Premier League: Chelsea 2 Wigan 1

Juan Mata scored a priceless late winner as Chelsea saw off a brave Wigan side with a 2-1 win in the Premier League on Saturday.

Mohamed Diame scored a stunning equaliser from 20 yards out after Branislav Ivanovic had earlier headed in from a Raul Meireles cross just after the hour, but replays showed he was clearly offside as the ball was played in.

But Mata scored in stoppage time after a Fernando Torres volley hit the post, and the Spain international was there to bundle in from close range.

It is Chelsea’s second Premier League victory in a row after last week’s 4-2 triumph over Aston Villa and their fourth in succession over Wigan, moving them back above Newcastle into fifth place on the table.

It was a slow start at Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea were the first to press forward with David Luiz, who made one of his trademark driving runs forward and drew a foul off Franco Di Santo, but the free-kick came to nothing as Wigan were able to clear.

The Blues tried to impose themselves, moving the ball around well, and Ivanovic eventually won a free-kick after Maynor Figueroa’s late challenge, but Didier Drogba was unable to make a good connection with Mata’s cross.

Ryan Bertrand showed some skill on the left early on, swinging over a superb cross which fell to Florent Malouda, but his volley was poorly timed and it ended up rolling out for a throw-in.

Meireles then won a corner which Wigan managed to clear, but Chelsea retained the ball and it was eventually worked to Gary Cahill, who unleashed a rasping 30-yard drive which was heading for the top corner until Ali Al-Habsi parried over.

Wigan were well in the game midway through the first half though, narrowly missing several opportunities at goal.

Chelsea had an excellent chance to take the lead 10 minutes before the break as Drogba slotted through Mata with a fine pass, but the Spaniard was denied by Al-Habsi, whose parry fell to Drogba, but his header was cleared off the line by Figueroa.

The Ivory Coast international then had another effort right on the stroke of half-time, heading Malouda’s cross back across goal, but Al-Habsi did well to tip it over as Wigan held Chelsea at the break.

Wigan continued to press after the break, their first chance falling to Emerson Boyce, who flew in late to meet an excellent Jean Beausejour cross, but he was unable to direct the header and it flew well wide.

Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo threw on Torres just before the hour, with the Spain striker joining Drogba up front in a partnership which has proved unsuccessful so far.

Ivanovic then won a free-kick and Mata’s cross was cleared by the Wigan defence, but the ball came out to Meireles who played a first-time ball back in, and Ivanovic was there to head home from what appeared to be a clear offside position.

Wigan nearly equalised immediately as Petr Cech’s clearance fell to Di Santo whose shot was blocked by Ivanovic on the line.

As the game moved into the final 20 minutes, Roberto Martinez made two changes for Wigan, bringing on Mohamed Diame and Ben Watson for Beausejour and James McCarthy as they searched for an equaliser.

Mata then had a glorious chance to double Chelsea’s lead. Drogba headed on a long kick from Cech, but the Spaniard blasted high and wide from the edge of the box.

Drogba slipped a pass through to Sturridge moments later, and the England international tried an audacious effort from a tight angle, but put it well wide, much to the frustration of the Stamford Bridge crowd.

Wigan started to press in the final 10 minutes and enjoyed a decent spell of possession. Diame received the ball 20 yards out, doing well do provide himself a small amount of space and unleashing a ferocious drive into the corner which Cech could only watch fly in.

Salomon Kalou then had a golden opportunity to win it for the Blues late on as he received the ball in acres of space in the area from a Torres cross, but he shanked a low effort harmlessly wide.

Mata then won the game for Chelsea in stoppage time, bundling the ball home when Torres volleyed low against the post.

Torres nearly made it 3-1 in a one-on-one, but Al-Habsi was able to match it as Chelsea saw out the final moments to earn the win.