Nicolas Anelka Scroed a Hatt-Trick to Defeat Sunderland 5-0

Chelsea 5-0 Sunderland

Nicolas Anelka scored a hat-trick as Chelsea cut loose against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge.

Frank Lampard also netted to record the 100th league goal of his career.

Alex was the other Blues player to strike in a match which saw Sunderland manager Roy Keane sent to the stands after clashing with officials.

Chelsea's Title Challenge Continues

Chelsea 2-0 Aston Villa

Chelsea's title challenge continues apace, with Aston Villa the latest to be swept aside at Stamford Bridge.

First-half goals from Joe Cole and Nicolas Anelka kept Luiz Felipe Scolari's men at the top of the Barclays Premier League, and it could have been more but for the reflexes of Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

Luiz Felipe Scolari may have an injury crisis on his hands but Chelsea's title challenge continues apace, with Aston Villa the latest to be swept aside at Stamford Bridge.

First-half goals from Joe Cole and Nicolas Anelka kept Scolari's men at the top of the Barclays Premier League, and it could have been more but for the reflexes of Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

The hosts, already without the services of Didier Drogba, Deco, Ricardo Carvalho and Michael Essien, were missing Alex from their starting line-up and then saw midfielder Cole limp off.

Anelka, struggling with muscle spasms before the match, was also taken off at the break meaning Franco di Santo was Scolari's frontline striker for 45 minutes.

It mattered little. Scolari had never met Martin O'Neill before and had spoken of his admiration for the teams the Villa manager has produced - but this crop simply had no chance as Chelsea gave them a first-half masterclass in passing and movement.

Villa had been billed as the team to put pressure on Chelsea's unbeaten home league record, with the pace of Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young enough to trouble most sides.

As it was, Branislav Ivanovic went untroubled on his league debut as most of the action was ahead of him.

John Terry, partnering the Serbian in central defence, said before the match that he wanted to play even if it was on one leg - and he probably could have done that in the first half, such was Chelsea's dominance.

Chelsea Defeated Manchester City 3 - 1

Manchester City slipped to defeat against Chelsea despite a debut-day opener from record signing Robinho. Chelsea ensured it was not the dream start that Manchester City's new mega-rich owners from Abu Dhabi yearned for in their first match in charge of the Eastlands club.

The £32.5m man paid off the first instalment of his British record price-tag by putting Mark Hughes' men ahead with a superb 13th-minute free-kick.

But Chelsea scored three times without reply, with Ricardo Carvalho, Frank Lampard and Nicolas Anelka scoring one each, to register a seventh straight win over City even though England captain John Terry was sent off for a professional foul.

Chelsea Defeated Portsmouth 4 - 0

The era of Luiz Felipe Scolari exploded into life at Stamford Bridge today with the merciless dismantling of a Portsmouth side with European aspirations of their own. Scolari conveyed a message of attacking intent to the rest of the Barclays Premier League.



Scolari's first match in charge suggested he wants style as well as substance, and they continued to push forward after Cole opened the scoring in the 12th minute.

Nicolas Anelka, Scolari's only senior forward available, headed in his first goal at home for Chelsea - before Frank Lampard put the result beyond doubt approaching half-time, scoring a penalty just five days after sealing his new five-year contract at the club. Deco, making his debut, added a late fourth from long range.