Chelsea's Eden Hazard celebrates after scoring a goal against Queens Park Rangers during their English Premier League soccer match at Stamford Bridge in London November 1, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

Chelsea tame Shrews

Mourinho frustrated as United break out of jail

LONDON - Chelsea were not at their imperious best but still beat battling strugglers Queens Park Rangers 2-1 with a late penalty from Eden Hazard to remain undefeated, four points clear at the top of the Premier League on Saturday.

Hazard scored from the spot after 75 minutes of a hard-fought London derby against the resolute visitors, who pulled level when Charlie Austin back-heeled the ball home after 62 minutes.

That cancelled out Brazilian Oscar's stunning first-half goal, which he scored by bending in a low angled drive with the outside of his boot from 12 metres after 32 minutes.

The victory lifted Chelsea on to 26 points from their opening 10 matches, four clear of second-placed Southampton, who won 1-0 at Hull City with Victor Wanyama scoring with an astonishing speculative 40-metre chip after three minutes as the Saints won for the 10th time in 11 matches in all competitions.

Champions Manchester City, who are third on 17 points, will attempt to close the gap on the leading pair when they face Manchester United at the Etihad on Sunday.

Arsenal moved up to fourth, pulling level with City on 17 points and leaving Burnley bottom of the table and without a win from their first 10 games, by beating them 3-0 at the Emirates.

Chile striker Alexis Sanchez scored twice, either side of a Calum Chambers effort, with all the goals coming in the last 20 minutes.

West Ham, who slipped one place back to fifth, came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium. They are also on 17 points.

DESERVED VICTORY

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, after seeing his team make it five home wins out of five in the league, told Sky Sports: "It was a completely deserved victory but not a good performance.

"We didn't play consistently well. We had some good periods and a good reaction after their goal, but I don't think we played a complete game like we have been doing in the Premier League this season."

QPR manager Harry Redknapp, whose team remain one spot off the bottom, was nevertheless pleased with their performance but not with the penalty that tilted the match Chelsea's way.

Referee Mike Jones awarded it after ruling that Eduardo Vargas fouled Hazard, but Redknapp said: "I am not one to complain about referees but I thought it was two little men going shoulder to shoulder and it was a soft penalty really.

"But I can't fault the effort we made and the way we played the game."

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman praised another winning performance, which came after Wanyama capitalised on a poor clearance from Hull's third choice keeper Eldin Jakupovic, sending his flighted shot back into the net over the keeper's head.