Oscar and Cesc Fabregas strengthen Chelsea's grip on the Premier League

Perfection: Oscar strikes Chelsea’s first with an exquisite free-kick

What a difference four months makes. There was no burning need to accost a ball boy here. Nor was there the desire to "kill" his players. Jose Mourinho trudged out of Selhurst Park exuding confidence. Such was his dissatisfaction with last season’s damaging defeat here, revenge emanated from Mourinho’s trail.

Chelsea may have lacked "balls" last season when they succumbed meekly to Palace's passion and aggression but now they have perfection and brilliance in Cesc Fabregas. The Spaniard excelled and scored one, supplying the finishing touch to an exquisite, flowing move. Chelsea are anything but a conservative, defensive team.

Even after Manchester City's earlier obliteration of Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea are blazing a trail at the Premier League summit, moving five points clear. Mourinho may have deemed an “Invincibles” triumph “impossible” in this current climate but Chelsea’s express train rolls on without fault. Mourinho eulogised of his side’s mature performance post-match, amusingly stating his team had “big balls”.

Yet Mourinho’s elation will be tempered by Cesar Azpilicueta’s expulsion, the versatile full-back dismissed for a perceived reckless lunge on Palace captain Mile Jedinak. Palace also suffered at the merciless hands of referee Craig Pawson’s decisiveness, Damien Delaney sent off for a second bookable offence.

What will worry Chelsea’s Premier League rivals the most is that they are more than a one-man, so much more than the potency of Diego Costa. The Iberian-Brazilian, unavailable through injury, did not travel across London but Chelsea proved capable even in his absence. Nemanja Matic was impressive, his impeccable display attracting adulation from Mourinho. Palace restrained Fabregas meticulously but left space for Matic and Oscar to impose themselves on the match.

A controlled victory

Mourinho claimed Costa was a "major doubt" having starred for Spain during the international break and Loic Remy was his replacement, the Frenchman deployed as a lone striker in Mourinho's familiar 4-2-3-1 system. The Frenchman was active, chasing balls and pressing energetically.

Buoyed by the cavernous atmosphere within Selhurst Park, Palace surged forward. Jedinak slipped in Yannick Bolasie and the Congolese's drilled strike was thwarted well by Thibaut Courtois.

Bolasie continued to run and bewilder Ivanovic, sprinting down the left channel, lobbing the ball into Campbell's path whose chipped effort was blocked by Courtois. Minutes later, Bolasie sped past Ivanovic, his attempted cross eluding his Palace colleagues.

The match was constrained and so it required a touch of magic to break the deadlock. The ingenuity emanated from Oscar, the Brazlian curling a sumptuous free-kick beyond an impotent Speroni. It was exquisite, the Brazilian cushioning the ball above and beyond Palace’s wall.

Picture perfect: Speroni is impotent as Oscar’s free-kick swerves into the top left corner

Matic was gradually imposing himself on the match, dictating its flow and tempo. Fabregas occasionally surged forward while Willian, Oscar and Hazard ran at Palace's resistance.

The tackle was reckless from Azpilicueta, lunging in on Jedinak, but it is debatable whether it warranted an expulsion. Replays showed Azpilicueta slid in with one foot raised, hardly meeting the criteria constituing a red card. Forcing a tactical change, Willian was sacrificed in favour of his Brazilian compatriot Filipe Luis, Mourinho reverting to a 4-2-2-1 system, one which demanded more from Hazard and Oscar.

Reckless: Cesar Azpilicueta is shown his marching orders by referee Craig Pawson

Chelsea, somewhat enraged, surged forward, their break spearheaded by Remy. Delaney was detected out of poisiton, and as the Frenchman endeavoured to capitalise, Delaney's tug on his shirt was cynical, thus departing for a second bookable offence.

Fabregas sealed the three points with flair at its supreme best. The Spaniard collected the ball and played a one-two with Hazard, nimble and advancing onto the edge of the penalty box. Oscar was alert, returning the ball to Fabregas who finished to devastating effect. So much for a team devoid of flair and style.

Chelsea were asserting their supremacy as chants of "Steve, Steve Gerrard" reverberated around the visiting end of Selhurst Park. Palace were still going, still trying to manufacture a chance but Matic was across to intercept Jedinak's attempted pass.

Fabregas was continuing to weave his magic, finding Oscar who drilled into Speroni's grateful arms. Campbell may have converted Wilfried Zaha’s enticing pass, tainting a controlled victory, but Chelsea’s title surge remains as strong as ever.