Chelsea reeled off an 11th successive victory in a Premier league season for the first time Saturday when Diego Costa's header secured a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace in a demonstration of the leader's efficient transformation under Antonio Conte.
Chelsea surged nine points clear at the summit, ahead of liverpool and Arsenal playing in this round, exactly a year after Jose Mourinho was fired with the west london club hovering above the relegation zone.
While Chelsea is unadventurous in front of goal under the Italian, it is watertight in defense, keeping nine clean sheets in the winning run that started after a 3-0 humbling at Arsenal.
Chelsea took 37 minutes to register a shot at Selhurst Park but Costa's match-winning moment came two minutes before halftime when the striker headed in Cesar Azpilicueta's cross. It was Costa's 13th goal of the season, eclipsing last season's haul before the halfway point has been reached.