DPA/London
Spain striker Diego Costa has come in for criticism after continuing his early season form for new club Chelsea in their 6-3 Premier League victory at Everton Saturday.
Costa scored after just 34 seconds and again in the 90th minute at Goodison Park and has now netted four goals in Chelsea’s first three games.
However, Everton manager Roberto Martinez was critical of the striker’s behaviour on the pitch after a series of heated incidents, saying the Brazilian-born player needs to learn some respect.
The 32-million-pound (53-million-dollar) signing from Atletico Madrid in the summer was booked in the second-half after taunting Seamus Coleman following the full-back’s 67th minute own goal. Everton keeper Tim Howard was also booked in the altercation which ensued.
“Diego Costa once more highlighted how deadly he can be as the Chelsea striker bagged a brace against Everton - but he also showed the darker side of his game at Goodison Park,” Mail Online said Sunday.
In his post-match comments, Martinez did not hold back, saying that some of his players had complained about the striker’s behaviour during the game.
“There are certain foreign players who come to the Premier League who need to understand the ethics and the culture,” Spaniard Martinez said.
“The behaviour in the British game is unique. The last thing you want to see is disrespect from a player to another player and I am sure he will learn that very quickly.
“There is a real professionalism and respect in the league so you can understand why the players weren’t happy with that, in the same way as trying to buy free-kicks with the way he plays.”
Costa has now been booked twice, having also received a yellow card in Chelsea’s 3-1 win at Burnley in their Premier League opener when he was adjudged to have dived.
However Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho defended Costa, saying opponents are trying to get the player sent off.
“The only thing I didn’t like from this game, apart from our defending, was that some Everton players were trying to create problems for Diego,” Mourinho said.
“I don’t think this is English football. It’s also a contradiction for Everton because everything they normally do is good and positive. To be chasing yellow cards for a player of good behaviour, that is disappointing.
“Diego is maybe the best player in the Premier League in the first three matches but he now has two yellow cards. One against Burnley when he didn’t simulate and it was a clear penalty, and today everybody was chasing cards to try to get him in trouble.”
Chelsea top the league on nine points, level with Swansea after three games, while champions Manchester City were stunned 1-0 at home by Stoke City.
“It was a surprise but this sometimes happens during the year,” City manager Manuel Pellegrini said.
“We tried everywhere to find the space to score but we couldn’t and then they score (through Mame Biram Diouf) just once on the counter-attack and won the game.”
Manchester United were left still waiting for a first competitive win under new manager Louis van Gaal after a goalless draw at promoted Burnley.
“When you have two points out of nine that is not good enough and that is disappointing,” said Van Gaal.
“The progress is there but a club like Manchester United have to win.”
Chelsea are meanwhile reported to be close to signing QPR’s Loic Remy after Arsenal withdrew their interest in signing the striker.
According to media reports, Chelsea triggered a 10.5-million-pound release clause in Remy’s contract on Saturday lunchtime and he was then left out of QPR’s squad to face Sunderland.
Chelsea’s Brazilian-born Spanish striker Diego Costa celebrates scoring his team’s sixth goal during the English Premier League football match against
