EPL Results: Late Goals Give Chelsea Thrilling Win Over Norwich

Chelsea were in a spot of bother at Norwich going into the final ten minutes of the game, before Jose Mourinho's two substitutes -Eden Hazard and Willian - came to the party in style to give the Blues a morale-boosting 3-1 win in the English Premier League.

Anthony Pilkington had equalised for Norwich, who were very much in the ascendancy, in the second half, cancelling out Oscar's early opener, before Hazard and Willian struck late on to break the home side's backs at Carrow Road.

The win sees Chelsea climb up to third in the Premier League table, just two points off leaders Liverpool.

Chelsea began the match very much in control, dictating possession with Norwich barely getting the ball in the first ten minutes.

Demba Ba, preferred up front by Jose Mourinho and desperate to make an impression, was the early target for Chelsea with several long balls popped over the top, most of them which created Norwich a few problems.

Ba first had a decent penalty appeal turned down, after tangling with Sebastien Bassong following a long pass, before the opening goal also came from such a ball, with Frank Lampard finding his striker with another ball over the top.

The former Newcastle man, who has barely featured for Chelsea this season, just about controlled it, before laying it off nicely to Oscar on the edge of the box, with the Brazilian curling one into the bottom corner with the outside of his foot.

Mourinho called this encounter a "typical English match" prior to the start, and Chelsea were pretty much playing in that style with plenty of balls over the top, as Ba's runs kept the Norwich defence on their toes.

Ba kept putting pressure on John Ruddy as the Norwich goalkeeper came out to try and snuff out these balls, with the latter struggling to keep hold of the ball on a couple of occasions.

A spill from Ruddy nearly allowed Ba to cash in, but his shot, hit off balance, was stopped on its way through by Bassong.

Ba also forced a nice save from Ruddy off a shot from a tight angle as the Chelsea striker, with a huge point to prove, really imposed himself in the first half.

Norwich struggled to break past the Chelsea midfield with any regularity, with Leroy Fer looking like the only player capable of causing the Blues defence a few problems.

The Canaries did have a decent chance in the first half, though, created after some good work down the right. Robert Snodgrass showed some skills down the right before laying the ball off to right-back Russell Martin, whose first-time cross to the Chelsea six-yard box was almost turned in by Johnny Howson --  Petr Cech making a good point-blank save.

Ba nearly made the game safe early in the second half for Chelsea, but his cute flick off a low cross from the left trickled wide.

Norwich had a penalty appeal turned down at the other end, when Anthony Pilkington was challenged by Ramires with replays suggesting the Canaries might have had a case.

The home side were on top now and they kept pressing and probing, with Ricky Van Wolfswinkel going close.

A goal seemed to be in the air, however, and it did come on 68 minutes. Martin Olsson put in a long raking cross from the left, with Van Wolfswinkel climbing high and true to head it back into the danger area. Pilkington, took full advantage, beating Luiz to the ball to head home from four yards.

Knowing he needed a win, Jose Mourinho made an attacking change, bringing on playmaker Eden Hazard for left-back Ashley Cole as Chelsea, in a bit of a lull in the second half, looked to go up a couple of gears.

Ivanovic tested Ruddy at one end while substitute Nathan Redmond forced Cech to a save off a swerving shot as the match lit up in the final moments.

When it looked like the force was with Norwich after their equaliser, the game turned in a couple of moments, with Chelsea's quality seeing them through.

Chelsea countered quickly off a Norwich corner in the 85^th minute, with Hazard then taking full advantage of a poor clearance from Alex Tetty, to force the ball past Ruddy, who got a good hand on the ball but could not stop it trickling past the line.

A minute later it was 3-1 and game, set and match to Chelsea as Willian announced himself to the Premier League with a wonderful left-footed curler from 17 yards.

In the other game, Southampton continued their stellar start to the season with a 2-0 win over Swansea courtesy goals from Adam Lallana and Jay Rodriguez.