Diego Costa fired Chelsea to the top of the Premier League with a late first-half winner at Middlesbrough.
The 28-year-old Spanish international reacted quickest at Eden Hazard’s inswinging corner and guided past Victor Valdes just before the break.
Goalkeeper Valdes had earlier turned over from Pedro and also denied Marcos Alonso early in the second-half as the visitors remained in control.
The returning Gaston Ramirez, who was back from suspension in place of Stewart Downing, proved wayward from the edge of the area in a rare opening at the other end.
However, David Luiz’s sudden break following an interception soon allowed Costa to head down for Pedro to drive against the crossbar.
Meanwhile, Boro’s only really meaningful effort arrived when Alvaro Negredo called Thibaut Courtois into action from Adama Traore’s 78th minute cross.
Middlesbrough: Valdes, Barragan, Chambers, Gibson, Fabio (Downing 71), Traore, Forshaw (Leadbitter 89), Clayton (Fischer 73), de Roon, Ramirez, Negredo
subs (unused): Bernardo, Rhodes, Guzan, Nsue Lopez
Chelsea: Courtois, Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill, Moses (Ivanovic 90), Kante, Matic, Alonso, Pedro (Chalobah 80), Diego Costa, Hazard (Oscar 90)
subs (unused): Begovic, Fabregas, Batshuayi, Terry
Goals: Diego Costa (41)
Ref: J. Moss
Att: 32,704
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