Two goals from Marcos Alonso and another from Pedro helped Chelsea overcome the absence of Diego Costa to beat Premier League champion Leicester City 3-0 away and move seven points clear at the top Saturday. Any sense it would miss its top scorer - officially injured but reported by British media to have had a row with manager Antonio Conte - lasted the six minutes it took Alonso to score with a right-foot shot after Eden Hazard's layoff. Pedro almost doubled the lead with a neat free-kick near the end of the half before Alonso struck again six minutes after the interval with a shot that deflected in off Leicester's Wes Morgan. By that stage, Chelsea enjoyed almost complete control and Pedro wrapped up the win with a header from a move he began with an exquisite flick as the Blues restated their title credentials to restore their lead over second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who beat them 2-0 in their last league game. "That was a very professional, solid, good performance on the back of the Spurs game," said Chelsea's Gary Cahill. "I'm proud of the lads. It's all about not looking back." Atletico edges Betis Barcelona's Luis Suarez scored twice and Lionel Messi was also on target as it thrashed Las Palmas 5-0 with a ruthless second-half display at the Nou Camp Saturday to provisionally go second and cut the gap with Real Madrid to two points. Barca is second in the standings, two points behind Real Madrid. Atletico Madrid is fourth on 34 points, two behind Sevilla, after beating Real Betis 1-0 in a poor game. Atletico earned a third consecutive league win by beating Real Betis at Vicente Calderon with a goal by Nicolas Gaitan, who stuck out a foot to divert a deflected cross into the net at the near post in the ninth minute. Inter beats Chievo Mauro Icardi came to Inter Milan's rescue yet again as Serie A's top goalscorer helped the Nerazzurri come from behind to beat Chievo Verona 3-1 Saturday. Icardi scored the equalizer in the 69th minute, volleying in Antonio Candreva's stunning cross from the right. Icardi's 15th goal in 20 league matches moved him two clear of Roma forward Edin Dzeko and Torino's Andrea Belotti in the goalscoring charts. Icardi also had a hand in the winner, four minutes from time. He won the ball back in midfield and set up Ivan Perisic, who raced towards goal before firing past Stefano Sorrentino after the Chievo defenders backed away from him. In another match Bologna edged Crotone 1-0. — Agencies
