EPL: Marcos Alonso double helps Chelsea win without Diego Costa

Marcos Alonso proved an unexpected replacement for the absent Diego Costa as Chelsea won 3-0 at Leicester City.

Harry Kane celebrates scoring his sides fourth goal and his third against West Bromwich Albion.

Marcos Alonso proved an un­expected replacement for the ­absent Diego Costa as Chelsea won 3-0 at Leicester City yesterday to consolidate their position on top of the Premier League table.

Costa, Chelsea’s top scorer, was missing after reportedly rowing with coaching staff about his fitness, but Spanish wing-back ­Alonso’s double helped Antonio Conte’s side go seven points clear.

Tottenham Hotspur climbed into second place after Harry Kane claimed a hat-trick in a 4-0 stroll against West Bromwich ­Albion, with Arsenal moving up to third after winning by the same scoreline at Swansea City.

Chelsea’s 13-game winning run had been halted by a 2-0 defeat at Spurs on their previous league outing and preparations for the trip to Leicester were rocked by the Costa controversy.

Speaking before the game, Conte would say only that Costa had been unable to train because of “pain in his back”.

The Brazil-born Spain inter­national’s ­absence was quickly forgotten as Eden Hazard teed up Alonso to sweep Chelsea ahead in the sixth minute at the King Power Stadium.

Alonso struck six minutes into the second half, with a deflected shot, before Pedro Rodriguez headed in after Willian had been denied by Kasper Schmeichel.

It was Leicester’s 10th defeat of the campaign and kept the champions in 15th place, five points above the relegation zone.

Kane had earlier scored a stylish hat-trick as Tottenham pulled off a classy demolition of West Brom at an appreciative White Hart Lane. Gareth McAuley put through his own goal as Mauricio Pochettino’s side recorded a sixth successive league win.

Arsenal moved above Liverpool on goal difference after a pair of own goals helped them to victory at struggling Swansea.

Olivier Giroud broke the deadlock in the 37th minute, slamming home his fifth goal in five games.

AFP