Samuel Eto'o hits hat-trick as Chelsea add to Manchester United woe with impressive EPL win
SAMUEL Eto'o seized on slack defending to score his first Chelsea hat-trick in a 3-1 victory over Manchester United.
SAMUEL Eto'o seized on slack defending to score his first Chelsea hat-trick in a 3-1 victory over Manchester United that provided further evidence of the Barclays Premier League champions' struggles under David Moyes.
It was United's seventh league loss, leaving them not only 14 points behind leader Arsenal but six points from the fourth Champions League spot.
For Chelsea it was their sixth win in seven EPL games.
United's attacking endeavours relied on 18-year-old Adnan Januzaj and that, coupled with the gaping defensive holes Chelsea exposed, increased the sense Moyes must recruit top-class reinforcements this month to chase a top-four spot.
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Mourinho's preferred Eto'o to Fernando Torres in a side showing two changes following the win at Hull City.
The other was in defence, where Branislav Ivanovic returned earlier than expected from a knee injury so Cesar Azpilicueta shifted to left-back and Ashley Cole was dropped to the bench.
United, with Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie again out injured, made three changes following the win over Swansea City - Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and Ashley Young coming in - and began on the front foot.
But the Blues went ahead when Jones backed off Eto'o, whose shot looped up off Carrick's out-stretched leg and into the top corner.
David Luiz, again playing in midfield, was booked for an over-zealous aerial challenge on Antonio Valencia which enraged the United bench.
If Luiz was the enforcer, Hazard's influence as sorcerer was increasing as he found space to run at United.
Januzaj, who could yet team up with Hazard for Belgium, was United's most creative force but no one was in the box to meet his dangerous cross.
Another Januzaj cross evaded John Terry and reached Danny Welbeck, who got a shot away under pressure from Azpilicueta, but Petr Cech saved smartly.
Chelsea doubled their advantage when the visitors failed to clear a corner.
Ramires found Cahill on the right side of the area and the defender centred around a static defence for Eto'o to sweep in.
It was a major blow prior to the interval, but the decisive one followed and featured more abject defending.
Cahill was allowed a free header from Willian's corner and De Gea saved on the line, but Eto'o poked in the rebound.
United, who saw Evra depart injured, threw on Hernandez alongside Welbeck.
The Mexican pulled a goal back 12 minutes from time when he converted Jones' shot after Welbeck's pull-back.
But that was as good as it got for United, who saw Vidic sent off and Rafael booked in stoppage time as Chelsea triumphed.