Champions! Chelsea win the Premier League with three games to spare after Hazard header sees off Crystal Palace at the Bridge

Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace: Blues clinch Premier League title as Eden Hazard heads home after seeing initial penalty saved

*Chelsea have won their fourth Premier League title after beating Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday

*The Blues took the lead just before half-time as Eden Hazard headed home after missing initial penalty

*Julian Speroni saved the Belgium international's spot-kick but was unable to stop the follow-up 

In the end it worked out as most of those at Stamford Bridge had hoped and Roman Abramovich was waving and grinning from the posh seats. Chelsea won, thanks to a goal by the star of the season and clinched the title, their first in five years.

Eden Hazard scored the goal, nodding in the rebound after missing his first penalty in the Barclays Premier League just before half-time. Cue champagne corks and celebrations down the King’s Road. 

They defended the lead, produced another clean sheet and the best team in the land are the champions. Bring on the streamers and the Queen song.

Hazard directs the ball into net with his head after seeing his initially penalty saved by Crystal Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni

Hazard's initial effort was easily saved by Speroni but the Belgium international was quick to pounce to head home the rebound

Hazard goes down under the challenge of Crystal Palace midfielder James McArthur and referee Kevin Friend pointed to the spot

helsea players celebrate at the full-time whistle after winning their fourth Premier League title with victory against Crystal Palace

Roman Abramovich celebrates after witnessing Chelsea's fourth Premier League title triumph since becoming owner in 2003

Chelsea legend Didier Drogba dances on the Stamford Bridge pitch with a Blues scarf tied around his head

Hazard was an appropriate match-winner on such a day, and yet his goal came with accusations that he dived for the penalty and there were more uneasy moments when the party seemed capable of falling flat and Jose Mourinho’s touchline activities provided a strange sideshow.

Mourinho sulked moodily, clearly dissatisfied with the level of support of the home crowd for his team as they went in pursuit of the win they needed.

He seemed to court the Palace supporters as they sang in one corner of the Shed End, ignored his own fans when they later sang his name and reacted angrily when they sang Frank Lampard’s name, in the closing stages.

The expectant atmosphere ate away at him. Outside Stamford Bridge the street traders had been doing healthy business in “Champions 2015” tee-shirts and flags. Inside, they waited for the moment to unfurl them.

Together with Palace’s determination not to roll over, it made life awkward.