Chelsea’s Premier League title win: Five key players in their triumph

 

Chelsea’s Premier League on Friday after a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion saw them go 10 points clear of second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who have three remaining games this season.

Here is a look at five players who have played pivotal roles in their title success:

David Luiz

The news that Chelsea had agreed to pay £30 million ($38.8 million, 35.7 million euros) to re-sign David Luiz from Paris Saint-Germain, who had paid £50 million to sign him in June 2014, was met with mockery by English football fans.

In his previous stint at Chelsea, Luiz’s penchant for hazardous sorties from centre-back had seen him branded a liability and there was puzzlement when he was brought back to Stamford Bridge.

But the Brazil international has proved to be an extremely shrewd acquisition by Antonio Conte, slotting neatly into the centre of Chelsea’s back three and spreading reassurance with his aggressiveness in the duel and calmness on the ball.

“His decision-making has been far better in terms of not being as rash,” said former Manchester United defender Gary Neville. “I have to say he looks more mature. He’s not getting distracted by the sideshow stuff on the pitch like he did before.”