PFA Player of the Year Eden Hazard scored the only goal of the game as Chelsea recorded a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace this afternoon, sealing the club a first Premier League title since 2010 in the process.

Hazard's match-winning exploits came just before the break at Stamford Bridge as he nodded in from close range after his penalty had been stopped by visiting goalkeeper Julian Speroni.

Here, Sports Mole looks back over the encounter in West London to determine if the new champions were worthy winners, or whether Palace can consider themselves unlucky not to claim a point.

Match statistics

CHELSEA
Shots: 17
On target: 7
Possession: 62%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 12

PALACE
Shots: 8
On target: 1
Possession: 38%
Corners: 6
Fouls: 13

Was the result fair?

It was the type of Chelsea display that we have become accustomed to of late, meaning that, although it was not the prettiest of games to watch at times, the Blues did enough to win. Did they deserve it? Yes, just about. They could have won by a slightly bigger margin had they converted some late chances.

Chelsea's performance

Once again, the Blues did not thrill the public like they did on a frequent basis before Christmas, but they got the job done. Some may find that boring, but, with the likes of Hazard in good form, Chelsea were not a dull watch today.

They dominated the possession and moved the ball around well at times. What they lacked, in the absence of Diego Costa, was a mobile striker that could benefit from the creative qualities possessed by Hazard, Cesc Fabregas and Willian. He may be a Chelsea legend, but Didier Drogba no longer poses the threat that he once did and that is an area which Jose Mourinho must look to strengthen this summer.

At the back, John Terry was colossus once again. With him at the back, Chelsea rarely looked like conceding.

Palace's performance

Rather than simply make up the numbers, Palace looked determined to play the role of party poopers in front of their noisy travelling support.

With the pace of Wilfried Zaha, Jason Puncheon and Yannick Bolasie in attacking areas, they can cause problems. Yet, while they threatened to do just that on occasions, the final ball was often lacking, with Zaha in particular guilty of wasting possession in dangerous areas of the pitch.

Alan Pardew will probably feel that his side did not test Thibaut Courtois enough, but he cannot be overly downbeat with this showing from. They have just faced the champions of England and were a good match for parts of the game. The future looks bright at Selhurst Park ahead of the 2015-16 campaign.

Sports Mole's man of the match

John Terry: Not for the first time this season, Hazard secured the points for Chelsea. However, it was the performance of the captain that caught the eye. The Blues were by no means swamped by Palace, but, when the visitors did get forward, they were often thwarted by Terry, who continues to read the game so well. He may be 34, but the former England international is showing no signs of letting up.

Biggest gaffe

He may have scored from the rebound, but Hazard's penalty was one to forget. He did his trademark casual run up in which he banks on the goalkeeper committing to an early dive. Speroni did not budge, though, which meant that he could easily read Hazard's tame effort. It would not be a surprise if other keepers follow suit when the Belgian steps up in the future.

Referee performance

With the advantage of having replays available, it probably wasn't a penalty as Hazard moved between Adrian Mariappa and James McArthur. However, it is easy to see why Kevin Friend pointed to the spot. Aside from that, it was a good performance from the man with the whistle.

What next?

Chelsea: Their first match as Premier League champions sees the Blues play host to a Liverpool side that will need all three points in their quest for a Champions League place next Sunday.

Palace: A day earlier, the Eagles will play their penultimate home game of the campaign against Manchester United at Selhurst Park.