Finally, Jose Mourinho has found his match at Chelsea

Diego Costa’s fabulous endeavour against Manchester City showed the credentials Mourinho wants

There were no fireworks, no confetti and hardly any recognition. Frank Lampard had just equalised for Manchester City, cancelling out Andre Schurrle’s simple finish, and Diego Costa trudged off the pitch, his shirt so ragged and covered in dirt that it should have come embossed with the word “ENDEAVOUR”

When the clock at the Etihad Stadium signalled the passing of 85 minutes in this thrilling, gripping encounter, Didier Drogba embraced a fatigued Costa as he prepared to replace the tough, durable and eccentric striker. A sense of emphathy, from the Ivorian towards his Iberian-Brazilian colleague, must have passed – He knew what it took to be Jose Mourinho’s main man.

He knows the routine and the code of endeavour and selfless ethic. He knows the defensive labour and unerring expectancy to track back if he is selected at intimidating locations like the Etihad. And the Ivorian knows, if there is to be a perfect successor to his legendary status at Stamford Bridge and his power, strength and technique, it is Costa, the potent element formed from components such as pain, anguish and non-appreciation. He is a fighter.

Led the line by example

No wonder Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid manager, dubbed Costa “The Beast”. Up against the combined power of Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala, Costa held his own, producing a performance of skill, discipline and pugnacity Simeone would have been proud of. He harried Kompany and impressive City debutant Mangala, a muscular, mobile centre-half, and defended stoutly, enriching his cause for the man of the match accolade.

It was, however, not without fault and not up to the impeccable standards demanded and unstintingly preached by Mourinho. He will have to curb his ferocious temperament, engrossing in a physical brawl with Pablo Zabaleta which ultimately saw the Argentine expelled by referee Mike Dean. Yet it could have so easily been Costa ambling, disgruntled, towards shame out of the Etihad pitch, as replays suggested the Chelsea striker had placed his hands on Zabaleta’s neck in retaliation.

Yet in Costa, Mourinho has the target man, the potent, brutal and merciless centre-forward that he lacked last season. In Costa, he has a player tailor-made for the Premier League and signed off with Mourinho’s signature. Finally, Mourinho has found his match.

Tireless endeavour

As Mourinho had confirmed, Costa started as Chelsea’s source of goals. He was lively and bright from the off, making intelligent runs in the gaps between Kompany and Mangala. His bout with Kompany, in particular, was billed as an intriguing, decisive duel and the Belgian was tight on Costa, keeping a stringent check on the Spain international.

He pressed and exerted pressure on City’s back four, poleaxing Mangala strongly, but legally, before losing out to David Silva. He was coming deep and obeying Mourinho’s instructions, permitting City, at times, to retain possession within their own half.

Costa harried and pertubed Kompany, engaging in a demanding physical bout with the City skipper. He fought gallantly and the image mirrored a barging match which Kompany ultimately triumphed in, lapping up the acclaim of the Etihad, while the Chelsea fans housed in the away section chanted “Diego, Diego Costa”. He is quickly, almost instantly, establishing himself as a fan favourite.

Then came a display of fabulous execution of his defensive duties, restricting Edin Dzeko’s movement as the Bosnian received Silva’s short free-kick and evoking vain City penalty appeals. Almost instantly, he starred at the other end of the pitch, roaming across the final third and bewildering Zabaleta before threading in the over-lapping Hazard.

Serenaded with adulation by the visiting Chelsea fans, Costa continued to wreak havoc, winning a free-kick when Mangala draped his arms around the Iberian-Brazilian forward before forcing Hart into an acrobatic save, though he was deemed offside.

He was influential again, playing a pivotal role in Schurrle’s opener. Controlling Fabregas’s pass as Chelsea broke to devastating effect, Costa skipped seamlessly past Mangala’s challenge and played in Hazard, whose enticing cross led to Schurrle simply bundling the ball over the line.

Then came a display of his mercurial air power, a worthy attribute to compliment his several alternative talents. Sagaciously losing Kompany as Hazard presided over a Chelsea free-kick, Costa rose above Mangala and headed powerfully at Hart.

Zabaleta departed but Costa, gathering a caution for his troubles, continued in similar vein, running tirelessly and chasing loose balls until he exited after 86 minutes with Mourinho knowing he is the man for all seasons.