West Brom became just the third side to overcome champions Chelsea this season, after a 3-0 victory in a rather eventful game at The Hawthorns.
Saido Berahino’s brace sandwiched in between a bizarre sending off for Cesc Fabregas, sent The Baggies on their way, before Chris Brunt sealed the victory with a powerful shot from a quickly taken corner.
Despite both sides seemingly having nothing to play for, with Chelsea having already secured the Premier League title and West Brom languishing in mid-table, the Monday night fixture served up an entertaining fixture.
Berahino, who had not scored in his previous eight Premier League games, opened the scoring after just eight minutes.
The 21-year-old curled a brilliant effort into the bottom corner after receiving the ball from Joleon Lescott on the edge of the area.
Hoping to keep their 16-game unbeaten run in tact, Chelsea responded well and looked like finding a route back into the game, before Fabregas received a red card in an eventful couple of minutes.
Chelsea striker Diego Costa received a yellow card after tussling with Albion centre-back Gareth McAuley. Players from both sides surrounded referee Mike Jones, before Fabregas kicked the ball into the crowd, hitting Brunt on the head.
Despite being a man down, The Blues competed well until half-time. However just 25 seconds into the second half, a clumsy tackle from Chelsea captain John Terry gave the home side the chance to double their lead from the penalty spot.
A clever reverse pass from Brunt played Berahino in through the middle of the Chelsea defence, before Terry hacked the England striker down.
Berahino slotted the penalty away past Thibaut Courtois to double West Brom’s lead, and make him England’s third-best goalscorer this season with 14 league goals.
Clever work from Chelsea striker Loic Remy nearly gave the away side a route back into the game, but his left-footed drive from the edge of the area bounced back off of the post and away to safety.
And minutes later Brunt added insult to injury, after his venomous strike rifled past Courtois at his near post.
One positive for the away side was the debut of 18-year-old Izzy Brown, who replaced Remy with 10 minutes remaining at his former club.
West Brom manager Tony Pulis said after the match, “We still have one more game to go but we are delighted we finished 13th.
To win at Manchester United, to beat Chelsea, to draw with Liverpool. Those last five games, you were thinking where are the points coming from for us?
“We made it difficult for Chelsea and looked dangerous when we broke. I have managed against Jose Mourinho twice and managed to beat him twice.”
Mourinho, who has been beaten by managers only with surnames beginning with ‘P’ this season (Alan Pardew, Mauricio Pochettino, Phil Parkinson and Tony Pulis), stated that the other title contenders were partly to blame for the defeat.
They let us win the title so early.
“We lost that salt and pepper you need during the week to work at a high level. So are the players guilty – a little bit, am I guilty – yes, and I think the top contenders for the title are also guilty.
