Finally Torres breakes the dead lockes.. Chelsea 3-0 West Ham

Fernando Torres' long awaited first goal sealed a 3-0 victory for Chelsea over West Ham United
and ensures the Blues' remain six points behind Manchester United at a rain soaked Stamford Bridge. The result keeps Carlo Ancelotti's side six points off the pace and keeps Avram Grant's side rooted to the foot of the Premier League table.

Both Chelsea and West Ham, managed by former Chelsea boss Avram Grant, fashioned plenty of chances in an open and flowing game but failed to hit the back of the net which leaves them deep in relegation strife.

Both sides had big name players unavailable for the clash with Alex and Ramires out for Chelsea, West Ham were without the services of newly-crowned Football Writer’s Player of the Year, Scott Parker. Chelsea however have the strength in depth to cope better with these injuries.

With the deluge omnipresent throughout the first half, chances were raining down on both goals but neither side could find the accuracy required to open the scoring. Both Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou both broke the West Ham defences open but in the case of Malouda, when one-on-one with Robert Green, he should have chipped the ball over the advancing ‘keeper instead of trying to place it low.

As was expected much of the action in the first period was played in the Hammers half and stout defending was the order of the day for the team from east London. They were always open to the chance of launching a counter attack and this ploy almost paid dividends when Demba Ba let fly a rasping drive from distance which required Petr Cech to act with urgency.

Moments later and West Ham had their best chance to open the scoring when a powerful and swift run from Freddie Sears down the West Ham left opened an avenue which allowed him to cross deep to the far post where a diving Jonathan Spector couldn’t direct his header beyond Cech. Carlo Ancelotti was looking disgruntled as he watched on from the sidelines, mind you Avram Grant, surprisingly didn’t look pleased either.

As the first half went on both teams continued to fashion chances but the breakthrough just wouldn’t come, more often due to poor decisions. Didier Drogba should have crossed instead of shooting on 28 minutes and Sears’s flick back heeled would have gone in had he attempted a more conventional shot.

As the thunderstorm over west London settled directly above Stamford Bridge causing various floodlights and advertising boards to go out, a horrible collision between David Luiz, Cech and Carlton Cole resulted in the young Portuguese defender losing consciousness. All three were attempting to play a long ball when Luiz took Cech’s elbow to the head. Happily he was treated with speed and continued to play.

Frank Lampard, who until this point had seen little action, grabbed the opening goal after on overlapping run from Ashley Cole allowed the full-back to Sears and deliver the cross which Lampard tucked away with ease and comfort. Robert Green could do little about it.

As the weather continued to soak Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were looking more and more comfortable and in control but Ancelotti’s hand was forced when Michael Essien, who pulled up in the first half, left the field injured to be replaced by Yossi Benayoun, who continued to make his own comeback from a long term injury.

The injuries continued as West Ham’s Mark Noble was stretchered from the field and replaced by Robbie Keane, who was welcomed with a round of boos from the Chelsea following.

Both sides continued to press for a goal and the chances were still not been taking, but in the case of Luiz, who hammered a long range effort off the crossbar, it wasn't for the want of trying.

West Ham's creativity was producing the goods but the final act was letting then down time and again. Demba Ba and sub Robbie Keane had opportunities, but squandered them and let Chelsea off the hook.

As time wore on hope waned for the Hammers and it looked increasingly unlikely that the levelling goal wasn’t coming.

All hopes were killed as Torres finally broke his duck for Chelsea and completed the result for the Blues.

Shortly after Florent Malouda sealed the victory with a hard earned goal to give Chelsea a three goal victory.

The result has made little difference to the table as Chelsea are still second and with one less game to play the chances of Manchester United not claiming their 19th league title are looking increasingly likely. West Ham on the other hand are slipping closer to relegation with little sign of arresting that trend

The perfect Revenge Chelsea 4-2 Sunderland

Chelsea collected three valuable points in their attempt to retain their Premier League crown, winning 4-2 against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light this evening.

Sunderland took the lead with their first attempt on goal as Phillip Bardsley drove forward from left-back, cutting inside on the edge of the box before taking a pop at goal. It swerved toward the bottom right-hand corner and past Petr Cech to give Sunderland the lead with three minutes played.

Chelsea looked shell-shocked as Sunderland’s midfield began to establish themselves on the game. The mobility of Chelsea’s front three looked as if it could cause problems though, when Salomon Kalou cut infield from the right and Frank Lampard wandered into the space vacated by the Ivorian. A deflected pass found its way to Lampard, who didn’t hesitate as he went for goal. But although his shot was firm, it sailed low past Craig Gordon’s right-hand post.

It wasn’t long before Chelsea were back in the game, however, with Ashley Cole winning his side a very generous penalty from referee Mark Halsey. The ball was lobbed forward into the box and Cole took a fall under minimal contact. Lampard stepped up for Chelsea and coolly dispatched it to level the score.

Chelsea took the lead with 22 minutes played after two defensive mistakes by Sunderland. Nicolas Anelka threaded the ball through to Kalou, who was played onside by Anton Ferdinand – standing two yards behind the defensive lead. Kalou raced through on goal as Gordon charged off his line prematurely. The Ivorian was smart to this and took his shot early, sending it past the stranded 'keeper and it trickled over the line to give Chelsea the lead.

Sunderland were back on level pegging three minutes later as Ahmed Elmohamady jinked through the Chelsea defence and was brought down on the right-hand edge of the Chelsea penalty area. Kieran Richardson hit his shot low and hard as it zipped under the Chelsea wall and into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal. Cech didn’t even move.



The second half started with a barrage from Chelsea. Kalou crossed from the right flank in the opening minutes and only a last ditch block from Nedum Onuoha denied the forward. The visitors nearly bundled the ball home from the resultant corner, with Kalou throwing a boot into the mix at the back post. Steed Malbranque was on hand to block on the post with Jordan Henderson there to mop up.

Chelsea inevitably converted this pressure into a third goal and it infuriated the home fans as it came from a corner they were adamant shouldn't have been given. The initial cross was cleared and Lampard fired the ball goalwards. Gordon did well to save, but the rebound fell to Terry who hit his shot into the ground and it bounced up over Gordon to give Chelsea a 3-2 lead.

Once ahead for a second time the champions never looked like they would relinquish their lead. Restricting Sunderland to very few opportunities from this point on, as time trickled away the result was never in doubt as Anelka added a fourth in injury time with a tidy finish after a smart pass from Florent Malouda and Chelsea closed into within one point of rivals Manchester City.

Everton 1 - 1 Chelsea

Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park in a game that failed to take off until well into the second have, with both goals coming within 30 minutes of the full-time whistle.

Louis Saha kept up appearances against Chelsea once again scoring against the London outfit, but substitute Soloman Kalou equalised for the visitors with a great strike from just inside the Everton area.

The first-half was a drab affair with neither team posing any danger to each other. Marouanne Fellaini began the first real threat of the match relieving the ball from Ashley Cole and putting Seamus Coleman through onto Petr Cech, but the Chelsea keeper did well to stop the young Irishman’s shot. Both teams were passing well, but couldn’t finish off their moves and led to a frustrating 45 minutes for the spectators who were possibly expected a more clinical display of football.

The lacking in spectacle carried on from the start of the second-half with neither team finding any consistency. However, the fans were treated to a goal on the 62nd minute when a Leighton Baines corner from the right met Louis Saha’s head who carried on with his haunting of Chelsea with his 11th goal against the club. Just over 10 minutes later the visitors struck back with an exceptional counter-attack from an Everton chance that should have made it 2-0 to the home side. The ball was played out of the Chelsea area and was played up-field eventually finding substitute Soloman Kalou, who blasted the ball past Tim Howard and into the corner of the net. Both teams had efforts that could have brought them winners, but neither could penetrate each other’s defences with both goalkeepers staying strong till the end.

It took until the 11th minute for the action to heat up with Everton playing some attractive passing football, Baines found Diniyar Bilyaletiniov on the left side of the Chelsea box who lofted the ball towards goal, but Seamus Coleman couldn’t head it on target.

The Russian midfielder was in the mix again just minutes later as he was found in the box with no man on him, but his shot was too weak to test Petr Cech properly.

John Terry was the first visitor to scare Everton when a Florent Malouda corner came in and Terry met it with his head with the ball just going over and out for a goal-kick.

The first real chance of the game went o Everton when Marouanne Fellaini caught Ashley Cole out in possession and quickly put Coleman through on Cech, but the goalkeeper did well to save the young midfielder’s shot.

Bilyaletiniov had another chance with a free header in the box, however the Everton man couldn’t challenge the visitor’s ‘keeper, nodding it straight into his hands.

Chelsea had an honest chance in the 31st minute after Ramires placed a through ball in for Nicolas Anelka whose powerful shot bulleted off of Tim Howard.

Malouda got himself in the action again with a shot far out that tested Everton’s American ‘keeper, who put it out for a corner with a strong save.

As the first-half drew to a close, it was evident that both teams had played an even game in the first 45 minutes, which was reflected in the possession count. Neither side had finished many moves and it had made for inconsistent phases of play.However, before the teams went in for their half-time break, Mikel Arteta had time to scare Cech and Chelsea with a long range effort that scampered past the outside of the post.

Everton were also there to kick-start the second-half when Coleman took the ball from a stray pass from Chelsea captain John Terry, leading to the young Irishman to put the ball in the away side’s box for Lois Saha stood at the far post to volley the ball into the oncoming Ramires who blocked it out for a corner.

Fellaini got close soon after with a powerful header from an Arteta free-kick which Petr Cech managed to get a hand to and put it behind.

The Lois Saha curse on Chelsea continued in this game with the Frenchman scoring his 11th goal against the West London club. An in swinging corner from Leighton Baines found the striker in the middle of the box who darted away from his marker John Terry to create a free header that Cech was powerless to save.

After a great chance for Coleman was wasted from close range, Chelsea were immediately on the counter-attack when they got their equalising goal. The ball was quickly out of the visitor’s box and a succession of perfect passes through across the pitch led to recently brought on Soloman Kalou who struck it well from the angle and into the corner of Howard’s net.

Ramires could have made it 2-1 for Ancelotti’s side with a cracking effort with his right-foot that seemed to be heading in the opposite corner of Kalou’s goal, but the swerving shot smashed against the post and out for a goal-kick to the relief of the home fans.Jermain Beckford was brought on in the dying minutes and was immediately contributing to the action with a excellent volley after Ivanovic misjudged the ball into the path of the former Leeds man, the shot came quickly toward Cech’s top corner, but the ‘keeper was able to make a great save, turning the ball out for a corner.

The score-line remained the same till the end and now both will have to stick it out again back at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge.

Bolton 0-4 Chelsea

A flurry of goals from Chelsea saw off Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium as Carlo Ancelotti's men moved within seven points of top spot. Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka were amongst the goals as the Blues made light work of the Trotters.

The night was a poignant one. It was Bolton’s first game at the Reebok since the death of Nat Lofthouse and the Lion of Vienna, such an icon for the Trotters that his name is synonymous with the Lancashire side, was remembered in a fitting way. The expectation on the current XI to produce on such a night was huge.

With such stirring emotions in the blood Bolton almost made the perfect start after only three minutes when Kevin Davies - who is out of the same mould as the great man - found himself in the Chelsea box but his header was directed too close to Petr Cech, who dealt with the threat.

Bolton continued to keep Chelsea under the cosh in the early exchanges but that momentum was stopped dead in its tracks when a routine pass inside from Malouda to Drogba resulted in an astonishing strike from the Ivorian as he unleashed an exocet which deviated wildly mid-flight to bamboozle Jussi Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal.

With the wind knocked from their sails, Bolton had to regroup and reorganise to threaten Chelsea. Intent restored, another opportunity to beat Cech came and went after half an hour when good play on the left flank from Martin Petrov resulted in an accurately placed cross which was met by Matthew Taylor who bisected the Chelsea centre-halves. But his driven header was turned away by Cech, who has never conceded a goal at the Reebok.

As the half wore on it seemed likely that the next goal would be Chelsea’s and that was the case when five minutes before the break. A persistent Malouda had two chances to shoot, his first was deflected off the legs of Gary Cahill which gave the Frenchmen a second bite of the proverbial cherry and this time he tickled the ball between Jaaskelainen and the near post to double the Londoners lead.

As the players returned to the dressing rooms at half time, a faint wave of boos was heard as the home support showed their collective displeasure at events.The second half continued in the same frustrating style for Bolton, they felt they got very little from referee Chris Foy in controlling Chelsea and Owen Coyle made his feelings known to the fourth official.

A third goal would have been disastrous for Bolton as there would have been no way back from such a deficit. And shortly before the hour that killer blow was dealt. Superb linking play between Malouda and Michael Essien in the left channel provided the catalyst as the Ghanaian crossed the ball which was met by the ever busy Drogba, his effort was deflected by Jaaskelainen into the path of Anelka, who showed the Trotters’ fans what they’ve missed since his departure.

Chelsea didn’t loosen the tourniquet and added to their already comfortable lead when Ramires bagged his first goal for the club since his arrival from Benfica last summer. Essien was involved again as another run down the left caused trouble for Bolton and his cross was not dealt with and the Brazilian was in the right place to compound a miserable night for Owen Coyle.

On such a night when Bolton remembered one of their own, the home support would have hoped for a better performance, but Chelsea, who showed due respect before the game, soon went about their business with clinical and ruthless application.

The Champions are back.. Chelsea 2-0 Blackburn

Chelsea overcame Blackburn Rovers in a solid victory with defender Branislav Ivanvic and Nicolas Anelka scoring the two goals in a game that the Rovers failed to force themselves on leaving Chelsea to punish the visitors.

The first half brought about plenty of chances from the home side, but they never finalised any moves that were devoid of clinical presence. Chelsea forced many a corner from Blackburn, but could not capitalise over their opponents.

After half-time Chelsea started as they left off with more bouts of pressure on Steve Kean’s side which eventually led to Ivanovic’s goal through both clumsy defending and the strength of the Chelsea man. Carlo Ancelotti’s side then began to take advantage of the bumbling Blackburn back four with Ivanovic again getting involved heading on from a corner, leaving Anelka to tap in from short distance.

Chelsea lined up with their usual array of stars, with Carlo Ancelotti keeping faith in Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda and Michael Essien. Ancelotti admitted he was unsure before the game whether he would give his youngsters a chance by playing with the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Josh McEachran.

Blackburn welcomed back first choice goalkeeper Paul Robinson after a long spell out with injury. El Hadji Diouf was demoted to the subs bench by manager Steve Kean and chose to leave Nikola Kalinic as lone striker. The return Roque Santa Cruz was met with a place on the bench for the player on-loan from Manchester City.

Chelsea started with much encouragement attacking the Blackburn box early and winning a corner in the second minute from which Ramires fashioned a shot which struck the cross bar.
Blackburn were able to come back with a shot that struggled to unnerve Peter Cech from Martin Olsson.

Kalinic was almost clean through on Cech, but the ‘keeper was able to pressure the striker off the ball got their first to hold on well.

Ashley Cole was Chelsea’s main attacking threat in the early few minutes working the left side well as he attempted to break the Blackburn defence down.

It was the home side that was dominating, but lacked the fluidity that the Blues had so well at the start of the season leaving them unable to finish any moves.
As the game progressed in the first half Jose Bosingwa started to act with the attacking initiative Ashley Cole was showing so well, forcing corners from the away defence.
Blackburn were finding the first 20 minutes hard and found themselves being battered by the Chelsea front men.
Kalinic was the only Rovers man able to threaten any sort of revive from the visitors, but couldn’t penetrate Chelsea’s back four for any clear chances.

Chelsea’s Didier Drogba was showing early frustrations with a couple of ambitious shots from 25 yards out, but were not enough to test Robinson.

Blackburn’s David Dunn was forced off with injury in the 24th minute for 19-year-old Jason Lowe to have his Premier League debut and started strongly with successful tackles showing good resistance against Ancelotti’s men.

Corner after corner were given to Chelsea, but they failed to capitalise from their opportunities leaving Blackburn to easily pick up the pieces on many occasions.

On the half-hour mark Drogba nearly threatened with a counter attacking move spurred on by Nicolas Anelka, the Ivory Coast man looked offside, but there was no flag and the stubborn away defence battled it out for another corner.

David Hoilet reacted to Blackburn’s own counter move with a powerful shot straight into Cech, rebounding and causing a mad scramble in the Chelsea box which was solved with a big kick away by Terry.

Frank Lampard nearly headed in on 37 minutes from a well placed cross into the box, but hit it over from just five yards out.

Just before half-time Ramires was found unmarked six yards out from goal, but the ball was falling behind him and struggled to get his head on it.

The woodwork spared Blackburn’s blushes just before the teams went in for the break with a delicate touch from six yards out but was too high to create a late half goal.

Chelsea were threatening the Blackburn goal right up until the half-time whistle creating another corner, but failed yet again to make the most of it.

Roque Santa Cruz replaced Kalinic for the second half, Steve Kean obviously not happy with the lack of chances that were being made.

The half started just as the first on had finished with a mass of Chelsea pressure leading to a Nicolas Anelka shot going inches past the far post.

Florent Malouda was booked after a poor sliding challenge on Blackburn’s Mame Diouf after John Terry was lucking to come away without a card on a badly timed tackle on Olsson.
A corner conceded from a sloppy Peter Cech on the 53rd minute led to a Blackburn chance, with Mame Diouf just heading wide under pressure.

The deadlock was finally broken on the 57th minute after poor Blackburn defending from a Chelsea corner gave Branislav Ivanovic the ball from just four yards out and using his strength, turned his marker and poked the ball home.

John Terry nearly added himself to the score sheet on 68 minutes with a free header inside the box, but couldn’t get it on target.

Jason Roberts replaced the struggling David Hoilet on 68 minutes as Blackburn hoped to add another dimension up front.

A poor back-pass from Christopher Samba almost handed Chelsea a second goal with Drogba attacking the ball and getting a shot on target, but Robinson did well to put it out for a corner.
Unfortunately for Rovers the resulting corner led to the nail in their coffin as Nicolas Anelka put in Chelsea’s second of the game. Malouda put the corner in with Ivanovic heading the ball toward goal leaving Anelka with his back to goal to tap the ball in.

The French goal scorer was then brought off on 80 minutes and replaced with Saloman Kalou. Chelsea also brought on young hope Josh McEachran for midfielder Michael Essien.

The home side’s confidence then began to flow as Malouda and Drogba began to take more and more shots from distance to test ‘keeper Paul Robinson.

Chelsea’s other key youngster Danile Sturridge replaced Malouda on 86 minutes and tried to add to the score line with an effort from a tight angle.

Blackburn failed to ever get back in a game they were never really in and Chelsea finished the evening with a much needed confident win.

Chelsea 2-0 Spartac Moscow

Spartak Moscow 0 - Chelsea 2
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Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal

The inspirational finishing of Didier Drogba and the power of Alex produced the goals that decided the London derby and made it five straight wins over Arsenal.
They know all about him, they heard all the talk before the game but still they can't stop him. A first-half when both sides found space in the opposition half and saw chances come and go was drawing to an end when Didier Drogba converted an Ashley Cole ball from close range to score his 13th goal in 11 starts against the Gunners.
However if Stamford Bridge was expecting more of the same, even contest between the sides in the second-half it was disappointed as the away side took greater control of the game in a way that will have Arsene Wenger, if true to past form, claiming some sort of moral victory but their Achilles heel was exposed and they couldn't finish the pressure off.
Chelsea missed the chance to extend our lead near the hour-mark when Nicolas Anelka missed the type of chance you would put your house on him scoring but the Blues weren't made to pay, and we also suffered a couple of erroneous offside calls that prevented further goals.


Alex smashed in a free-kick with five minutes left on the clock and then it was the home team's turn to spurn openings. It was a Chelsea-Arsenal game with so much familiar about it, even with new players in both sides.
Carlo Ancelotti kept faith with the 11 that had started the defeat at Man City so Ramires tasted this London derby for the first time. Arsene Wenger made one change from his setback against West Brom the same day, Jack WIlshere returning to midfield with Emmanuel Eboue making way, and in a tactical tweak he pushed Abou Diaby into an attacking midfield role, and not without an impact.


Arsenal soon showed Chelsea would have to work hard for the three points by issuing a vigorous wake-up call after just 28 seconds.
Sagna crossed towards the penalty spot and Chamakh dived in front of Alex to head just wide. It didn't get any more secure for the Blues when the corner that followed flicked off Malouda and was headed over from just two yards out by Koscielny.
Drogba left Sagna on the seat of his shorts in his first physical contest and then fired a second-minute free kick well over.
Chelsea wee testing the new-look Arsenal rearguard with aerial balls. Malouda looped a shot over after their central defence dithered in dealing with a JT punt upfield.
It was true end-to-end stuff in the opening stages with Cech asked to save down low from Arshavin on seven minutes.
Drogba was looking very lively and popping up on the right, he skinned Clichy and belted the ball across to where Malouda lost out to Koscielny.
Then the Ivorian was only a yard or so away from finishing off a scintillating counter attack that was begun by Essien charging away from a foul challenge by Wilshere.
On 18 minutes the Essien-Drogba corner combination could have paid off again when the Ghanaian met the delivery with a thumping header but he diverted it wide.
A run of Chelsea chances came to an end on 27 minutes when Arshavin was afforded space to shoot from wide out on the left and Cech executed one of his saves of the season so far to tip the ball away from the top corner.Then Nasri cut inside Ramires and let fly as Terry slid in, but this time the attempt was off target.
On 34 minutes Essien and Drogba combined in open player, Drogba leaving his marker on the floor as he burst away onto a pass down the right-hand side of the area. The shot was accurate but a good height for Fabianski to save.
The breakthrough came on 39 minutes and goes down as Ramires's finest moment in a Chelsea shirt so far.
He won the ball deep inside the Arsenal half and after receiving it back off Mikel, drove a perfectly weighted ball through the Arsenal defence for Cole to run on to and strike a first-time ball in towards the near post.
There was only one way for Drogba to score and he delivered. Diverting it off his heel, where fortune had favoured Carlos Tevez last week, so it did Chelsea this time as the ball bounced off the inside of the post and in.


Drogba after running away behind the Shed End goal in celebration, pointed to the sky, presumably a sign of sympathy for his manager's bereavement. Ashley Cole in the Shed End/East Stand corner enjoyed the goal too.
Chamakh tried to con the ref into awarding a penalty as he fell over Cech's stationary body early in the second half, and Arsenal caught Chelsea napping and won a corner on the break, one of three in quick succession as they again were sharpest out of the dressing room.
The pressure kept coming as a Diaby shot deflected off Cole and dropped wide of the Chelsea goal.

There then came a tale of two penalty decisions. Koscielny won the benefit of the doubt when he took the ball and Drogba at the same time in the area and then Ramires made a goal-saving challenge on Chamakh and again referee Mike Dean waved play on.
Arsenal were well on top yet ironically this was the spell when Chelsea could have gone a long way to putting the game to bed.
Squillaci dawdled as he ran the ball back towards his own goal, Anelka picked the pocket of his compatriot and went wide of Fabianski in text-book style but then with the goal gaping rolled his shot just wide.
On 69 minutes, Ashley Cole rifled Anelka's pass into the net but the whistle had gone for offside. Replays showed the Chelsea left-back was level with the last Arsenal defender.
On 72 minutes there was a direct swap of Ferreira on for Ivanovic and shortly after Chelsea finally broke the shackles to threaten the Arsenal goal once more.


Mikel it was who brought the ball under control and then the excellent Essien found the run of Anelka. This time his aim was true and although Fabianski could only push the ball back into play, it evaded Drogba's charge into the box.
Referee Dean had allowed the game to ebb and flow by showing restraint with his whistle and let at least two fouls go without a booking that many refs would have punished, but finally brought out the yellow when Ferreira brought down an attacking Rosicky.
Chelsea had a big escape when Rosicky sent over a cross soon after and Chamakh headed wide from six yards before the home team had every right to feel aggrieved over an offside flag when Ramires was played clean through. He had been a yard behind the defensive line.
Arsenal were looking stretched at the back when the Blues could push forward and Kosceinly was booked after he dragged Anelka to the ground 30 yards out.
Alex and Drogba lined up behind it but it always looked likely to be the Brazilian's turn. On Tuesday he hit the post, today he first found the gap left by Malouda pulling out the wall and then the top corner with an absolute screamer.


There were 85 minutes played. That was the game won, and Essien should have made Arsenal suffer further but their keeper saved one-on-one as the Ghanaian tried to chip over him.
The Pole had flapped once in the first half when he somehow pushed a ball from out wide back in front of his goal, but he did well again before the close when saving a powerful Malouda drive.
Stamford Bridge warmed up for one of those 'One Step Beyond' dances that follow our biggest home wins, but if there was anything that could put a slight dampener on the day it was more injuries.
A feature of the first half had been Arsenal players requiring treatment after seemingly routine challenges with some of Chelsea' strong men. But now it was Blues shirts leaving the pitch with neither Mikel nor Alex finishing the game. We were down to 10 men during stoppage time.
At least there is now a two-week international break for recovery, an interval we enter four points clear of the pack.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic (Ferreira 72), Alex, Terry (c), Cole; Essien, Mikel (Sturridge 88), Ramires (Zhirkov 82); Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.
Unused subs Turnbull, Van Aanholt, McEachran, Kakuta.
Scorers Drogba 39, Alex 85.
Booked Ferreira 79.
Arsenal (4-4-1-1): Fabianski; Sagna, Squillaci (c), Koscielny, Clichy; Wilshere (Emmanuel-Thomas 80), Song, Diaby (Rosicky 69), Arshavin (Vela 87); Nasri; Chamakh.
Unused subs Szczesny, Djourou, Denilson, Eboue.
Booked Koscielny 84.
Referee Mike Dean
Crowd 41,828.
Shots on Chelsea 6 Arsenal 5
Corners Chelsea 9 Arsenal 10
Fouls Chelsea 7 Arsenal 13
Offsides Chelsea 7 Arsenal 2

Chelsea 2-0 Marseille

Chelsea made it two wins from two in Champions League Group F with a comfortable 2-0 home win over Marseille.
The French champions made life tricky at times for the Blues, but an early goal from captain John Terry, his first of the season, and a Nicolas Anelka penalty inside the first half-hour put the game beyond the reach of our visitors.
Alex and Michael Essien both went agonisingly close to extending the lead in the second half, but Carlo Ancelotti will be content with getting back to winning ways after successive domestic defeats.
Marseille, led by former Chelsea midfielder Didier Deschamps, lined up differently to how they started their matchday one defeat against Spartak Moscow, with only six players surviving from that game.
Chelsea too were a little unfamiliar, with Frank Lampard, Salomon Kalou and Yossi Benayoun still injured and Didier Drogba still suspended, there were starts for Yury Zhirkov in midfield and Gael Kakuta in attack, the 19-year-old lining up on the right of the front three, where Nicolas Anelka led the line down the middle.

Two minutes in it was the visitors who had the game's first chance, Lucho Gonzalez misfiring his shot, and the ball ricocheting wide off team-mate Loic Remy's heel.
It was a deflection at the other end four minutes later, from Florent Malouda's shot, which led to Chelsea's opening goal.
Kakuta took the corner from the right, swinging it into the near post area where John Terry had made his run, and the captain deftly flicked the ball just inside the post with the outside of his boot.

It was the perfect way to quieten, if not entirely silence the visiting support, which had been vociferous in its abuse of the French World Cup men during the first few minutes.
It certainly hadn't affected Malouda, who had flown out of the blocks. He nearly doubled the lead on 13 minutes after beating his marker Charles Kabore for strength and skill in equal measure, but fired hsi right-footed shot just over Steve Mandanda's crossbar.
Anelka than had his own chance, after Kakuta had threaded him through, but although powerful, his shot was angled straight at the goalkeeper.
His next chance would be rather more straightforward, coming from the penalty spot after Stephane Mbia was adjudged to have handled Michael Essien's right wing cross. Anelka stepped up, shuffled and calmly slotted it low to the static goalkeeper's left.

Marseille continued to search for their first goal of this season's group stages, Benoit Cheyrou twice went close while Alex had to block a powerful effort inside his own area, but there was no denying who was firmly on top come half-time.
Cheyrou once more, a Gabriel Heinze overhead kick and a long-range Brandao drive kept Petr Cech busy as the second period commenced, and then Lucho had a powerful attempt kept out by Ashley Cole's knee.
Back on the attack, Chelsea almost had a third when Alex's deliciously vicious free-kick came back out off the inside of the post before John Mike Obi had to block substitute Andre Ayew's low drive.
Marseille were getting closer, and Chelsea deeper, but with the two-goal cushion it hardly looked as though the result was in doubt.
Essien cracked a side-footer against the top of the post as the Blues looked to put it out of reach, but other than these isolated incidents a third goal was looking as unlikely as Marseille finding their way back into a game that had begun to drift.

Mathieu Valbuena worked Cech with a low bender and a Chelsea passing move ended with Daniel Sturridge miscuing wide before Josh McEachran replaced Mikel in midfield for the final few minutes.
The youngster started the move that led to Chelsea's final chance, which worked down the left and back inside to Essien, who hit the woodwork for the second time of the evening.
That was the last of the action as Chelsea's 100 percent record continued, in a game where we had shown enterprise in the first half, and resistance in the second.
Chelsea(4-3-3):Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry (c), Cole; Essien, Mikel (McEachran 87), Zhirkov (Sturridge 72); Kakuta (Ramires 61), Anelka, Malouda.
Scorers Terry 6, Anelka (pen) 27
Booked Mikel 81
Marseille (4-3-3): Mandanda (c); Kabore, Diawara, Mbia, Heinze; Lucho Gonzalez, Cisse, Cheyrou (Ayew 58); Remy, Gignac (Valbuena 58), Brandao.
Booked Mbia 26, Heinze 28
Shots on Chelsea 4 Marseille 5
Corners Chelsea 2 Marseille 2
Fouls Chelsea 14 Marseille 14
Offside Chelsea 8 Marseille 1

Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea

Chelsea's first League loss of the campaign came in a tense, close encounter decided by a second-half Carlos Tevez goal.
In a goalless first half with few chances at either end, Carlo Ancelotti's side did hit woodwork, and Nicolas Anelka tested Joe Hart early in the second half, but this was not the potent attacking machine seen in every game this season up to this point.
Trailing in the second-half, the Chelsea manager was not afraid to take off some of his major players this season who were underperforming on the day. Didier Drogba and John Mikel Obi were two to make way, and there was a late Premier League debut for Josh McEachran.
There were two changes to the side which lined-up against Blackpool, with Branislav Ivanovic returning to right-back instead of Paulo Ferreira and Anelka back instead of Salomon Kalou.
Michael Essien and John Mikel Obi were back in midfield following a midweek rest against Newcastle, while a young contingent of Josh McEachran, Gael Kakuta, Patrick van Aanholt and Daniel Sturridge took their positions on the bench.
Ancelotti selected his main attacking trio, with Didier Drogba flanked by Florent Malouda on the left. Anelka took up his position on the right.

Ramires started in midfield and was involved from the off, dispossessing David Silva with a neat tackle from the side before feeding Malouda on the left flank.
But it was the hosts who had the first shot when Carlos Tevez broke down the centre and drilled goal-ward, only for the ball to skim across the face of Cech's goal and go wide.
Our keeper was then forced to collect a hanging Silva cross, intended for Tevez, as City made a break down the left, and soon Zabaleta won a free-kick after colliding with Ivanovic.
The resultant free-kick went nowhere but Manchester City could boast the better of the opening exchanges.
The tables began to turn when Anelka twice sent searching balls into the box, the first landed for Drogba who couldn't find space to shoot, while the second was deflected from danger.

It was the Frenchman who would produce Chelsea's first real chance on goal when he curled a shot inches past the top right from just outside the box. That was with 18 minutes gone.
City retaliated well, hindered only by the accuracy of their final ball, but when Alex nodded a Malouda cross on for Ivanovic to head off the bar, the tempo of the game changed.
City continued to pressure but Chelsea looked a lot more threatening on the attack, and soon Ivanovic won a free-kick for which Zabaleta was shown a yellow 30 yards out from goal.
Drogba took the set piece, which was cleared from danger before City broke down Chelsea's right once more and Cole coolly put the ball out for a throw.
With 35 minutes gone the game was still 0-0. It was end-to-end football with Cech the more tested keeper.
After shots from Malouda and Essien both went astray, a tense first half ended 0-0 but City fans would not have been blamed for feeling optimistic.
Ancelotti made no changes before the second half and within minutes Chelsea were showing their intent once more when Anelka forced Hart into an acrobatic save to tip his 25-yard shot away for a corner.
Chelsea had control in the early stages of the second half, although Cech's quick reactions did come into play when Silva's left-footed strike towards the near post was pushed away for a corner.

But with 58 minutes gone, the hosts took the lead. When Tevez collected a Yaya Toure ball, he ran deep into Chelsea's half of the pitch, cut outside Cole and drilled into the far corner via the inside of the post.
It was against the run of the play for the second half and a well-taken goal by the Argentine, although he was gifted space as the Blues failed to close him down. It was the first time Chelsea had conceded the opening goal this season.
The visitors immediately tired to pull one back, with Ramires latching onto a Malouda through ball before being denied by Nigel De Jong.
Frustrations began to show as Gareth Barry collided with Ivanovic before Mikel was shown yellow for a late challenge on Tevez, resulting in the goalscorer briefly receiving treatment on his ankle.
Despite the deficit, and the noise from a buoyant home crowd, Chelsea continued the hunt for an equaliser, as Ramires edged further and further forward with each move. He wanted a debut goal.
Lifted by the support, City began to threaten further, while Mikel made way for Yury Zhirkov in midfield after 68 minutes on the pitch.
Essien then sent a ball screaming past the post from 25 yards before Drogba was replaced by Sturridge in the 74th minute. Anelka moved into the centre and the young number 23 moved out on the right.
Referee Andre Marriner then brandished yellow at Ramires for knocking Yaya Toure to the ground. It was the last thing he'd do in the game as McEachran came into midfield.
Emmanuel Adebayor was next to make an appearance, replacing Tevez while Yaya Toure took the armband for City. Jerome Boateng then replaced Dedryck Boyata with two minutes left.
City's changes made little difference to the remainder of the game. Sturridge looked bright on the right and teamed up well with Anelka but the host's tight defence denied Chelsea a path through.
By Christian Collison
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry (c), Cole; Essien, Mikel (Zhirkov 68), Ramires (McEachran 80); Anelka, Drogba (Sturridge 74), Malouda.
Unused subs Turnbull, Ferreira, van Aanholt, Kakuta.
Booked Mikel, Ramires, Alex.

Manchester City (4-3-3): Hart; Boyata (Boateng 88), K Toure, Kompany, Zabaleta; Y Toure, De Jong, Barry; Silva (A Johnson 78), Tevez (c) (Adebayor 86), Milner.
Unused subs Given, Lescott, Vieira, Jo.
Scorer Tevez (59)
Booked Zabaleta, Boyata
Referee Andre Marriner
Attendance 47,203
Shots on Chelsea 4 Man City 3
Corners Chelsea 4 Man City 3
Fouls Chelsea 13 Man City 11
Offside Chelsea 1 Man City 2

Chelsea 3-4 Newcastle

Plenty of entertainment but plenty of mistakes at Stamford Bridge as a much-changed Chelsea side suffered a first home domestic cup defeat for two years.
Patrick van Aanholt, one of the four young starters revealed yesterday by Carlo Ancelotti, gave the Blues an early lead against the club he represented on loan last season, but we were 2-1 down by half-time.
Matters got decidedly worse after the break as Newcastle quickly scored a third and then two senior squad players were forced off through injury. Salomon Kalou's departure had required a third sub used as two changes were made at the break so when Yossi Benayoun was also forced off, Chelsea were down to 10 men for the final half-hour.
Still they fought back and first Anelka finished well from a good move before he converted the calmest of penalties inside the final five minutes.
Yet Newcastle, who had proved a physical test all game, finally won it from a set-piece, Shola Ameobi heading in a corner with two minutes on the clock.
There were mixed fortunes for young and old on the pitch, Ancelotti selecting juniors in defence and attack but an experienced midfield of Ramires, Benayoun and Zhirkov. It was Josh McEachran, a second-half sub, who impressed more.
Among the unused subs for the first time were 17-year-old right-back/right midfielder Billy Clifford and 15-year-old central defender/midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah who would, had he come on, have taken Ian 'Chico' Hamilton's record as Chelsea's youngest player.
Zhirkov's was the first shot of the game, after three minutes, hooked wide. The second Chelsea attempt gave Van Aanholt his first Chelsea goal.
Continuing the recent happy habit of early Chelsea goals, this one took just five minutes. Of all the young players starting tonight, the 20-year-old Dutch left-back was probably the least fancied to score but he robbed a dozing Nile Ranger, exchanged passes with Kakuta, and although shooting close to fellow Dutchman Krul, the Newcastle keeper's save was a weak one and the ball was diverted high into the net with Van Aanholt leaping away in triumph.


That should have settled some nerves but Sol Campbell from a corner wasn't too far away from a rapid equaliser.
Ryan Taylor, who would later make a more positive contribution to his team, was the game's first booking on 10 minutes when he sent Kakuta flying with a chop across the shins.
Chelsea's passing in the final third wasn't quite reaching its targets with Kakuta, perhaps trying too hard to impress, failing with a couple of difficult passes.
However on 24 minutes the 19-year-old struck the delivery of the game so far, from wide on the left and fired in with such velocity that Krul did well to push it away, Anelka poised to capitalise.
Newcastle equalised two minutes later in what was proving an open first half. It was a goal of several Chelsea mistakes, Ferguson allowed to advance from left back and hit a cross unchallenged that Terry couldn't head away. Van Aanholt was there at the far post but was unaware of Ranger just behind him, the young Englishman turning the ball in.
Ranger could have had a rapid second from a near identical position but kicked air. The Tynesiders needed only wait until the 32nd minute to take the lead.
Bruma was being tested by Ameobi and was booked for pulling back the striker. The free-kick was in a dangerous location and Taylor's strike was sweet and wide of the wall, although not heading for the very corner. Turnbull was beaten and Newcastle were suddenly looking strong.
Van Aanholt did well to slide and save a cross reaching near-certain scorers after Ameobi had powered away from Bruma and beaten Turnbull with his ball across.
The Newcastle man was then the next name in to the book for a wild challenge, his on Ferreira.
The Blues improved in stoppage time but were lacking control in midfield. Ancelotti had some work to do.

One of his changes was a planned one - Alex for Terry; Kalou for Kakuta was due a back injury obtained in Taylor's early foul challenge.
The response was not the one wanted as the Blues went 3-1 down just three minutes into the second half. This time it was the experienced Ferreira first at fault, carelessly passing inside. Ameobi latched on to it and although the shot was low, it was no rocket but still it beat Turnbull.
The bad news kept coming. Kalou, sprinting into the area clutched his thigh and dropped to the floor. It was a muscle injury bad enough for him to be carried off on a stretcher. Seventeen-year-old McEachran was the sub for the sub, and soon launched a 20-yard shot at the keeper.


On 62 minutes it was Benayoun's turn to go down, the Israeli instantly signalling his night was up. Chelsea would play on with 10 men.
Sturridge had earlier hit a free-kick into the wall and when another was won, Bruma had a go with the same result but Alex cracked the rebound and Krul had to save well.
Lovenkrands should have made it 4-1 after the Chelsea defence was outmanoeuvred but the former Rangers man shot wide and then Nile Ranger scooped over as Turnbull dived at his feet.
Chelsea's second, scored on 69 minutes was the goal of the game so far, the ball played down the left to Van Aanholt, a willing forward runner all game, who swept it to Anelka for a perfectly placed shot across the keeper.
Now it was the Blues on the front foot. McEachran, comfortable with the ball at his feet and making himself available, had given the team something they had been missing in the centre of the park.
Into the final 10 minutes and there was still much to play for, Sturridge slipped unfortunately as he chased a Ferreira pass into the area and then Turnbull blocked and then grabbed a Ranger header.

Anelka was next to show, drifting in from the left and testing Krul with a thunderous shot. How different that was from his penalty that levelled scores with five minutes to play. Alex, to Newcastle disgust, was judged to have been fouled by Williamson as he turned away from goal. Anelka simply rolled the spot kick gently into the bottom corner.
Extra-time looked inevitable but with 88 minutes played the Geordies won a corner and Ameobi, one of the few players who could beat Alex to the ball, did so to power a header in.
McEachran, with tight control, worked a shooting opportunity in the six minutes stoppage time played, but his effort went wide, although the real hearts-in-mouth moment came from a howitzer volley from of all people, Paulo Ferreira before Newcastle's winner.
Last year in this competition at Blackburn, the Portuguese was on-target late on to send a 10-men Chelsea (after another Kalou injury) into extra-time. This time it bounced off the outside of the post and we would go out of the Carling Cup.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Turnbull, Ferreira, Bruma, Terry (c) (Alex h-t), van Aanholt; Benayoun, Ramires, Zhirkov; Sturridge, Anelka, Kakuta (Kalou h-t) (McEachran 56).
Unused subs Cech, B Clifford, Chalobah, Mellis.
Scorers van Aanholt 5, Anelka 69, 86 (pen).
Booked Bruma 32.
Newcastle (4-4-2): Krul; Taylor (Tiote 63), Campbell, Coloccini (Williamson 63), Ferguson (Barton 90+3); Ranger, Smith (c), Vuckic, Gutierrez; Ameobi, Lovenkrands.
Unused subs Soberberg, Ben Arfa, Nolan, Carroll.
Scorers Ranger 26, Taylor 32, Ameobi 48, 88.
Booked Taylor 10, Ameobi 42.
See the full 90 minutes on Chelsea TV from midnight.
Attendance 41,511.
Referee Phil Dowd.
Shots on Chelsea 6 Newcastle 5
Corners Chelsea 1 Newcastle 3
Fouls Chelsea 7 Newcastle 9
Offsides Chelsea 3 Newcastle

Chelsea 4-0 Blackpool

helsea raced into a 4-0 lead by half-time with goals from Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba and two from Florent Malouda, but for once the juggernaut slowed after the break.
The Blues back-line was made to work in a second period as Blackpool enjoyed their share of the chances and Chelsea's ruthlessness in front of goal deserted them. The momentum from a first-half in which the pace and counter-attack passing of home side had left the Premier League new boys trailing in our wake was lost while he teams in the dressing rooms for the break.
However a 4-0 win against any top-flight side is still a commendable one and it was a sure sign of Chelsea's strength of squad that such a win was achieved without Terry or Lampard, one watching from the stands with his twins on his knees, the other accompanied by his father. Terry's rib bruising, suffered a week ago at West Ham, was the reason for his absence.
Ivanovic and Alex were therefore the centre-back partnership with Drogba the stand-in skipper. Ramires was asked to take Lampard's place while it was Anelka's turn to be rested up front with Kalou coming in.
The element of surprise in Drogba taking a corner in only the second minute of the game may have gone following his success in the West Ham game last weekend, but that didn't prevent the delivery again proving unstoppable as Ivanovic flicked it on. It fell nicely for Kalou who with perfect technique, volleyed in at the far post for his fifth goal of the season. The Blues were beginning take off once again.
Drogba was denied by the offside flag when clean through without many more minutes played and then Essien rifled a shot just over the bar after Malouda had worked the ball out of a tight spot. It was already clear space among the visitors 4-1-4-1 formation was easy to find.
It was all Chelsea possession. Essien almost bundled the ball in from a scrum inside the six-yard area at the Shed End, but we only needed to wait until 11 minutes were on the clock for goal number two.
It came from a Chelsea break of breathtakingly swift efficiency. Kalou played the ball down the right-hand channel for Drogba to power into the area, and the square ball picked out Malouda for a straightforward finish.
Cech, with his best save of the season so far, prevented the Tangerines pulling one back when he dived low to tip Baptiste's 16th minute shot past the post.
Malouda skied a good chance as Chelsea threatened to make Blackpool pay for not marking Drogba at a throw-in, and on 24 minutes referee Clattenburg was unmoved when Cole collided in the Blackpool area with Eardley as he chased down a back pass.
Kalou was wrongly flagged offside after Drogba clipped a ball over the defence but the shot was saved anyway. There was no way this was remaining 2-0 for half-time.
It was Drogba who made it 3-0 on the half-hour, taking Cole's pass, spinning and shooting inside the area with the balance of a ballerina. It beat the keeper via a deflection off a covering defender.Cole had destroyed full-back Eardley to make the chance after Essien had pinged a ball 50 yards out to the left.
Within seconds Cole almost created a fourth as he rolled a ball right across the face of goal.
Drogba was booked for a frankly pointless pull of Grandin's shirt in the Blackpool half on 37 minutes before Eardley followed him into the book a minute later for shooting long after the whistle had gone.
Malouda made it 4-0 on 40 minutes with a sweet, low strike that gave Gilks no chance. Kalou had squared from the right after Drogba played the midfield general, winning possession in the centre circle and spraying the ball forward.
After four right-foot goals, Malouda now had two with his favoured left.
Drogba and then Essien weren't far away from adding a fifth before the break.
Ian Holloway put his right-back Eardley out of his misery at the break, replacing him with Taylor-Fletcher.
Chelsea were given a wake-up call three minutes after the restart when Campbell was played onside by Ferreira and managed to drill the ball through the legs of Cech but Ivanovic cleared off the line. Varney drilled the message home by volleying over the bar from a pass in behind Ferreira.
Vaughan was booked for Blackpool on 53 minutes for pulling back Ramires who was speeding past him as Chelsea flew forward on the break.
However the Blackpool chances kept coming and Cech needed to back-peddle fast and tip over a Taylor-Fletcher looping shot on 59 minutes.
There was little excuse for Kalou not scoring his second goal four minutes later after Essien won the ball and he and Drogba moved it forward fast, but Kalou's touch was too strong and the keeper saved, as he did from a bouncing Malouda shot soon after.
Kalou mirrored the team's overall display, excellent in the first half but tailing off in his effectiveness.
Malouda then hooked a shot wide on the turn but Blackpool continued to test the Blues at the back. Harewood looked certain to score on 71 minutes but smashed a close-range effort into the sidenetting.
Chelsea's first change was a return for Bruma after groin surgery. He came on for Alex. Ramires, who had shown plenty of running in a first Stamford Bridge start, was then replaced by Zhirkov.
A Chelsea fifth goal continued to prove elusive when Cole's shot was cleared from in front of a target it might have just been missing. Essien beat two tackles but his curler was blocked.
Benayoun was next to be added to the mix, coming on for Mikel, but the second half was summed up in the dying moments when Drogba skied a shot over the goal from eight yards, followed by some tongue-in-cheek mocking chants from the fans at that end.
Chelsea end the day four points clear at the top with Manchester City away and Arsenal home next to come in the league.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ferreira, Alex (Bruma 71), Ivanovic, Cole; Essien, Mikel (Benayoun 77), Ramires (Zhirkov 74); Kalou, Drogba (c), Malouda.
Unused subs Turnbull, Kakuta, Sturridge, Anelka.
Scorers Kalou 1, Malouda 11, 40, Drogba 30.
Booked Drogba 36.
Blackpool (4-1-4-1): Gilks; Eardley (Taylor-Fletcher h-t), Keinan, Evatt, Crainey; Bapiste; Grandin (Ormerod 60), Vaughan, Adam (c), Varney (Harewood 60); Campbell.
Unused subs Halstead, Southern, Cathcart, Carney.
Booked Eardley 37, Vaughan 53.

Referee Mark Clattenburg.
Attendance 41,761.

Chelsea 4-0 Blackpool

MSK Zilina 1-4 Chelsea

Chelsea went within one goal of the 150 mark in the Champions League with a comfortable win over Zilina to start our European campaign tonight.
A Nicolas Anelka brace added to Michael Essien's opener before Daniel Sturridge made it four in the second half on a night when Josh McEachran made his debut.
It wasn't the best of performances in defence, as Zilina were gifted a goal in the second half, but plenty of early strikes meant they couldn't come back from a three-goal deficit.
Carlo Ancelotti had John Terry at his disposal, despite a premature ending to his weekend game against West Ham. He was the only player in tonight's line-up who took part in the last meeting between these two sides.
Frank Lampard, who played in the previous encounter, was still recovering from hernia surgery and like Ashley Cole didn't travel. The left-back was rested.
Yury Zhirkov replaced Cole at left-back and was one of three maiden starts in this campaign alongside Yossi Benayoun in midfield and Daniel Sturridge on right wing.
Having won the last eight opening clashes in the Champions League, Chelsea began this one with the usual zeal, although it was Zilina who threatened first when Zhirkov gifted Emil Rilke possession inside the box.
Chelsea retaliated with three chances inside the first 10 minutes. Benayoun's searching cross from the left was cleared before finding Florent Malouda, then Sturridge worked hard to release a pass in front of goal for the same man, again only for it to be cleared.
Benayoun forced the first save of the game when his corner was returned and the subsequent shot dipped towards the far right. Martin Dubravka was on hand to deny the Israeli.
Then, with 13 minutes gone, Chelsea took the lead when Nicolas Anelka made a ground-breaking run towards the box and pulled the ball back for Michael Essien at full sprint to smash home.
Cech was then forced into action, preventing a Robert Jez freekick from finding the bottom right while at full stretch.
An organised Zilina continued to push forward and Cech was called to make another save, preventing a Babatounde Bello header finding the net. It was end-to-end football.
Soon it would be 2-0. This time Anelka took his chance and drilled a left-footed, low shot into the net after Malouda fed his fellow Frenchman with a clever pass over the Zilina defence.
That was with 24 minutes played; four later it was 3-0. This time a Malouda corner found Terry, whose subsequent header ricocheted off the bar and into Anelka's path for our number 39 to easily tap home for his second.
Despite the scoreline, the Zilina crowd kept cheering, while the Chelsea representatives did the club proud in the corner, and with them spurring the side on, soon it was nearly four when Terry sent a brilliant pass to Zhirkov who in turn laid the ball off for Malouda, only for the shot to be deflected away from danger.
Cech's lightning quick reactions stopped an Admir Vladavic long-range effort from finding its target before a follow-up Bello header strayed wide just before half time.
There were no changes as the second half got under way and within minutes of the restart Sturridge, playing as central striker, broke through onto a superb Benayoun through ball to calmly slot past Dubravka.
We were well on the way to equalling our highest win in the Champions League, when we beat Galatasaray 5-0 back in 1999.
But then errors in the box gifted Zilina a goal. When Cech tipped a shot away and onto Ivanovic's head, the subsequent rebound fell goal-ward, and Oravec found the net. It was 4-1 after 55 minutes.
The goal spurred Zilina into further action and soon a Vladavic shot flew inches wide of a fully-stretched Cech.
With the four-goal lead established, Sturridge made way for Gael Kakuta on the hour mark while Zilina replaced Momodou Ceesay for Tomas Majtan.
The youngster got straight into the game and nearly set up Anelka with a brilliant run which cut straight through the Zilina back line. Unfortunately Anelka was deemed offside but Kakuta's intent had been shown.
Meanwhile, the Chelsea back line were struggling to deal with Zilina's attack. It was not the greatest performance from Chelsea's back line, although they were doing enough to keep the host's score at one.
With 78 minutes gone, Ancelotti brought 17-year-old Josh McEachran into the game for his debut. He replaced Benayoun in midfield while Zilina took Lubomir Guldan off for Stanislav Angelovic.
Dubravka failed to hold onto a screaming 30-yard shot from Essien, which resulted in a Chelsea throw-in. That in turn led to Malouda breaking into the box only to be cut down and appeal for a penalty, which wasn't given.
It was the last chance for Malouda because with two minutes left he made way for Patrick van Aanholt.
Zilina would have one more chance on goal with a freekick from 20 yards out before the final whistle, but the game ended as a comfortable start to our Champions League campaign.
By Christian Collison
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry (c), Zhirkov; Essien, Mikel, Benayoun (McEachran 78); Sturridge (Kakuta 61), Anelka, Malouda (van Aanholt 87).
Unused subs Turnbull, Ramires, Ferreira, Kalou.
Goals Essien 13, Anelka 24, 28, Sturridge 48
Zilina (4-2-3-1): Dubravka; Guldan (Angelovic 78), Piacek, Pecalka, Mraz; Jez (c), Bello; Rilke (Poliacek 57), Ceesay (Majtan 61), Vladavic; Oravec.
Unused subs Krnac, Leitner, Sourek, Vittor.
Goal Oravec 55
Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Holland)
Attendance: 10,829
Shots on target Zilina 4 Chelsea 6
Fouls Zilina 6 Chelsea 7
Corners Zilina 3 Chelsea 4
Offsides Zilina 4 Chelsea 4

West Ham Utd 1-3 Chelsea

Two headers from Michael Essien and a Salomon Kalou goal, gifted by a Rob Green mistake, maintained the only 100 per cent record in English League football.
West Ham did become the first team to score past the Blues defence since mid-April when Scott Parker chipped the rearguard but by then it was already 3-0 to the visitors in this top v bottom encounter.

Chelsea have played better this season and had it not been for a bad miss by the home side there could have been trouble towards the end, but Carlo Ancelotti was able to make changes to his side on the back of the international matches without losing momentum, and give a full debut to Ramires who showed good running and promising touches as Frank Lampard's stand-in.
Ivanovic replaced Alex in central defence and Malouda was rested with Kalou given a start in the front three.
Despite their recent plight, the West Ham fans did their best to create a mood of optimism at kick-off with a rendition of 'Bubbles' but their dreams began to fade and die before two minutes of the game had even passed.
Chelsea won a corner from the first attack of the game and with Lampard watching from the stands, it fell to Drogba to take it. Any thoughts that it was strange to move the aerial colossus out of the area at that moment were soon forgotten as the ball was powered in to where Essien rose above them all, heading home with Rob Green grasping at air as Carlton Cole failed to head off the line. It the Ghanaian's first of the sesaon. It was a huge psychological blow struck.

There was no such problem for Cech soon after as he plucked an Obinna shot out of the air and Chelsea were able to consolidate.
On nine minutes, Ilunga, a problem for Chelsea in this fixture previously, cut inside and looked dangerous, but blazed horribly off target.
Upton Park was pretty quiet and it was soon plunged into despair after a howler from Robert Green of World Cup proportions.
Drogba was ambitious 35 yards out when he shot a free-kick towards goal and it looked straight forward for the former England keeper as he clasped it. He barely had to move, that was until he spilled the shot and as Upson tried to rescue it and hack clear, he smashed the ball into Kalou's ankle and the Chelsea man was an inadvertent scorer.
Chelsea fans in the stadium were enjoying themselves immensely, as strains of ' England's Number One' and 'Gianfranco Zola' filled the stadium.
Kalou could have made it three but shot wide having burst through a challenge.
It wasn't all plain sailing. A ball over the top of Ivanovic found the hefty Obinna in front of goal but with just Cech to beat, he shot wide to groans around the ground. The Nigerian went a lot closer on 30 minutes, powering into space and cracking a shot that swerved just past Cech' s post.
Two minutes later, Mikel, who had only just fired over in familiar fashion, came within inches of his first Premier League goal. A corner was played back his way and from the edge of the area he cracked a half-volley against the angle of bar and post. He wheeled away in frustration.
Ashley Cole was booked for a foul on Behrami as half-time approached. Parker soon followed him for a late challenge on Anelka.
A third goal before the break would surely have finished the game and Drogba was looking like powering his way through at any minute, but it was the home side who did put the ball in the net moments before the whistle when Carlton Cole was placed through by Boa Morte. The former Chelsea man was offside, and celebrations quickly ended.
Avram Grant made a half-time substitution. Dyer came on for Boa Morte.
Five minutes after the restart, Ramires showed shooting ability when he drifted into the middle and put plenty of oomph into an effort over the bar.
At the other end West Ham gave it a good go at getting back into the game for a 20 minute spell but Cech and Terry were exemplary in keeping them at bay, aided by West Ham's reluctance to send players up in support of Carlton Cole.

Kalou went close to his second goal with a curling shot after excellent Drogba play in the centre of the park had created a chance. Drogba then drew a save from Green with a powerful shot and Cech fielded a free-kick from Obinna, Ivanovic booked for the foul.
Drogba continued to cause problems with his set-piece delivery. On 70 minutes, Mikel challenged for a free kick and it fell to Ivanovic but Green snuffed out the danger.
There was a chance for Gael Kakuta with just over 15 minutes remaining. The young Frenchman replaced an older one with Anelka making way and the sub did slip one well-weighted pass forward that Drogba couldn't finish.
The game looked to be drifting to a 2-0 conclusion but then came a goal at each end in the space of two minutes.
First Essien headed his second of the game after Ferreira swung over an excellent first-time cross after Mikel had spread the play. That made it 3-0 on 82 minutes. Parker finally broke down the Chelsea barrier with a finish of quality - lobbing into the net after a decent Cech punch had cleared the penalty area.
It could have been pressure on Chelsea in closing minutes had substitute Piquionne not repeated his feat of missing an open goal in the Cup Final last May for Portsmouth. This time he hit the bar from a yard out after Chelsea had allowed a whipped-in ball to find a way through. Cole had come close to finishing it too.

Instead the two-goal margin was maintained. The Blues head into Europe with spirits sky high.


Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ferreira, Ivanovic, Terry (c) (Alex 81), Cole; Essien, Mikel, Ramires; Kalou (Malouda 83), Drogba,
Anelka (Kakuta 75),
Unused subs Turnbull, Zhirkov, Benayoun, Sturridge.
Scorers Essien 2, 83, Kalou 18.
Booked Cole 40, Ivanovic 64.
West Ham (4-diamond-2): Green; Jacobsen, Ben-Haim, Upson (c), Ilunga; Parker; Behrami (Piquionne 72), Boa Morte (Dyer h-t); Noble; Cole, Obinna.
Unused subs Stech, Tomkins, Barrera, Kovac, Faubert.
Scorer Parker 85.
Booked Parker 44, Noble 90.
Referee Chris Foy.
Crowd 33,014.

Chelsea 2 - Stoke 0

Chelsea 2 - Stoke 0

CHELSEA 6-0 WIGAN ATHLETIC

Chelsea continued our emphatic start to the season with a 6-0 away win, but we didn't have it all our own way at the DW Stadium.
It took half an hour for the Blues to even register a shot on target, but as soon as Florent Malouda swept home Frank Lampard's parried effort, there was only going to be one winner, and five second half goals was the mark of a much improved showing from Carlo Ancelotti's men.
Nicolas Anelka claimed the first two, sub Salomon Kalou the next pair before Yossi Benayoun netted his first Chelsea goal in injury time.
It was a harsh lesson for Wigan, who for long periods in the opening half had dominated possession and stopped Carlo Ancelotti's men playing the football they so enjoy, but there will be no complaints that it was a deserved three points.
Chelsea's only change to the starting line-up was at right-back, where Branislav Ivanovic, now fully fit, replaced Paulo Ferreira who dropped to the bench.
Our last meeting with Wigan may have yielded eight goals, three points and a Barclays Premier League title, but Carlo Ancelotti was right to recall his first visit to the DW Stadium in September last year, when we were beaten 3-1 and eventually down to nine men.
It was the Italian's first defeat as Chelsea manager, but after last week's 6-0 win against West Brom and today's hosts' 4-0 home drubbing by Blackpool, he will have been confident of avoiding a repeat.
The Wigan side that started this game though looked a far more accomplished outfit than the one which appeared a week ago, and they were the more impressive side in the game's opening minutes. Left-back Maynor Figueroa tested Petr Cech's alertness with a long-range drive, and Hugo Rodallega then curled a free-kick at the goalkeeper in the 24th minute, both efforts before Chelsea had registered anything meaningful.
The Colombian sent another shot into the goalkeeper's arms shortly afterwards as the home side sought to convert possession and territory into goals before the inevitable Chelsea improvement, but they were out of luck.
On 33 minutes Chelsea put together the best move of the game as an intricate passing move eventually saw the ball come to Cole on the left, and when he pulled back to Lampard it looked as though the midfielder would score, but Chris Kirkland in the Wigan goal parried the ball back into play with a smart save.
On hand to tap in the rebound, however, was Florent Malouda, who netted his third Premier League goal in two games and gave the Blues a lead we hardly deserved.
Two minutes after half-time the advantage was doubled, and in sensational fashion.
Possession was well retained inside the Chelsea area, with Cole and Lampard working the ball to Mikel, who sent a 50-yard diagonal pass into the right channel for Nicolas Anelka to chase.
With the ball slowing as he approached, Anelka opted to shoot first time, and hammered it low into the far corner across Kirkland for his first of the season, and to more than likely put this game beyond Wigan's reach.
James McCarthy toe-poked just wide in response before Anelka grabbed his second in four minutes, nodding home from a yard out after Drogba had pulled Malouda's deep cross back across the face of goal.
Rodallega jinked his way past half the Chelsea defence before seeing his shot blocked, and then Alex performed a superb tackle on Charles N'Zogbia before the Frenchman could get his effort away.
Mauro Boselli's follow-up after McCarthy's deflected effort came back off the post was chalked off for offside, and then the Argentine headed straight at Cech when he should have netted.
Back on the attack Michael Essien forced Kirkland to save with his legs at his near post, and then Drogba dragged a shot wide moments after crashing a free-kick into the wall.
The Ivorian's next involvement was far more impressive, turning his man inside out and racing on towards goal, squaring for Kalou to tap home rather than trying to beat Kirkland himself as Chelsea made it 4-0 and 10 league goals for the season inside three hours.
With two minutes left Kalou was prevented from adding to his strike by a strong Emmerson Boyce tackle after showing skill inside the Wigan half, but a minute later he had his second of the game, flicking home Drogba's excellent cross from the left.
The scoring still wasn't complete, as sub Yossi Benayoun secured his first Chelsea goal, stroking home into the far corner from 10 yards to make it our best ever away win against the Latics, after another sub, Paulo Ferreira had supplied the perfect pull-back.
So two games, six points, 12 goals for and none conceded. Starts do not get any better than this.
Wigan (4-3-3): Kirkland (c), Stam, Gohouri, Alcaraz, Figueroa (Boyce 83); Thomas, Diame (McArthur 79), McCarthy (Watson 78); N' Zogbia, Boselli, Rodallega.
Scorers
Booked
Chelsea (4-3-3):Cech; Ivanovic (Ferreira 62), Alex, Terry (c), Cole; Essien (Benayoun 78), Mikel, Lampard; Anelka, Drogba, Malouda (Kalou 69).
Scorers Malouda 33, Anelka 47, 51, Kalou 77, 89, Benayoun 90+3
Booked Ivanovic 36, Terry 60

MATCH REPORT: CHELSEA 6 WEST BROMWICH ALBION 0

A Didier Drogba hat-trick, Frank Lampard among the goals, a mighty home win and Chelsea on top of the table. No it is not a reposting of the report from the final league game of last season, but happily the first one of this campaign.
Just six minutes of league football was played by Chelsea since the final goal against Wigan back in May and Florent Malouda netting the first against West Brom at the Bridge today.
The dodgy pre-season results were quickly forgotten and although the rest of the play between that Malouda strike and Drogba's first goal just before the interval was a little uninspiring, in the second half the Blues put the ragged Baggies to the sword, Drogba scoring a further two, Lampard opening his account for the season and Malouda wrapping up the match as he began it when he netted his second.
The afternoon had begun with good news with Lampard declared over his injury suffered on duty with England and he was named in the starting line up, as were Petr Cech and Alex whose recoveries came just in time for the 'big kick-off'.

Didier Drogba was also handed a start following his appearance off the bench in the Community Shield.
Paulo Ferreira was rewarded for his pre-season form by retaining the right-back shirt so Branislav Ivanovic dropped to the bench. Salomon Kalou made space for Drogba in the front three with Nicolas Anelka moving wide right.
Before kick-off there was the expected and totally deserved warm reception for Chelsea cup final heroes Roberto Di Matteo and Eddie Newton (their manager in 1997, Ruud Gullit, was an on-pitch guest at half-time to similar applause).
The first shot of the game was from Di Matteo's team - sliced well wide by Morrison. Anelka was the first to let fly for Chelsea - his on target but straight at Carson.
That was on three minutes and less than two minutes later the former England keeper made a double save but still could not prevent Malouda from opening his account for 2010/11.
It was the same Frenchman who initially won a free-kick in a central position when his run was blocked by Ibanez.
Di Matteo's hopes that his side could survive an early storm on the pitch as the rain poured down from above evaporated when Drogba's attempt was pushed out to Mikel and although Carson intervened again, the ball fell to Malouda just two yards out. The chance was unmissable.
Cole, a persistent attacking presence in the early stages, flashed a dangerous ball across the area soon after before Cech made his first save to keep out Dorran's deflected shot.
Bednar had the ball in the net for West Brom on 18 minutes but the Baggies' lone striker was offside when receiving the ball.
The biggest supply of danger in the midway part of the first half was from the two keepers - both escaping when under-hitting clearances. Chelsea were failing to follow up strongly on the good start. With Malouda and Anelka tucked in behind Drogba - the shape looking more Yuletide decoration than genuine 4-3-3 - Stamford Bridge was looking a very congested pitch.
On 34 minutes Cole showed he is far more than just an attacking instrument in a narrow game when he was back with a timely intervention when West Brom threatened a break with Bedner found quickly.
Then the game became the Florent Malouda show for a four-minute period.

First he crashed a shot against the post as the flag was going up - a tight offside call. Then the number 15 was almost the beneficiary of an expertly-executed Lampard back heel but was strongly resisted by Jara's challenge.
Then Drogba was dumped to the turf and this time Lampard stung Carson's hands with a free-kick. It came Malouda's way once more but this time the opening goalscorer headed over.
Right on the stroke of half-time came Chelsea's third free-kick within shooting range. The rotation put Drogba back on strike and it was third time lucky for the Blues as West Brom's wall let Carson down badly by letting the ball straight through, giving the keeper no chance of making it.
The ball flew just inside the right-hand post at the Shed End. Last season's Golden Boot winner was off and running.

There was a spot of good fortune six minutes into the second half when Dorrans' deflected shot dropped a couple of yards wide after Ferreira had been caught in possession. Cech would have struggled had it been on target.
Any chance of West Brom getting back into the game was ended soon after when Drogba netted his second, gobbling up his chance from inside the six-yard box when West Brom missed their chance to clear, a Terry header having been stopped on the line. That made it 3-0.
With our run of good opening day results now certain to continue, Ancelotti began to change his team - Ivanovic coming on for Ferreira shortly after the right-back had collected the game's only booking.
Benyoun would soon follow on to the pitch for his home debut but not before goal number four. A Chelsea hatful without a Lampard goal is always unlikely and this was not to be such an occasion. Lamps took Cole's square pass after Anelka had made an incision and wrong-footed Carson before rolling the ball home.
Drogba completed his hat-trick on 67 minutes when he both tried and received his luck with a shot from 25 yards out - the ball taking a heavy deflection off Tamas on its way into the net.
Now one of the major tasks remaining was to preserve a clean sheet that an all-round solid defensive display deserved. Alex did his bit with a headed deflection on a shot with five minutes remaining, and then substitute Cox shot wide when well placed.
Then on 89 minutes at the other end a France combination ended the day - Malouda taking Anelka's beautifully-judged pass on the right and finishing off the inside of the post.

Chelsea had recorded our biggest top-flight opening day win.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ferreira (Ivanovic 59), Alex, Terry (c), Cole; Essien, Mikel, Lampard (Benayoun 63); Anelka, Drogba (Kalou 69), Malouda.
Scorers Malouda 5, 89, Drogba 45, 55, 67, Lampard 61.
Booked Ferreira 57.
West Brom (4-2-3-1): Carson (c); Jara, Tamas, Ibanez, Cech; Mulumbu, Brunt; Morrison, Dorrans (Cox 67), Thomas (Barnes 83); Bednar (Miller 67).
Referee Mark Clattenburg
Shots on target Chelsea 13 West Brom 5
Corners Chelsea 3 West Brom 1
Fouls Chelsea 13 West Brom 10
Offsides Chelsea 2 West Brom 1

Chelsea 1-3 Manchester United

Manchester United lifted the first trophy of the 2010/11 season with a 3-1 Community Shield victory over last season's league and cup winners Chelsea.
United took a first half lead after an excellent quick-fire move that culminated in an Antonio Valencia goal, before Hernandez's second half scuffle bobbled beyond Hilario in the second. A late Salomon Kalou strike narrowed the gap and gave a platform to rally a comeback from before Dimitar Berbatov sealed victory with a fine chip in injury time.
Both sides welcomed back absentees who had been missing with injury. For United Michael Owen made his first competitive appearance since falling foul of the Wembley turf in the Carling Cup final in February, while Chelsea afforded a start to Michael Essien, who missed the World Cup with Ghana after playing little football throughout last season.
Neither manager handed first eleven berths to their summer signings, with Javier Hernandez and Yossi Benayoun watching from the bench after making their respective moves to the Premier League runners-up and winners.
Partnering Owen upfront for United was Wayne Rooney, returning from a poor World Cup in South Africa, but the striker showed early signs of the club form that saw him score 34 times in the last campaign. Early in the match the ex-Evertonian dropped deep to collect the ball and hit a measured pass that bypassed the Chelsea backline and fell to Antonio Valencia, but the Ecuadorian failed to beat Hilario with a lofted shot.
First Half
The former Wigan winger turned provider moments later after finding space down the right hand side, but his weighted cross to Paul Scholes, in space in the middle of the box, saw the veteran midfielder disappointingly smash the ball over.
At the other end, Chelsea's first effort on goal came courtesy of a stinging drive from Nicolas Anelka that had Edwin van der Sar sprawling across the goal to tip it away. Saloman Kalou collected the loose ball and rounding the Dutchman, but with the angle against him he elected to pass across goal, allowing Brazilian full back Fabio to clear after a clattering challenge on Essien.
Last season's double winners should have done better soon after from a free-kick out wide, but Frank Lampard's rolled short pass to Florent Malouda was poorly anticipated as the Frenchman scuffed his shot from the edge of the area.
They would come closer on 17 minutes via another set-piece, this time delivered by Malouda from deep, with Branislav Ivanovic rising above his marker and planting a header to the far corner, but an acrobatic van der Sar was on hand to tip the ball wide.
United were soon threatening Chelsea once more, with a clever Scholes chip finding Rooney in the area, but the Red Devils' powerful striker could only drag his shot wide of Hilario's goal whilst Owen did not react quick enough to turn in the loose ball.
What had been a highly entertaining opening soon petered out into a stop-start and slipshod affair, with both sides struggling to conjure up telling final balls and exchanging periods of possession to little effect as only a flurry of half chances that tested neither keeper. The frustration was epitomised in a brief period of activity that saw a sweeping Chelsea move end with a limp Lampard pass to van der Sar, before a stellar cross-field ball from Scholes picked out Valencia in space and with support, only for the winger to smack his cross into the legs of Ashley Cole .
Finally United were able to piece together a well worked move as Scholes – who had sprayed the ball with precision throughout the first half – picked out Rooney running towards the corner flag, and the Englishman turned the ball into the box where a sprinting Valencia powerfully struck into the roof of yet.
The goal added impetus to what had become a sloppy and stuttering game, with Rooney reinvigorated and tracking back with gusto to begin moves, and Essien hitting narrowly wide from distance as Chelsea pressed for an equaliser prior to the break.
Second Half
Half-time saw, as promised by Sir Alex Ferguson, the withdrawals of Rooney, Owen, and Park Ji-Sung with Javier Hernandez, Dimitar Berbatov, and Nani coming on, with Carlo Ancelotti opting to make no changes.
Malouda had the first chance of note in the second half after allowing a pass to roll around his body before unleashing a left-footed drive that had van der Sar beaten before glancing just wide of the far post.
Hernandez – with the nickname 'Chicharito' adorned on his shirt – then showed glimpses of what his manager deemed worthy of shelling out a reported £7million for after latching onto a Scholes pass and slipping a neat first-time ball through to Berbatov, but the Bulgarian couldn't quite reach it.
United showed further quick thinking from a free kick minutes later. As Chelsea players surrounded referee Andre Marriner, Scholes slipped the ball to midfield partner Michael Carrick who beat one blue shirt before passing to Valencia in space, but again the Ecuadorian could not pick out a team-mate despite being under little pressure.
Chelsea failed to prise open United after 15 minutes, and Ancelotti deemed it necessary to bring on Didier Drogba and Daniel Sturridge for Anelka and Jon Obi Mikel – with Malouda shifting into the middle of the pitch alongside Essien and Lampard as Kalou dropped to the left hand side of the pitch to accommodate the two incoming strikers.
The moves looked to have made the anticipated impact as Chelsea pushed forward with greater poise, and Kalou came close just minutes after the reshuffle after receiving the ball from Malouda, but the young Ivorian's shot was well caught by the veteran van der Sar.
Kalou and Malouda teamed up again moments later to tee up Essien, who shaped up and hit a distinctively venemous strike from range that only just steered wide of the United goal.
The strength and guile of Drogba would be seen too, as the talisman out-muscled Scholes and Carrick before splitting the defence with a pass to Malouda that necessitated a brave block from van der Sar.
The Dutch keeper, however, soon had a horror moment that he should really have been punished from. A high cross from Paulo Ferreira ought to have been grasped, but van der Sar could only tip it to Cole at the far post, but the left back had to wait for the ball to sit before awkwardly angling a shot straight at the keeper who had retreated to the goal line.

Both managers introduced two débutantes with Chris Smalling replacing Jonny Evans for United and Yossi Benayoun, a surprise signing from Liverpool, coming on for Malouda.
It was another substitute who would get the second goal of the game as Hernandez opened his account in English football after somewhat fortunately turning in a rare accurate cross from Valencia, who had raced clear of Cole before turning the ball across the face of the goal to the debut boy, who first slipped, then smashed the ball into the ground before it bounced off his head and into the back of the net.
That signalled a second double substitution from Ancelotti, with Yuri Zhirkov – rumoured to be leaving England for a return to Russian football with Zenit St Petersburg – switching for Cole, and youngster Jeffrey Bruma replacing Ferreira. Ryan Giggs came on at the same time to make his 13th Community Shield appearance in a straight swap for Carrick.
Chelsea substitute Sturridge should have closed the gap with a splendid chance after receiving the ball through the right channel, but the former Manchester City striker couldn't manage to lift it over van der Sar on his favoured left foot.
Sturridge, however, would be integral to his side's fortunes just moments later after confidently striding forward from the right wing and hitting a rocket of a shot that van der Sar could only parry into the path of Kalou who was left with a simple finish.
A similar opportunity would present itself to Drogba, again following another Sturridge shot, but the Ivorian – returning from surgery and an injury ridden World Cup – could only hit the side netting from a seemingly offside position.
Zhirkov then fizzed a cross across the face of goal that was clattered away from goal before a touch of class from Berbatov saw United's two goal advantage restored. The Bulgarian finished an exquisite team move with a superb chip over Hilario from just outside the area.

Chelsea breeze past Liverpool edging close to the EPL cup

Liverpool 0 - 2 Chelsea

Chelsea moved to the brink of the Premier League title as they cruised to a comfortable victory against Liverpool at Anfield.
Carlo Ancelotti's side must beat Wigan at home on the final day of the season to guarantee the crown, following Manchester United's later 1-0 win at Sunderland.
After a slow start at Anfield, they were put on the path towards the title by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who gifted Didier Drogba the opening goal after 33 minutes with a dreadful backpass that left the striker with an easy job of scoring in front of The Kop.
The goal, and the manner in which it was conceded, ended Liverpool's fleeting resistance and Chelsea cantered to victory.
Frank Lampard added the second from Nicolas Anelka's cross nine minutes after the interval, with only Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina preventing a more emphatic victory margin.
Much had been made of the potentially unpalatable prospect - for Liverpool fans at least - of a victory for their team opening the door for United to eclipse the Anfield club's tally of 18 titles. But suggestions that Rafael Benitez's side would stand aside to avoid this eventuality proved incorrect.
Liverpool were not betrayed by a lack of effort, it was a lack of energy after playing through 120 minutes against Atletico Madrid on Thursday to no avail that was part of their downfall. And more crucially, in a condemnation of a managerial reign that may well be coming to a close, it was a lack of quality and squad strength assembled by Benitez that was brutally exposed by Chelsea.
As Chelsea ruthlessly closed in on the points, Liverpool saw their last faint hopes of Champions League football extinguished with one game left of a season that started with so much optimism but is ending awash with uncertainty surrounding the future of Benitez, and the ownership of the club.
Benitez joined Liverpool's squad and their families as they made their way around Anfield as a "thank you" to their supporters after the final whistle - but the response to the manager was relatively muted and there is a growing sense that this is likely to turn out to be his final game at Anfield in charge after a six-year reign.
In contrast to Liverpool's despair, Chelsea know the title is almost in their grasp - with the possibility of clinching an historic double with the FA Cup final against Portsmouth still to come.
Benitez resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes after Liverpool's Europa League exit. Injured Glen Johnson was replaced by Sotirios Kyrgiakos, while Maxi Rodriguez, ineligible against Atletico, came in for Ryan Babel.
Lampard was just off target from long-range inside the first minute, but Liverpool emerged as the better side in what was admittedly a desperately mediocre opening half hour.
Alberto Aquilani came closest in that spell with a drive from outside the penalty area that glanced off the bar with Chelsea keeper Petr Cech beaten.
As the opening half threatened to drift aimlessly to its conclusion, a shocking error from Gerrard presented Chelsea with a lead their lacklustre efforts barely deserved. Under no pressure, Liverpool's captain sent a backpass straight to Drogba, who could barely believe his luck as he rounded Reina to score in an unguarded net.
Chelsea believed they should have had the opportunity to double their advantage in the dying moments of the half when Salomon Kalou fell as he raced into the box accompanied by Lucas. Referee Alan Wiley appeared to put the whistle his lips in readiness to award a penalty, but then waved away Chelsea's claims.
Ancelotti's side started with real purpose after the break, with Anelka somehow failing to convert Kalou's cross from almost on the goalline - but they did not have to wait long for the goal their fans clearly believed clinched the title.
The brutal truth for Liverpool was that it was not a lack of effort or desire that let them down - it was a lack of class and quality
Anelka made amends for his earlier miss by beating Liverpool's attempts to play the offside trap before crossing for Lampard to slide in a simple finish.
The fight visibly drained out of Liverpool, who had to replace the injured Jamie Carragher with Daniel Ayala, and Reina had to produce an outstanding save low to his left to turn away Florent Malouda's volley.
Reina was keeping the score within respectable proportions for a Liverpool side who had barely raised a gallop after Drogba's goal, and he was forced to save twice from Anelka in the space of seconds as Chelsea went in for the kill.
All that was left was for Chelsea to play out time without any mishaps - which they were able to do without alarm as they moved to the brink of reclaiming the Premier League that they last won in 2006.