There had been an air of inevitability for several weeks but Sunday Chelsea completed the task and duly clinched the English Premier League title with a 1-0 home win over Crystal Palace.
Manchester City was playing later in the afternoon but the three points took the west London side into an unassailable advantage over the defending champion and third-placed Arsenal.
Fittingly, it was PFA Player of the Year Eden Hazard who scored the only goal of the match just before halftime after winning a penalty.
It was not without controversy, as there appeared to be very little contact when the Belgian international went sprawling in the area under a challenge from James McArthur.
Hazard got up to take the spot kick, his weak effort was saved by Julian Speroni, but he scored with a header on the rebound.
It was Hazard’s only miss from ten penalties he has taken in the EPL this season, but his 14th goal of the campaign was the crucial statistic and enough to take Jose Mourinho’s men over the winning line.
In common with recent Chelsea displays, including the goalless draw at Arsenal last weekend, the emphasis was on the result rather than open and attacking football and there was little second half goalmouth action.
For Mourinho, it was his third EPL title with Chelsea and first since his return to the club at the start of the 2013-14 campaign.
Earlier this season, Chelsea took the English League Cup, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final at Wembley.
It was revenge for a 5-3 beating at White Hart Lane on New Year’s Day, a rare hiccup in a triumphant league season.
The goals of Diego Costa, many of them assisted by fellow pre-season signing Cesc Fabregas, took Chelsea into an early lead in the title race with the other challengers unable to keep pace.
But it has been Hazard who has proved the ultimate star, winning the acclaim of his fellow EPL players for his sparkling performances.
