Diego Costa has left his mark on plenty of opponents since joining Chelsea from Atletico Madrid last year, developing himself a reputation as one of the most combative strikers in the game.
And now Premier League defenders are fighting back! Micah Richards knocked him to the ground a couple of times in quick succession in Aston Villa’s 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge yesterday.
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It is refreshing to see Costa receive a taste of his own medicine. The Spain international was only just returning from a three-match ban for violent conduct against Arsenal’s Gabriel Paulista.
But what is perhaps most interesting is that the temperamental 27-year-old did not react in an antagonistic manner. Has Jose Mourinho had a word with him and warned him to settle down? Or maybe Costa saw that Richards is a bit bigger and meaner than Gabriel and didn’t fancy his chances?!
Costa ended up having the last laugh as he scored Chelsea’s first, and knocked the ball in off Villa full-back Alan Hutton, to earn the faltering Premier League champions a first win in three games.
He now has three goals for Chelsea in all competitions this season – this time last term he had nine. If Costa continues to let his football do the talking, that tally might increase at quite a rate.
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