Chelsea 2 Brighton 0: Alvaro Morata, Marcos Alonso seal Stamford Bridge win for Premier League champions

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Vaishali Bhardwaj26 December 2017

Alvaro Morata returned from suspension to inspire Chelsea to a 2-0 Boxing-Day win over Brighton at Stamford Bridge.

The Spanish striker missed Chelsea's goalless draw away to Everton at the weekend but was back in the starting line-up on Tuesday - and made his inclusion count as he opened the scoring with a header from Cesar Azpilicueta's cross in the 46th minute.

'Marcos Alonso then sealed all three points for the champions with a header of his own in the 60th minute which takes Chelsea to within one point of Manchester United, who drew 2-2 at home to Burnley.'

Morata's return from suspension certainly handed Antonio Conte a huge boost ahead of the visit of Brighton after the Chelsea boss was forced to watch on as his side failed to breach a stalwart Everton defence at Goodison Park on Saturday - despite the Blues having 25 shots at goal.

But against Brighton, Morata immediately added spark to the hosts' attack after starting up front in a 3-5-2 formation - though it was one of his Chelsea teammates who nearly opened the scoring in the 19th minute.

Cesc Fabregas whipped the ball in from the right to Antonio Rudiger who, at the far post, headed the the ball downwards and into the path of Tiemoue Bakayoko.

But despite standing just a few yards in front of the goal, the midfielder somehow contrived to drive the ball wide of the goal much to the home fans' and, indeed, Conte's disbelief.

Fresh off the back of a 1-0 home win over Watford at the weekend, Brighton looked bright early on but were left breathing a sigh of relief seven minutes later when Fabregas' long-ball over the Brighton defence was latched onto by Victor Moses.

The wing-back's first-time shot, however, bounced onto the pitch and into the hands of Matthew Ryan, who did enough to clear the danger.

Brighton seemed content to sit back and absorb Chelsea's pressure, forcing the hosts to find a way through their defence just like Everton had done a few days earlier.

It meant Chelsea tried to go for goal from long-range, with Fabregas' effort being claimed by Ryan in the 40th minute before Rudiger drove his effort moments later wide.

But the half-time break seemed to revive the champions as Chelsea took just a minute to get the opener after the re-start.

The goal came in rather familiar fashion after Azpilicueta sent a long ball to Morata, who got away from his marker and headed it past Ryan - a carbon copy of the winner against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in November, and the sixth time in the league this season that the defender has created a goal for his compatriot.

Hazard could have then doubled Chelsea's advantage but drove wide before Alonso took centre stage when he first forced Ryan into a save with his fine free-kick before his header from a corner saw the Brighton goalkeeper make a last-ditch stop to keep the ball out of the net.

But it was third time lucky for Alonso on the hour mark when he headed Fabregas' corner kick past Ryan to make it 2-0 as Chelsea looked to kill off the game.

Indeed, the hosts' third of the afternoon should have come after N'Golo Kante sprinted down the length of the pitch and sent the ball to Hazard but, after dancing in and around the Brighton defence, his shot was cleared off the line by Lewis Dunk.

Chelsea continued to probe, but there were to be no more goals and the win means the Blues move one point behind Jose Mourinho's United side.

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