Givet (og) 20

Chelsea moved to the top of the Premier League after this emphatic victory over hapless strugglers Blackburn.

Sam Allardyce’s Rovers side have now shipped eleven goals in two trips to London and their defeat at Stamford Bridge was, if anything, even more emphatic than their 6-2 crushing at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.

A Chelsea side oozing confidence could have reached double figures but for an inspirational display of shot-stopping by Rovers’ former England keeper, the over-worked Paul Robinson.

At times it seemed as if Robinson was playing Chelsea on his own. And to make matters worse, it was a Blackburn defender who sent the Blues off on their scoring spree.

Midfielder Joe Cole nearly made a dream start to his first EPL start for nine months, heading an early chance wide from close range.

But Chelsea were ahead on 20 minutes after Gael Givet slid a Nicolas Anelka left-wing, left-foot cross past Robinson, under pressure from Didier Drogba.

Robinson made a string of saves as Chelsea sought a second goal before the break, turning aside a spectacular 35-yarder from Drogba and also denying Anelka and John Terry.

But within twenty minutes of the interval, Robinson was beaten four more times.

Frank Lampard was gifted his first EPL goal since August by a poorly-cleared Drogba cross. Michael Essien curled a right-foot shot past a partly-unsighted Robinson for an excellent third goal.

Lampard made it four from the penalty spot after Drogba was felled by a Ryan Nelsen lunge. And the Ivory Coast striker finally made it onto the scoresheet when he headed Michael Ballack’s corner past a stranded Robinson.

Terry acrobatically cleared off the line from a neat Martin Olsson lob as Rovers sought a minor consolation.

But Chelsea had not conceded an EPL goal at the Bridge since the opening day of the season. And they weren’t about to start now.