LONDON: Diego Costa led the way as Jose Mourinho’s all-singing, all-dancing Chelsea extended their 100pc start with a thrilling 6-3 win at Everton. The £32m signing from Atletico de Madrid struck the opening goal after 37 seconds to illustrate precisely why Mourinho was happy to unload four other strikers this summer.

Samuel Eto’o, one of the forwards who left the Blues, came off the bench to score a debut goal for Everton but that was an incidental blow in a hectic second half which included five goals in a dramatic 10-minute spell.

Mourinho said: “We were killers in attack, especially counterattacks. The quality of our football was fantastic. Every time we had the ball we were aggressive, we were dangerous. Diego is maybe the best player in the Premier League in the first three matches.

“In the first half he was tackling on the edge of our box. He recovered balls, he held the ball up, he was aggressive, he was face to face with Tim Howard three times and scored two goals.”

Costa began the goalrush on an assist from Cesc Fabregas with Everton appealing in vain for offside. Then Ramires played in Branislav Ivanovic who was offside but the officials did not spot it. Everton refused to cave in. Romelu Lukaku, starting against his old club for the first time, headed against the bar before Kevin Mirallas scored seconds before half-time.

The second half was all-action. Seamus Coleman scored an own goal for Chelsea, Steven Naismith hit back then Nemanja shot in off a post. Eto’o headed in a free-kick to pull the score back to 3-4 but one minute later Ramires scored. Mirallas hit a post before Costa rounded off the scoring by punishing a slip by Muhamed Besic.

Everton have conceded 10 goals in three games. Manager Roberto Martinez said: “We were too soft with our defending.”

Chelsea, despite 11 goals in three games, are to add Loic Remy to their attack to fill the gap left by the loan departure to Milan of Fernando Torres.

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