Chelsea hat-trick hero Alvaro Morata sends warning to Premier League rivals

Alvaro Morata believes Chelsea’s thumping 4-0 win over Stoke on Saturday has sent a warning to their Premier League title rivals.

Both Arsenal and Manchester United have already dropped points at the Britannia Stadium this season but Mark Hughes’ side were simply blown away by Antonio Conte’s defending champions.
Morata starred with his first hat-trick for his new club since his club-record £58million move from Real Madrid in the summer and the Spain international believes the victory, and the manner of it, demonstrates Chelsea’s determination to hang onto their crown.

‘We sent a good message to all the Premier League,’ said the 24-year-old. ‘Chelsea is in the fight for the title and it’s the thing that we want.

‘The most important thing is we won today. It’s a difficult place to come but we won and now we can look ahead to the Champions League.’

Morata was criticised for his performance in last weekend’s goalless draw against Arsenal, and the pressure on his shoulders intensified following confirmation of Diego Costa’s return to Atletico Madird earlier this week.