Costa no loss for Chelsea as EPL leader beats Leicester 3-0

LEICESTER, England (AP) — Chelsea easily coped without top-scorer Diego Costa, sweeping aside fading champion Leicester 3-0 to go seven points clear in the English Premier League on Saturday.

Marcos Alonso scored twice and Pedro Rodriguez headed in the third as Chelsea put its title bid back on track after a 13-match winning run ended at Tottenham in the previous game.

“It was a very professional, solid performance by us on the back of the Spurs game,” Chelsea defender Gary Cahill said. “We had to prove it. It’s all about bouncing back.”

Whether Costa returns to the Chelsea team is unclear, with the striker linked with a move to China but officially out of the game due to a back injury.

“He wasn’t there today and we managed to put Pedro, Hazard and Willian up there so you try to defend against those three boys — it’s very difficult,” Cahill said. “We are blessed to have talent like that, and if someone is missing someone comes in and produces a performance like that.”

Chelsea’s…