Alex 16      Parker 30

                                                                                        Drogba 56, 90

                                                                                            Malouda 77

Chelsea regained top spot in the EPL, at least temporarily, with this ultimately comfortable win over the relegation-threatened Hammers.

But the Blues were not quite at their best and were a little flattered by the scoreline.

The win was inspired by French striker Florent Malouda’s best display in a Chelsea shirt. Malouda was instrumental in most everything Chelsea did, including making two of the first three goals and deservingly scoring the third himself.

Chelsea took the lead in the 16^th minute when centre-half Alex powerfully headed home Malouda’s cross from the left.

West Ham surprisingly drew level on the half-hour, Scott Parker beating debutant Chelsea keeper Ross Turnbull with a right-foot screamer from 25 yards; although Parker received the ball from a foul throw by Kieron Dyer.

Didier Drogba restored Chelsea’s advantage eleven minutes after the break from another Malouda cross from the left.

But only now did Chelsea begin to convince, Malouda making 3-1 with his left-foot shot from the edge of the area on 77 minutes

And Drogba completed the scoring with his second goal in the last minute, when he followed-up a Frank Lampard shot that was parried into his path by West Ham keeper Robert Green.