Diego Costa scored in the first and last minutes to lead Chelsea to a 6-3 win over Everton in a wild shootout Saturday, leaving the title favourites with maximum points from its opening three matches in the Premier League.
Chelsea displayed its new-found attacking sparkle with a ruthless performance at Goodison Park, taking a 2-0 lead after three minutes and then scoring three more times in a chaotic 11-minute spell in the second half.
Costa began the rout with a goal after 34 seconds and Branislav Ivanovic added a second soon two minutes later, only for Kevin Mirallas to reduce the deficit for Everton just before halftime.
Seamus Coleman’s own goal in the 66th minute sparked a rush of five goals in 11 minutes during which both defences were carved open.
Steven Naismith made it 3-2.
Nemanja Matic regained Chelsea’s two-goal lead in the 74th, but Everton came back again through Samuel Eto’o’s header on his debut, against the club that released him in the summer.
Ramires put Chelsea 5-3 ahead and Costa wrapped up a madcap second half with a low finish after a brilliant back-heel from substitute, Didier Drogba, taking the Spain striker’s tally to four goals in three games since his summer move from Atletico Madrid.
“We were killers in attack,” Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, said.
Chelsea captain, John Terry, reserved special praise for Costa.
“He’s literally got everything,” Terry said. “He’s been brilliant and he’s off to a flying start. … To come here and get the win, and the manner in which we’ve done it I think was incredible.”
Costa’s clinical finishing provided further evidence that Chelsea once again has a striker that can guide the team to the Premier League title in just three games.
He is two goals off the total scored by Fernando Torres last season.