LONDON: Diego Costa ended a seven-game goal drought in style, scoring his 50th and 51st Premier League goals as Chelsea overcame spirited Southampton 4-2 on Tuesday to move seven points clear of their nearest pursuers Tottenham Hotspur at the top of the table and calm nerves at Stamford Bridge.

Costa set up Eden Hazard’s early opener, which was cancelled out by Oriol Romeu, before Gary Cahill restored the hosts’ lead and a second-half brace from the buzzing Spaniard ensured Chelsea stayed on course for the double after they beat Tottenham by the same score in their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday.

The victory pushed Chelsea on to 78 points after 33 games and exerted more pressure on second-placed Spurs, who must win a potentially awkward London derby at in-form Crystal Palace on Wednesday to restore the gap to four points.

“We had a really important psychological test and our answer was good,” manager Antonio Conte said. “We have reached the final of the FA Cup but the other competiton is totally open. But we fight until the end. We must be confident for the future. It’s important to look at ourselves and not the other [Spurs].”

Conte juggled his team again on Tuesday starting with Costa and Hazard, who came off the bench at Wembley, and his tactics were rewarded.

It took them less than five minutes to open a lead when Costa controlled a pass from Cesc Fabregas, surged forward and cut the ball back for the advancing Hazard, who angled his shot into the bottom corner of Fraser Forster’s net.

Claude Puel’s Southampton worked their way back into the game, keeping tidy possession in midfield and making surging runs with Sofiane Boufal, Ryan Bertrand and Manolo Gabbiadini looking dangerous.

Their industry paid off in the 24th minute when former Chelsea midfielder Romeu forced home from close range after Gabbiadini’s shot clipped the leg of keeper Thibaut Courtois and fell into his path.

Cahill struck in first-half stoppage time, charging in bravely to head home N’Golo Kante’s deep cross, before Costa scored two contrasting goals.

The striker’s 50th Premier League goal was a header from Fabregas’ cross in the 53rd and his next goal was the culmination of a mazy run through the defense that saw him exchange passes with Hazard and Pedro Rodriguez in the 89th.

Southampton scored a stoppage-time consolation through another former Chelsea player Bertrand, who rose above Cahill to head in a cross from Cedric Soares.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2017