Fabregas scores decisive goal, Chelsea keeps hope of top four alive

Goal: Fabregas 4'.

The win moved Chelsea to within two points of fourth-placed Tottenham, who have played a game more, while Swansea remain in the relegation battle, one point ahead of 18th-placed Southampton.

The only goal came in Chelsea's first counter-attack. Home team Swansea paid the price for Andy King's lack of concentration. The midfielder's poor ball control caused his team to lose possession in a dangerous position. The ball was played to Eden Hazard and the midfielder cut to the right wing for Cesc Fabregas to unleash a dangerous left-footed curler that beat goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

This was Fabregas' 50th goal for Chelsea. He is the third Spaniard to reach this milestone at Stamford Bridge after Fernando Torres and Diego Costa.

Conceding an early goal in a desperate need for points, Swansea pushed their squad forward. However, a five-man midfield with muscular players including Tiemoue Bakayoko, N'golo Kante and Victor Moses helped Antonio Conte's team easily block the home team's attacks.

In this match, Chelsea's winter transfer signing Emerson started and was assigned to guard the left wing.

In the wet conditions, ball control for both teams became difficult. In addition to Andy King's disastrous loss of possession, defender Alfie Mawson almost cost Swansea a second goal when his clearance hit the top of the crossbar.

Playing at the Liberty Stadium, where they have not lost since the start of January, Swansea struggled to find a way through the opposition goal, with Andre Ayew and Jordan Ayew both having chances in the second half but failing to find the net.

For Chelsea, Moses had a close-range finish after Fabregas' cross, sending the ball just wide of the post. Thibaut Courtois' goal was in a state of alarm in the final 15 minutes. Kyle Naughton, Tom Carroll and Wayne Routledge all had chances but could not take advantage.

In the final minutes, Swansea players and fans were angry with the referee for not awarding them a penalty. The home team believed that Gary Cahill had fouled Nathan Dyer. In addition to this situation, Cahill also had a collision with Jordan Ayew in the penalty area in stoppage time but was not penalized..

Chelsea's efforts earned them three hard-won points. With Liverpool and Tottenham stumbling in recent rounds, Conte's team's hopes of breaking into the top four are resurgent. In the next round, they will face Liverpool at home.