Chelsea consolidated their position near the top of the league table with an efficient performance in the 2-0 victory over Derby County on Saturday.

Salomon Kalou put Chelsea in the lead in 17th minute while Shaun-Wright Phillips bagged his first goal for the Blues by latching on to a rebound to double the lead with 17 minutes remaining. The visitors were reduced to 10 men in the final minute of the match when Michael Essien was shown a red card for elbowing Kenny Miller.

Chelsea struggled to create chances in the first half with the crowd booing Frank Lampard, Wright-Phillips, John Terry and Ashley Cole after England's Euro 2008 debacle. The visitors took the lead with the only real chance created in the 17th minute when Kalou latched on to a superb through ball by Steve Sidwell before slotting home past Stephen Bywater and into the net.

Derby's first chance of the match came a minute into the second half when Craig Fagan latched on to Giles Barnes' pass but was unable to hit the target from close range. Fagan almost grabbed the equalizer minutes later but saw his shot saved brilliantly by Carlo Cudicini.

Miller put the ball in the net for Derby with a superb chip over Cudicini but he was flagged off side even though the replays showed otherwise. Chelsea put the result beyond Derby's reach in the 73rd minute when Lampard saw his shot smash against the post but Wright-Phillips was the first to react and passed the rebound into the net.

There was some late drama when Essien was shown a red card for raising his arm into Miller's face in a touchline challenge but the match was beyond Derby's reach as they succumbed to a fourth straight defeat in the league.