a few post-match stats to get your teeth around on this nippy Sunday evening.

• In his 100th Chelsea game in all competitions, Diego Costa scored his 52nd goal for the club.
• Costa’s strike was the latest first-half goal in the Premier League since exact goal times have been recorded by Opta (2006-07 – 51:35).

• This is the fourth time a club has had 55+ points after 22 Premier League games, with Chelsea being responsible for three of those (also 2004-05 and 2005-06).
• Hull have now gone 20 Premier League games without a clean sheet, since beating Swansea 2-0 back in August.
• The Blues have now won 1002 Premier League points at home, becoming the third club to reach four figures in the competition (Man Utd 1116 and Arsenal 1019).
• Antonio Conte has the same number of points from his first 22 Premier League games that Jose Mourinho had in his (55).

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte speaking to Sky Sports asked about striker Diego Costa: "His performance was good and I am pleased for this. 

"In the press conference before the game a lot of people asked me about his form, his attitude, and I said took the best decision for the team and I think I made the best decision after this performance. 

"It is normal to receive a lot of questions [about Costa]. The most important thing for us is the answer on the pitch, for the player, for me, for club, for fans and for the league table.

"Honestly I was very happy to see his celebration because I was celebrating the goal on the bench. The most important thing was he scored."

Hull defender Harry Maguire: “They are a top side. When you don’t take your chances or get the big decisions they punish you and they have done today.

On Hull’s second-half penalty appeals: “The lino has given throw in but he [Marcos Alonso] didn’t touch ball from my angle. We didn’t get that one but dug in deep. We have got to kick on to the next game and get some points.

“The aim was to go in half-time 0-0. We played good football but gave away a sloppy goal. We don’t want to concede set-pieces like that.”

The average positions in that match make interesting reading and show the degree to which Hull tried to take the game to the league leaders. 

Striker Abel Hernandez and midfielder Sam Clucas managed to keep their average positions in the Chelsea half, although their full-backs were less successful in getting forward, with Chelsea full-backs Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses clearly posing a greater threat in the opposition half.

OptaCopyright: Opta

Hull City manager Marco Silva speaking to Sky Sports: "It was not what we wanted from the game. We came here to compete, to take points. Chelsea are in a very good moment but we try.

"In some moments we controlled the game. Chelsea had more ball possession but our team tried and conceded in the last minute of the first half which was cheap. If we changed some things the result might have been different. 

"It was a good performance but I want more.

"My players say it was a penalty in the second half."

And on Ryan Mason's condition: "I don't have news. The player is in hospital."

Chelsea's Gary Cahill speaking to Sky Sports: "It was a good weekend before we kicked a ball today. We knew how important a game it was. These opportunities don't come around too often so you have to capitalise. 

"Always in the Premier League anything can happen. At 1-0 it was dangerous and they gave it a big go."

On returning striker Diego Costa: "He is delighted to come back. There has been a lot of talk, if he misses one game you are hearing about all the different stories. It gets a bit tiring and the best way to respond is to get a goal. 

"We are delighted to have him back in the team."

On Chelsea's league position: "I see a healthy gap for us. We are determined to keep the gap going into two massive games. It is a big two or three weeks for us and we are over the first hurdle." 

And on his first-half clash of heads with Hull's Ryan Mason: "I tried to get on the end of the cross. We smashed heads I wish him all the very best."

Martin Keown is on Facebook Live now discussing the weekend's action. Get involved.

Chelsea have done enough. It is another clean sheet and another victory but it could have been different if the big penalty decision had gone against them. 

Hull were very good and Chelsea just did enough. 

Chelsea almost expected something to happen rather than make it happen but they came through.

Workmanlike from Chelsea, who claim their eighth straight home Premier League win to move eight points clear at the summit.

Diego Costa was impressive on his return, taking his goal well and looking every inch a player committed to the Chelsea cause.

Hull can take heart from their performance, which saw them work Chelsea's goalkeeper on several occasions and see a good shout for a penalty turned down. 

They remain in the bottom three, two points from safety, but with reasons for optimism, albeit slightly tempered by the injuries suffered by Ryan Mason and Curtis Davies.

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Hull can be very proud of their performance today.

They have done very well.

We're into four minutes of added time.

Oumar Niasse gives a little flash of his abilities as the ball comes to him in the area and he hits a firm shot on the turn that forces Courtois into another good stop down low to his left. 

The Belgian does not want to be beaten today and has had to work hard for his clean sheet.

Diego Costa is substituted to warm applause from the home fans, who seem to have forgotten all that silliness of the past couple of weeks. 

In typical Costa style he came back with a goal and a combative display. 

He gets a handshake and a pat on the back from Antonio Conte.  

Michy Batshuayi comes on.  

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The problem for everyone else is who is going to make the ground up to Chelsea?

I am sure Chelsea will drop five, six, seven or even eight points before the end of the season but are the other teams good enough to make that up?

Chelsea nearly make it three but are denied by a good save by Eldin Jakupovic, who speads himself well to deny Diego Costa.

Hull will be disappointed to let the centre-half run unchallenged and head the ball four yards from goal. 

Cahill has run from the near post to the far post and no one has tracked his run.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters