CHEALSE STILL AT THE TOP

Chelsea maintained their five-point advantage at the summit of the Premier League with a backs-to-the-wall, battling 1-0 victory over
West Ham United. An Eden Hazard goal midway through the first half and world-class keeping from Thibaut Courtois were the decisive factors as the Blues displayed admirable defensive resilience to keep the Hammers at bay.
Jose Mourinho tweaked his Wembley starting XI, electing to play Courtois in goal instead of Petr Cech and affording Oscar a start in place of Willian. Kurt Zouma continued in midfield, leaving Gary Cahill to partner captain John Terry once more at the heart of the Blues' defence. Three days after their classy Capital One Cup triumph over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley, the more modest confines of West Ham's Boleyn Ground proved to be a more testing environment for Mourinho's men, but in a blood-and-guts physical encounter often akin to trench warfare, they acquitted themselves valorously.