Late Strike Sends Chelsea Six Point Clear

Hazard scores after 87 seconds
Costa grabs 20th goal of season before limping off
Courtois error hands Hull equaliser
Remy scores winner with first touch
Thibaut Courtois was indebted to Loic Remy after his late winner extended Chelsea's Premier League lead over Manchester City to six points.

The visitors went two goals ahead after Eden Hazard fired in and Diego Costa curled in his 20th of the season.

But Hull replied with two goals in 74 seconds as Ahmed Elmohamady slid in before Abel Hernandez took advantage of an error by goalkeeper Courtois.

Substitute Remy then beat Allan McGregor to score with his first touch.

The goal, which sneaked through McGregor's legs, papered over an inconsistent display from Jose Mourinho's side, who went from awesome to awful in the space of 28 first-half minutes.

Courtois will be mightily relieved at Remy's strike after the Belgium goalkeeper failed to control Branislav Ivanovic's back pass, inadvertently gifting the ball to the onrushing Hernandez for the equaliser.

And the French striker could become an important figure in the title run-in after he replaced the injured Costa, who had a hamstring problem.

While the game was not as controversial as the reverse fixture in December where Hull had a man sent off and Hull boss Steve Bruce accused Chelsea players of diving, it was entertainingly robust.

But after Chelsea established a comfortable lead, they appeared to show a fragility which is becoming more common as the season nears its finale.

Hull did not quite have the quality to fully take advantage, and they remain only three points clear of the relegation zone.

If Chelsea can continue the form they showed in the opening 10 minutes, no team are likely to catch them, even if they are still to face Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool.

The first goal came after two minutes as Nemanja Matic fed Costa, who laid the ball off to Hazard. The Belgium winger watched the hosts' defence back off, and smashed in from 20 yards for his 16th goal of the season.

Only nine minutes had passed before Chelsea doubled the lead. Cesc Fabregas set Costa free down the left flank and as Michael Dawson retreated, the Spain international curled into the top corner.

A rout looked possible. Yet, having shown brittleness between the goals when Hernandez was denied by Courtois, the Blues contrived to throw away a two-goal lead.

Courtois could do little for Hull's first goal. Andrew Robertson steamed down the left flank, avoided a flimsy challenge from Ivanovic and delivered a low cross to the back post where Elmohamady tucked in.

The usually reliable Courtois then lost his senses. Ivanovic passed back to the 22-year-old, who tried to take on Hull midfielder Gaston Ramirez and allowed Hernandez to nip in.

Hull had 14 shots to Chelsea's three in the first half and the hosts continued to probe after the break. Courtois pulled off a superb triple save to keep the scores level.

But when Remy came off the bench to score following Willian's centre, it ensured Courtois' error did not prove costly.

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