Álvaro Morata sets Chelsea on course for victory against stubborn Brighton

In the end, Chelsea could survey their work on Boxing Day with some satisfaction. A stubborn Brighton & Hove Albion side were eventually ground down, the visitors beaten into submission after the break with the hosts’ lead never really threatened once established, to ensure the gap to Manchester United in second has been closed to a point. The summit may still be remote, but Antonio Conte’s side at least boast some much-needed momentum.

The head coach could point to his team’s toils up to the break as further evidence – if any more was required – that reinforcements will be required next month to add some cutting edge. This team used to be able to rely on a Diego Costa to batter or bully opponents when Chelsea’s creative forces were slightly off their game, with this too blunt for comfort until Álvaro Morata scored a 10th Premier League goal of his first season at the club while the second half was still in its infancy. Their quality told thereafter and Chris Hughton, too, could argue Brighton’s board should push the boat out to secure an instinctive finisher of the calibre of Celtic’s Moussa Dembélé to give them an edge in contests this tight.

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from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/dec/26/chelsea-brighton-and-hove-albion-premier-league-match-report