Diego Costa came off the bench to score his 20th Premier League goal of the season as champions Chelsea ended the 2014-15 campaign with a 3-1 win over Sunderland.
Costa began the game as a sub, with manager Jose Mourinho opting to start with Didier Drogba, who confirmed earlier today that he would be leaving Stamford Bridge this summer.
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However, after Sunderland took the lead, Mourinho got serious and brought on his main man, giving club legend Drogba quick a send off.
Drogba was carried off the pitch by his teammates…
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Sunderland had earlier broken the deadlock through Steven Fletcher, who headed home from a corner.
There was no blame attached to goalkeeper Petr Cech, but the Chelsea marking will not have impressed the Special One.
Within eight minutes of coming on, Costa had put the ball in the net, stroking in a penalty, after Juan Cuadrado had been felled by John O’Shea.
Costa’s instant impact – both today and in terms of this being his first season in England – thoroughly justifies his role as top dog in the Stamford Bridge attack.
Drogba has no chance of replacing Costa. That’s probably why he is leaving – to have at least one more season as a first-team regular.
The Ivorian frontman is not even second choice. That prize goes to Loic Remy, who also came off the bench to get on the scoresheet.
In fact, Remy netted twice. Watch his clinical finishing below.
When the match ended, the party began…
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