Awesome Costa torments Swans

Chelsea 4 Swansea 2

The Brazilian-born Spain international took his tally to seven for the season, justifying his selection as the Premier League’s Player of the Month and showing why Jose Mourinho was prepared to wait almost a year before signing him from Atletico Madrid for €35m. But for the second game in succession Costa showed a darker side to his game, clubbing Swansea’s Gylffi Sigurdsson to the ground with a swipe of his fist, an offence that referee Kevin Friend failed to spot but was highlighted on television, and could yet be the subject of disciplinary action.

It followed Costa’s less-than-sportsmanlike taunting of Seamus Coleman after he scored in Chelsea’s 6-3 victory at Everton a fortnight ago, to suggest the striker is not likely to win any popularity contests outside Stamford Bridge. But Chelsea fans could not care less. These are a bunch who hero-worship John Terry, and will forgive Costa anything if his goals can return the Premier League title to the club, as he is threatening to do already.