Malouda 5

Chelsea regained the EPL top spot with a classy victory over in-form Birmingham at Stamford Bridge.

The visitors came to West London with a 15-match unbeaten run and a reputation for fearsome defending. Both were shattered long before the end.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men still occasionally looked vulnerable and gave up a couple of chances with the score at 2-0 and twenty minutes left. That apart, though, they were imperious.

Florent Malouda put Chelsea in front on five minutes after good work down the right by Joe Cole presented him with a free header inside the six-yard box.

They regularly created chances, Ricardo Carvalho’s header striking a post from the best of them.

And they doubled their advantage in the 32^nd minute when Frank Lampard had time and space to drill a low 20-yard right-foot effort past Birmingham keeper Joe Hart’s left-hand.

Michael Ballack and Ashley Cole both tried their luck in the second half as Chelsea’s dominance largely continued.

James McFadden sent a right-foot shot wide and substitute Keith Fahey brought the best out of Petr Cech, as Chelsea briefly lost focus.

But Lampard was on-hand on 90 minutes to complete the scoring, converting Malouda’s pass with a left-foot shot.