Chelsea’s Diego Costa shifts focus from antics to playing proper football

For first time since mid-September, he no longer has more Premier League yellow cards than goals, writes Greg Lea after Chelsea beat Crystal Palace.

Chelsea forward Diego Costa was excellent against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Paul Gilham / Getty Images

Crystal Palace 0

Chelsea 3

Oscar 29’, Willian 60’, Costa 66’

Man of the match John Obi Mikel (Chelsea)

LONDON // It was the defeat that began the demise.

Back in August, when champions Chelsea were still considered contenders for this year’s crown, Crystal Palace left Stamford Bridge triumphant and Jose Mourinho questioning what was wrong with his side.

Chelsea had already dropped points in an opening-day draw with Swansea City and a 3-0 loss at Manchester City, but being so deservedly beaten by Palace at home sparked the first few mentions of a crisis that Mourinho would ultimately pay for with his job.

One of the features of that August encounter was the dominance Palace centre-half Damien Delaney exerted over Diego Costa, the Chelsea striker whom he got the better of in almost every department.

The Spain international, so used to overcoming his markers with power and physicality, met his match in the rugged Irishman, whose success in a key individual battle set Palace on the path to victory.

Things could not have been more different on Sunday afternoon.

Costa was back to his bustling best at Selhurst Park, demonstrating both quality and commitment and making life difficult for his opponents without ever overstepping the mark.

It was a performance that served as a reminder as to why, despite all of the unwanted baggage he often brings, Chelsea spent £32 million (Dh173.3m) to bring him to London in the summer of 2014.

Costa was floored by a firm Delaney challenge early on, a foul that the Palace man likely intended to act as a warning that his adversary would be in for a tough 90 minutes.

Instead of reacting, though, Costa merely got to his feet and carried on with the game. By the end of it he would have another goal, assist and official Man of the Match award to his name.

Palace actually began the brighter of the two teams, with Frazier Campbell spurning an excellent opportunity to open the scoring after Jason Puncheon picked him out with a wonderful cross from the left.

The visitors punished that profligacy moments later, Costa exhibiting the coolness and composure that Campbell had lacked. His run into the right-hand channel was met with a fine through-ball from Cesc Fabregas, before Costa squared for Oscar to finish into an empty net.

It was the type of selfless act that many other goal-hungry strikers would not have made: Costa could have taken a shot himself but instead chose to pick out a better-placed teammate, ensuring Chelsea took a lead that they would not relinquish.

“I [told him] to exclude other influences, focus on what he’s good at and not waste energy on silly things,” Guus Hiddink replied when asked what he had done to help Costa get back on track. “He proved that already in past games and again today.”

His goal would come later in the second half, by which time Willian had doubled Chelsea’s lead with a thumping effort that arrowed into the roof of the net.

It was the Brazilian who created the third, Wayne Hennessey palming his shot directly to the feet of Costa, who was free to tap home after escaping the clutches of Joel Ward at the back post.

Those were the moments in which Costa impressed, but it was his all-round display that would have pleased Hiddink most.

There was brawn without belligerence, aggression without attitude. Costa led the pressing from the front and cleared set-pieces at the back, all the while avoiding any hint of trouble or conflict.

He has now found the back of the net three times in his last two outings having managed the same tally in his previous 15 top flight league appearances. For the first time since mid-September, he no longer has more Premier League yellow cards than goals.

“I don’t guarantee it won’t happen again in the future,” Hiddink warned when it was put to him that Costa has cut down on the antics since his arrival as interim manager last month.

If the Dutchman can keep Costa focused on the football for the remainder of the campaign, a Europa League spot is by no means out of reach.

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