Chelsea had no concerns over Diego Costa's goal drought as striker answers critics with 'special' goal

Striker had gone five games without a goal before scoring twice against Southampton

Diego Costa ended his longest run of Chelsea games without a goal by scoring twice against Southampton (Getty)

Chelsea had no concerns with Diego Costa despite his longest goal drought since arriving at the club despite his dry spell threatening to derail the Blues’ relentless charge towards the Premier League title, says Gary Cahill.

Costa silenced his critics with a brilliant performance in Chelsea’s 4-2 victory over Southampton on Tuesday night, scoring twice and assisting the opener for Eden Hazard as the Blues moved to within four wins of the Premier League title.

The Brazilian-born Spain international had not scored in four Premier League matches as well as Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final victory over Tottenham Hotspur, the longest stretch of fixtures that he has endured in England without finding the back of the net.

But while fans and media criticised the striker and claimed that scoring just four goals since the furore around a move to China at the start of the year led to him losing focus and commitment, Cahill insisted that the squad, nor the club, ever had any concerns about his lack of form.

Asked if they need Costa at his best to sew-up the title this season, Cahill said: “Yes, but while everyone else is focussing on that situation, we don't need to talk about it. We have full confidence, full belief in him. As a squad and as players, we know what he can produce. We just wait for him to deliver and he did against Southampton. It was only going to be a matter of time with him.”

Costa showed his very best qualities to shoot down Saints at Stamford Bridge, passing inside for Eden Hazard to net the opening goal with a brilliant finish before outmuscling Ryan Bertrand in the second half to head in Chelsea’s third after Cahill had put the Blues back in front moments before the break, cancelling out Oriol Romeu’s equaliser.

Yet Costa had saved the best for last, with the striker embarking on a mazy run to trade passes with first Hazard and then Cesc Fabregas, before taking two touches to pull away from the Southampton defence and ease the ball past goalkeeper Fraser Forster to cap a sublime move.

“Eden has been scoring some vital goals for us lately, but to see Diego scoring last night was great for us,” Cahill added. “It was a fantastic performance. The fourth goal was something special. It is what he has been like for the majority of the season. I'm buzzing that he scored and put in a display like that.”