Loic Remy Makes His Point for Chelsea After Diego Costa Hobbles off Against Hull

KC STADIUM, HULL — Were Clint Eastwood in his famous "Dirty" Harry Callahan guise to ask Jose Mourinho if he felt lucky after Chelsea's defeat of Hull City, the Chelsea manager wouldn't need to consider his response.

The answer would be an instant "yes."

Chelsea had already thrown away a two-goal lead at the KC Stadium on Sunday when Diego Costa hobbled off down the tunnel, clutching his left hamstring.

Mourinho's side were chasing victory in a game that should have long been wrapped up, and they were being forced to do it without their leading goalscorer.

Any fears on that front subsided within 90 seconds, though, as Costa's replacement, Loic Remy, scored the winning goal to ease any nerves in the Chelsea dressing room.

"Every time he plays, he's there," said Mourinho. "Probably, he deserves more than what I gave him. Probably.

"Sometimes, but not many times, a coach can feel that he owes something to a player, and with Remy, it is the case.

"I think I owe him something because every time he plays, scoring or not scoring, every time he plays he gives us a lot and I am so happy for him because he deserves [the plaudits]."

Right now, Remy deserves a whole lot more, and whatever Mourinho's debt was to him before this game, it has increased significantly.

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It wasn't the cleanest of finishes from Remy, but the Frenchman will care not one bit.

When Chelsea look at the Premier League table for the next fortnight, they will see their six-point lead restored at the top.

It's one that leaves them in a commanding position, one strengthened all the more given they have a game in hand on those teams who are beginning to show signs they want to make the title race an interesting one.

Chelsea have been hinting at a late-season wobble of late. They cannot defend a lead—this is the 10th game in 2015 alone where the Blues have scored first before letting their opponents back in—and they needed to get back to winning ways against Hull.

When Eden Hazard and Costa put Chelsea 2-0 up here within the first 10 minutes, one journalist in the press box quipped "we might as well go home," suggesting the game was over as a contest.

That's been the hallmark of Mourinho teams past; they killed games when they were in control.

Not this one.

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The same concerns resurfaced. Branislav Ivanovic and Thibaut Courtois each guilty of some horrendous defending in two crazy first-half minutes that allowed Hull to level.

Even after those incidents, Chelsea were fortunate not to concede again as the home side harassed them and caused major problems.

Were Chelsea beginning to bottle it in the title race? It certainly felt like it.

Chelsea have needed a fresh impetus of late, and Mourinho has just stumbled across it with Remy.

The manager looked to be bringing Remy on to partner Costa until the Spanish international pulled up with his hamstring injury, being forced to change his plans at the last second.

That incident altered the course of this match, and it's potentially changed the course of Chelsea's season, too.

The psychological weight has been lifted—Chelsea are back winning again, and it's Remy they have to thank for it.

"He never complains," Mourinho continued, asked if the French striker ever expressed his unhappiness at rarely featuring this season.

Given what we saw at the KC Stadium, maybe now he will.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes