mourinho-forgives-chelsea-saviour-hazard/

• 
  

Last-gasp Hazard saves Mourinho's home run

Photo: EPA

Jose Mourinho praised Eden Hazard after the Belgian finished a difficult week by converting a hotly disputed 96th-minute penalty that prevented Chelsea from suffering a second successive English Premier League defeat.

Hazard was disciplined after missing training this week, but he was restored to the line-up against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday and struck the added-time equaliser that secured a 2-2 draw.
The 22-year-old had taken an unauthorised trip to France last Sunday and was delayed when he lost his passport, but Mourinho insists the matter is now closed.


"I don't need to accept his apology. I don't need to think any more about it," he said.
"It was a big penalty. Penalties are easy to score in training sessions - I score - as they are when you're winning 3-0 or 4-0. But this was a difficult one and the kid was very calm."

West Brom manager Steve Clarke and his players were incensed by referee Andre Marriner's decision to award a penalty when Ramires went down under a challenge from Steven Reid, and questioned how easily the Chelsea midfielder went to ground.

"I'm disappointed that a bad decision has cost us two points," said Clarke, who was Mourinho's assistant during the Portuguese's first spell at Stamford Bridge.
"I'm flabbergasted at the decision.
"I can't believe he gave it, but I can't change it.

"I saw it at the time. I've been in the game a long time and I knew he was already on the way down before anyone was near him. The referee has to be 100 per cent sure. How he can be 100 per cent sure is beyond me.

"It's the kind of penalty that can be given when you've got a home crowd shouting for everyone.
"Referees are only human and can make mistakes."

Despite Hazard's equaliser, Chelsea slipped to fourth place, four points below leaders Arsenal, who could move even further clear if they win at Manchester United on Sunday.
Liverpool capitalised on Chelsea's slip-up by crushing Fulham 4-0 at Anfield to climb to second place, two points below Arsenal.

Manager Brendan Rodgers reacted to his side's 2-0 defeat at Arsenal by jettisoning his experiment with a three-man defence and the changes seemed to have a positive effect as the hosts romped to victory.

An own goal from Fernando Amorebieta, a Martin Skrtel header and a Luis Suarez effort put Liverpool 3-0 up inside 36 minutes, with Suarez adding a second goal in the 54th minute to take his tally of league goals to eight.

New England call-up Adam Lallana impressed in front of watching national coach Roy Hodgson as surprise package Southampton climbed to third in the table with a 4-1 win at home to Hull City.

Everton climbed to fifth despite being held to a 0-0 draw at bottom club Crystal Palace, while a Leandro Bacuna free-kick and a Libor Kozak header gave Aston Villa a 2-0 win at home to Cardiff City.
In the late game, Norwich City clambered out of the relegation zone after coming from behind to beat West Ham United 3-1 through goals from Gary Hooper, Robert Snodgrass and Leroy Fer.