Chelsea made the Boxing Day trip to Norwich City this afternoon looking to catch the Manchester clubs at the top of the Premier League table.
Juan Mata scored the only goal of the game as the Blues triumphed over Chris Hughton's side, who have lost their two fixtures over the festive period so far.
While defending champions City lost, top-of-the-table United won to maintain the 11-point advantage they have over Chelsea in the race for the title.
Below, you can read how Rafael Benitez's improving outfit edged out the Canaries.
Merry Christmas to you all! The traditional Boxing Day football feast has arrived and one of the pick of the Premier League fixtures is at Carrow Road as Norwich host Chelsea. Team news coming up...
Despite earning a milestone 500th Premier League start on Sunday, Frank Lampard is dropped to the bench by Rafael Benitez, who was coy on the midfielder's future when quizzed after the thrashing of Aston Villa.
Remember, the 34-year-old's Stamford Bridge contract expires at the end of this season. He has been linked with moves abroad to China and the MLS among other leagues.
Eden Hazard is another who featured from the beginning against Villa, but is among the substitutes today. Brazilian Oscar is the man who replaces him in the Blues attacking midfield trio.
John Obi Mikel returns to the starting XI after serving his three-match suspension following the Mark Clattenburg affair.
Those are the only three changes to the Blues lineup that Benitez has made, which means that David Luiz continues in his newly-adopted central midfield role. However, his fellow Brazilian Ramires is not in the Chelsea squad.
Here is the Chelsea team in full...
CHELSEA: Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Cole; Luiz, Mikel; Mata, Oscar, Moses; Torres
SUBS: Turnbull, Lampard, Hazard, Ferreira, Marin, Paizon, Ake
Nathan Ake is an unfamiliar name on the away bench. The 17-year-old defender joined Chelsea from Dutch outfit Feyenoord two years ago and has impressed in the Stamford Bridge youth setup.
And onto the hosts, who are boosted by the news that captain and talisman Grant Holt is fit to return following a hamstring injury.
He replaces Steve Morison in one of two changes made by manager Chris Hughton from the defeat by West Brom that ended their 10-match unbeaten streak.
Versatile defender Russell Martin comes into the Canaries XI to replace Steven Whittaker, who is absent with a hip injury.
Mark Bunn continues to deputise in between the posts with John Ruddy still sidelined. Andrew Surman is a long-term absentee, but Ryan Bennett has is back among the substitutes following his knee problem.
Here is the Norwich team in full then...
NORWICH: Bunn; R. Martin, Bassong, Turner, Garrido; Pilkington, Johnson, Tettey, Snodgrass, Hoolahan; Holt
SUBS: Rudd, Howson, Jackson, Morison, E. Bennett, Barnett, R. Bennett
Much of the pre-match chatter has been surrounding Chelsea's thrashing of Villa and what that might mean for their title chances.
They are still 11 points behind Manchester United at the top of the table, but Benitez has hinted that a consistent run of victories over the festive period could put his side right back into the title picture.
The Spaniard was known for his squad rotation at Liverpool, and has again tinkered his starting lineup for today's match.
The omission of Lampard may confuse those Chelsea fans who were chanting his name after the Villa victory. Lampard has insisted he is fit enough to play regularly at this level but Benitez's decision may sugest otherwise.
Around five minutes until kickoff now...
The two teams have just emerged from the tunnel, with Grant Holt leading out the Canaries. His return to fitness may buoy the hosts. On his day, he has the physical attributes to cause any defence problems.
An absentee from the home lineup though is Eden Hazard. This is the first time since his £35m summer switch that the Belgian has not started a Premier League game for the Blues.
The action is underway at Carrow Road...
Very tidy build-up play from Chelsea, with a quick succession of passes eventually leading to an attempted through ball to the overlapping Ashley Cole. However, Russell Martin was aware of the danger and shielded the ball out of play.
It appears as though Luiz will be the one of Chelsea's holding midfielders that has a license to go forward. He picks the ball up 35 yards out and tries an ambitious ball over the Norwich back four that is too long for Victor Moses.
Holt wins the flick on ahead of Ivanovic but Hoolahan is offside when he collects the ball.
Alexander Tettey misplaces a square pass straight to Juan Mata, but makes a determined effort to track back and make amends with a strong tackle on the Spaniard just before he can lay in Oscar.
Norwegian midfielder Tettey is involved again, but his shot is wide to the left of Petr Cech's goal. A Snograss effort moments earlier was blocked well by Gary Cahill.
Snodgrass's foul on Oscar gives the Chelsea man a chance to whip the ball into the box but Tettey clears at the near post.
Pilkington stands the ball up into the middle, but Cahill and Ivanovic surround Holt and the latter heads clear.
More clever footwork from Oscar buys him a free kick from a lunging Tettey challenge. The free kick again comes to nothing.
David Luiz scored a wonderful free kick against Aston Villa last time out, but his 25-yard strike here is bound only for row z.
We have had a competitive, evenly-contested opening 20 minutes at Carrow Road, but neither side has yet to fashion a clear goalscoring chance.
SHOT! Luiz tries his luck for a second time with a bending effort from outside of the area which finishes comfortably over the crossbar.
For the first time this afternoon, Mata is able to find some space and he turns to run at the Norwich defence. He shifts the ball inside onto his favoured left foot but Bassong stretches out a leg to make the block.
After a 15-20 pass move, Luiz spins away from Johnson in midfield and finds Cole with a delightful through pass. The full-back cuts inside first time and threatens to shoot but Michael Turner makes up good ground to clear the danger.
CHANCE! Luiz travels with the ball from deep and has runners ahead of him. He picks out Mata with a clever reverse pass, but the Spaniard cannot squeeze his effort in at the near post. Undoubtedly the clearest sight of goal we have had so far!
Chelsea are starting to enjoy an extended spell of possession and are they are forcing Norwich deeper into their own half. When they get the ball, the Canaries cannot keep it for long enough to build an attack.
SHOT! John Obi Mikel has never scored a Premier League goal, but comes fairly close when he drives Luiz's lay off narrowly over the crossbar.
Chelsea have a corner following an energetic run from Victor Moses that saw the Nigerian dribble past three Norwich tackles. That's the first we have seen of the former Wigan Athletic man this afternoon.
GOAL! Norwich 0-1 Chelsea (Juan Mata)
Chelsea's attacking midfield three combine to give them the lead! Moses cuts inside with a purposeful run before passing it on to Oscar, who in turn rolls the ball into Mata. He takes two touches, evades the challenge of Johnson before firing in powerfully past Bunn from 20 yards.
Johnson steers a Snodgrass corner goalwards but his effort clears the crossbar.
Tettey launches a pacey Norwich counter by releasing Hoolahan. The Canaries playmaker turns back on himself before chipping a ball over towards Holt, but Cahill stays tight to the target man and pokes the ball away.
Luiz is again involved in an advanced position, and feels as though he should have had a free kick after Javier Garrido tugs him to the floor. Referee Jonathan Moss blows his whistle, but only to penalise Luiz for a handball offence earlier in the action.
We are now entering first-half stoppage time, of which there will be just one minute...
HALF-TIME: Norwich 0-1 Chelsea
Another moment of Mata magic has given Chelsea the lead in what was an otherwise subdued first period at Carrow Road. After an uneventful, evenly-matched opening 20 minutes, the visitors began to control the play and broke the Norwich resistance on 38 minutes courtesy of an excellent finish from the Spaniard. The Canaries have some fight in them, though, so there is more mileage in this contest.
Here you can read a half-time report on the contest, courtesy of my Sports Mole colleague, Barney Corkhill.
Many people believe that talk of a fresh Chelsea title challenge was premature, but things are looking rosier by the second for the Blues. Top-of-the-table United are currently losing 2-1 at home to Newcastle, while Premier League champions Manchester City are being held by Sunderland at the break.
That strike was Juan Mata's seventh of the Premier League season, and with the same amount of assists to his name, the Spaniard has almost certainly been Chelsea's player of the season so far.
Chelsea resume the action in East Anglia, with both sides unchanged after the interval...
Snodgrass nearly gets beyond the last Chelsea defender, but Ivanovic stretches out a boot to intercept Holt's first-time flick.
SAVE! Ivanovic and Cahill are the targets for Oscar but the Brazilian's corner instead forces Bunn into a scrambling save as it appeared to be sneaking in directly at the near post.
Torres registers his first effort of the afternoon as he collects the ball from Mata and spins away from Turner, who recovers to block the goalbound shot.
SAVE! Azpilicueta fizzes a dangerous ball across the Norwich box which evades everybody bar Moses at the far post. From a tight angle, the winger hits a tame first-time shot which is comfortably gathered by Bunn.
Garrido has had several opportunities to deliver into Holt from the left but his crossing has been poor up to now, rarely beating the first man.
CHANCE! Holt is not just an aerial threat though, and proves that here. He links up with Hoolahan, before looking for the return ball, which comes too late as the flag is raised just as Holt's shot across goal goes narrowly wide.
SAVE! Moses wins a free kick on the edge of the box, which Mata takes quickly, catching the Norwich wall off guard. Bunn has no protection but reacts sharply enough to sprawl across his line and deny the playmaker a second.
CHANCE! Pilkington turns away from Luiz, who allows him a free run into the box. He jinks between Azpilicueta and Cahill but cannot generate any power on his shot which dribbles through to Cech.
Luiz seems determined to get on the scoresheet today, but is unlikely too if he continues to shoot with such poor accuracy. His latest effort flies way over the crossbar.
Penalty shout! Snodgrass pinches the ball in the Chelsea third and drives into the box. He skips past Mikel and attempts to squeeze through Cole and Ivanovic, who nudges him off the ball. There was contact, but it was minimal. Correct decision.
CHANCE! Moses does the hard part well, superbly controlling an Azpilicueta cross on his chest, but drags his half volley harmlessly wide.
CHANCE! Snodgrass whips an excellent corner in which is only partially cleared. Johnson and Holt attack the second ball but Azpilicueta bravely leaps in-front of the Canaries pair to head behind for a second corner.
We are entering the final 20 minutes now and both managers appear to be readying changes. Frank Lampard is certainly one man kitting up.
SUBSTITUTION: Benitez is the first man to tinker tactically, bringing on Lampard for Mikel to sit in-front of the Blues defence.
Torres slides a pass through to Mata, but Turner reacts quickly enough to come across and clear for a throw.
DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION: Eden Hazard replaces Victor Moses in a straight swap for Chelsea, while Steve Morison enters the action in place of Antony Pilkington. Hughton appears to have switched to 4-4-2.
CHANCE! Azpilicueta delivers a cross from the right which Mata attempts to direct goalwards with a tame header, but the ball rolls well wide.
Yellow card! Johnson skips past Luiz and goes to the floor, but it is the Norwich man who is cautioned for apparent simulation by referee Moss.
SUBSTITUTION: That proves to be Johnson's last involvement of the afternoon as Hughton chucks on Howson in his central midfield berth.
No real signs of a Canaries equaliser at present. Chelsea are keeping the ball well and preventing Norwich building any sort of pressure that could enthuse the home crowd.
Mata plays the ball into Torres's feet on the right byline, but the striker's ambitious back-heel return cannot find his Spanish compatriot.
SAVE! Hazard and Torres play a delightful one-two in the Norwich area, but Bunn blocks the Belgian's left-footed shot with his chest.
SUBSTITUTION: Last throw of the dice for Hughton as he sacrifices the creativity of Hoolahan for the pace of Elliott Bennett.
We are now entering injury time, of which there will be three minutes...
SUBSTITUTION: Benitez throws on young central defender Nathan Ake in place of Juan Mata.
CHANCE! Hazard tugs down a driving Tettey to gift Norwich a free kick and a chance to lump the ball into the box. Bassong, who scored a last-minute equaliser against Everton earlier this season, is the target, but Ashley Cole hooks the ball away from the ex-Spurs man, who was waiting at the back post.
CHANCE! From the resultant corner, Bassong leaps high at the back post, but his looping header lands just the wrong side of the crossbar from the Norwich perspective. That was the chance, you feel.
FULL-TIME: Norwich 0-1 Chelsea
Bassong nearly snatched Norwich a late point but Juan Mata's first-half strike proved to be the only goal of the game. Chelsea had more possession and penetration in the final third and deserved to win this one.
Mixed fortunes regarding the results of Chelsea's title rivals. Manchester City lost at Sunderland, but league leaders United grabbed an injury-time winner against Newcastle.
That is it from me for this afternoon. Stay tuned with Sports Mole for live coverage of both Aston Villa vs. Spurs and Stoke vs. Liverpool this evening. In the meantime, you can read a full-time report on the contest at Carrow Road here.
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
