EPL: Chelsea 1-0 Swansea City

Antonio Rudiger's goal

Chelsea's patience paid dividends as they edged to a 1-0 victory against battling Swansea City at Stamford Bridge.

Antonio Rudiger headed home the only goal of the game ten minutes after the interval but Chelsea created and wasted a host of chances.

The Swans never really looked as though they would score and appear to be a side that will be embroiled in a relegation dogfight for the next six months.

Straight from the kick-off, Chelsea surged forward and, after Alvaro Morata had fed Pedro, Mike Van der Hoorn did well to stop the former Barcelona star.

The Blues then had appeals for a penalty ignored after Morata went down under Van der Hoorn’s challenge before Willian’s free-kick flew narrowly wide of Lukasz Fabianski's goal.

The Swans goalkeeper was then called into action when he saved Morata's fierce drive after good build-up play by Cesc Fabregas and Pedro before Marcos Alonso lashed a shot wide.

As Chelsea continued to pour forward, the over-worked Fabianski kept Pedro’s 25-yard effort out and then saved Morata’s header from the resulting corner.

On the half-hour mark Fabianksi tipped Morata’s excellent volley over the bar and Alonso contrived to head wide from four yards out as the pressure from the home side intensified.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte was sent off just before the interval for arguing that his side should have had a corner but the home team continued to do all the pressing at the start of the second period.

After Fabregas had gone close to breaking the deadlock, Rudiger scored the vital goal in the 55th minute, heading home from three yards out after N’Golo Kante’s shot had fortuitously been deflected into his path.

Alonso’s shot was then blocked by Van der Hoorn as Chelsea continued to attack and Morata’s header was tipped over the bar by Fabianski.

Willian’s curling effort was turned away from danger by the Swans goalkeeper as Chelsea sealed the three points that keep them third in the Premier League table.