CHELSEA easily coped without top-scorer Diego Costa, sweeping aside fading champion Leicester 3-0 to go seven points clear in the English Premier League on Saturday.

    Marcos Alonso scored twice and Pedro Rodriguez headed in the third as Chelsea put its title bid back on track after a 13-match winning run ended at Tottenham in the previous game.

    “It was a very professional, solid performance by us on the back of the Spurs game,” Chelsea defender Gary Cahill said. “We had to prove it. It’s all about bouncing back.”

    Whether Costa returns to the Chelsea team is unclear, with the striker linked with a move to China but officially out of the game due to a back injury.

    “He wasn’t there today and we managed to put Pedro, Hazard and Willian up there so you try to defend against those three boys — it’s very difficult,” Cahill said.

    Chelsea’s early opener came from an unlikely source in the sixth minute. Cesar Azpilicueta’s delicious cross caused chaos in the Leicester defense before it fell to Hazard to tee up the unmarked Alonso to hammer in from six yards.

    There was little reaction from Leicester as Chelsea threatened a procession. The rotation of Chelsea’s front three Hazard, Willian and Pedro, caused Leicester issues. Willian was particularly impressive, and any threats were batted away by Cahill and David Luiz as the subdued host looked short of ideas.

    Meanwhile, Arsenal swept aside Swansea 4-0 to go third in the Premier League on Saturday, claiming only a second away win since October and putting the Welsh club in last place.

    Goals from Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez, sandwiched between two deflected Alex Iwobi strikes — credited as own goals to Jack Cork and Kyle Naughton — put Arsenal in cruise control and sent Swansea tumbling to the bottom of the league.

    (SD-Agencies)