Jose Mourinho hails Diego Costa impact

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has heaped praise on Diego Costa following his match-winning display in the club's 2-0 victory over Aston Villa.

The Spanish international returned from a three-match ban to score the opening goal, before seeing another effort deflect off Alan Hutton to secure a much-needed three points for the Blues.

Chelsea had not won any of the Premier League matches that they had played without Costa while he was suspended, but Mourinho had no doubts that he would provide a threat on his comeback.

"It's good. He was very strong," Mourinho is quoted as saying by Chelsea's official website. "Against Arsenal he was very good, then we lost him for three matches and I knew he would be good.

"I cannot say goals but the way he was working in the past two weeks with us I knew clearly he would bring something positive for us."

Chelsea's victory has moved them up to 11th in the Premier League table.