Chelsea 7-0 Stoke

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Chelsea returned to the top of the Premier League after destroying Stoke at Stamford Bridge.

Salomon Kalou scored his first Blues hat-trick, and Frank Lampard's brace brought his season's tally to a career best 25 goals. Further goals from substitute Daniel Sturridge and the in-form Florent Malouda ensured a record top-flight home victory for Carlo Ancelotti's title-chasers.

The result means Chelsea have re-established a one-point lead at the Premier League summit after Manchester United had supplanted them briefly after their 3-1 victory over Tottenham at Old Trafford.

It is also the third time the Blues have hit seven goals this season - another first in English football.

With John Terry red-carded last week at White Hart Lane, Chelsea were expected to be given a stern tested by Tony Pulis' side, but the Blues were fastest out of the starting blocks and only a decent double-save from Thomas Sorensen denied them the lead.

First Lampard's dipping shot was parried away before the keeper got up quickly to block Ashley Cole's effort. It was Cole's first appearance since breaking his ankle in February, and he was already proving an effective attacking outlet.

Drogba then tested the veteran Dane once more with a bullet header; Sorensen tipping the effort away superbly.

But the hosts did eventually break the deadlock through Kalou, who headed home a brilliant Drogba cross after some magnificent skill by the Ivorian to pluck Malouda's cross-field pass from the sky.

Drogba then hooked over himself from an cute angle before his deft touch once again unlocked the Stoke defence. Cushioning the ball to Lampard, the Chelsea captain's shot was only half dealt with by Sorensen, who was helpless as Kalou slid the ball in.

The Stoke shot-stopper dislocated his elbow in the collision with the Chelsea forward and received a standing ovation from the Stamford Bridge faithful as he left the pitch wearing an oxygen mask.

Stoke had also earlier lost skipper Abdoulaye Faye to injury, but their respective replacements - Ryan Shawcross and keeper Asmir Begovic - did little better against a rampant Blues performance.

Kalou was hauled down by ex-Chelsea defender Robert Huth, and although replays suggest the initial foul was outside the area, Lampard duly stepped up to roll the ball beyond Begovic with embarrassing ease. Though generously-awarded, it meant Chelsea had an unassailable three-goal lead at the interval.

And any hope held by the travelling supporters from the Midlands that Chelsea would go through the motions and take their foot off the gas was dashed when Kalou raced clear on 68 minutes to complete his first treble for the club.

Lampard's pass was magnificent, and the Ivorian finished at the second time of asking despite the attentions of Ryan Shawcross on the line.

And whilst Lampard made it 5-0 with the goal of the game; a deft flick over the advancing Begovic from a delightful cross by substitute Sam Hutchinson, the lead could have been even greater had Malouda have scored from just a half-yard out.

It was then Begovic who came to Stoke's rescue with a superb save after a brilliant counter-attack that was once again instigated by the faultless Lampard - Malouda once more denied.

But Chelsea were rampant and the introduction of Joe Cole and Daniel Sturridge did little to offer Stoke any respite. The latter raced through after a terrific defence-splitting pass by Drogba, and after rounding the keeper the Englishman stroked the ball into the net for his first league goal for the Blues.

And before the 90 minutes was up, Malouda finally recorded his 15th of the season with a tap-in after some good skill in the area by Joe Cole to add another layer of gloss to the result.

It's Chelsea's to lose.

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Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ferreira (Hutchinson 72), Alex, Ivanovic, A Cole; Lampard, Ballack, Malouda; Kalou (J Cole 70), Drogba, Anelka (Sturridge 79)

Stoke City (4-4-2): Sorensen (Begovic 35) ; Huth, Ab Faye © (Shawcross 8), Higginbotham, Collins; Whitehead, Delap, Whelan, Etherington; Fuller, Kitson (Tuncay 58)

The TalkChelsea.net Man of the Match was Chelsea's number 8, Frank Lampard