Chelsea 4 - 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Blues cruise clear at the top

Updated: November 21, 2009, 8:57 AM UK

Chelsea opened up an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a 4-0 demolition of woeful Wolves at Stamford Bridge.

• Ancelotti: Essien one of world's best
• Palmer: Cole shines in Chelsea stroll

The Blues were three goals to the good inside the first 22 minutes through Florent Malouda and a double from Michael Essien.

Joe Cole's first goal for 13 months completed the rout in the second half as Chelsea set a new club record for home wins and kept Wolves entrenched in the bottom three.

The victory over Wolves was their 12th in a row in all competitions at home - the previous record was 11 between February 25 and September 17, 2006.

The clean sheet also saw them equal their record of 10 consecutive games without conceding at home.

But the Blues could have gone behind in the fourth minute when a fine Wolves move saw Matthew Jarvis break free on the right.

However, his cross just eluded David Edwards as he arrived in the six-yard box.

Wolves paid a heavy price for the miss a minute later as Malouda collected a poor Wolves header inside the centre-circle and ran on unchallenged to unleash a 20-yard shot into the roof of the net.

Another sweet Chelsea move in the 11th minute almost brought them a second goal but Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey tipped Salomon Kalou's 20-yard angled drive around the post.

However, the relief for Wolves was shortlived as from Malouda's resultant flag-kick, Essien rose unmarked to head home from six yards.

Chelsea made it three in the 22nd minute when John Mikel Obi fed Essien with a short pass on the edge of the penalty area and the Ghanaian's low drive went under Hennessey for his second of the game.

The home side were determined to record their 1000th league win at Stamford Bridge as well as complete a year since their last defeat at home.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy had spent much of the half shaking his head in disbelief at his side's reckless defending.

But in the 39th minute Wolves almost conjured a goal out of nothing when a header from Sylvan Ebanks-Blake was superbly kept out by Petr Cech.

Chelsea's performance had been even more admirable without the likes of injured quartet Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Deco and Michael Ballack.

Their quick, incisive passing game was too much for Wolves who spent much of the half chasing shadows.

Chelsea continued where they left off in the second-half and a superb crossfield pass by Nicolas Anelka found Malouda free on the left.

However, the France international slipped at the vital moment and saw his shot saved by Hennessey.

The Wolves keeper was in action again in the 52nd minute when he held on to a shot from Alex as Chelsea threatened to increase their advantage.

But Chelsea did make it four in the 56th minute and it was a welcome strike for the fit again Joe Cole.

The England midfielder, out for 10 months since January, side-footed the ball beyond Hennessey after Anelka's cross had been turned into his path by Kalou.

It was Cole's first goal for the Blues since the win over Aston Villa back in October 2008.

Moments later Anelka made way for substitute Gael Kakuta to make his first-team debut.

In September, Chelsea were found guilty by FIFA of inducing Kakuta to breach his contract with Lens two years ago and punished them with a transfer ban until 2011, while suspending the player for four months.

But the Court of Arbitration for Sport suspended the bans until Chelsea's case is heard in full and that allowed Kakuta to make his debut.

Essien almost claimed a hat-trick in the 63rd minute but his shot was palmed onto the top of the bar by Hennessey.

Kakuta almost celebrated his debut with a goal 10 minutes from time but his 25-yard effort curled the wrong side of the upright.

Essien then sent a 20-yard drive just wide of the post as a hat-trick continued to elude him.

Ancelotti: Essien one of world's best

Carlo Ancelotti acclaimed Michael Essien as one of the best midfielders in the world after his two-goal super show against woeful Wolves at Stamford Bridge.

Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho nicknamed Essien 'The Train', but Ancelotti is not one for off-the-cuff monikers. Asked if he had his own personal pet name for Essien, boss Ancelotti replied: "No, his name is Michael. I think Essien is one of the most important players in midfield in the world.

"He can play everywhere in midfield with the same result. He has shown a lot of consistency this season and maintained a good physical condition. He is very strong but he also has a lot of quality.''

The Italian coach also claimed that the emergence of youngsters like Gael Kakuta, Fabio Borini and Nemanja Matic could prevent him from having to do any business in the January transfer market. "This match showed we are in a very good condition because we had a lot of injuries before this game,'' said Ancelotti.

"But our play was just the same. We put some young players in this team and in January if we maintain this condition, it is not necessary to buy other players. They are very good young players and I will use them in the future this season.''

Kakuta made his debut and looked completely at home in the top flight. He was originally suspended for four months when FIFA imposed their transfer ban on the club in September for inducing him to breach his contract with Lens two years ago. But the Court of Arbitration for Sport suspended the bans until the outcome of Chelsea's appeal has been heard in full and Kakuta seized the chance to shine when he replaced Nicolas Anelka in the second half.

"Kakuta has a lot of talent and he showed that in 30 minutes,'' said Ancelotti. "He is young and he has to improve and work. After two or three weeks of his ban he had some difficulty because he is very young. But we had him train with the first team and now he is happy. I hope he will do better in the future.''

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy told his players they may as well get used to being in a relegation dogfight after their defeat. "We were happy to get nil at the end,'' said McCarthy. "I thought we had some good chances, including the best chance at the start of the game. But we made mistakes.

"Malouda's was a wonderful strike and we should have done better when they scored from the corner for the second. At 2-0 down it was a done deal then. But I saw enough about the players, the endeavour, work-rate and spirit, and this won't knock the spirit out of us. We were not expected to get anything here.

"I really hoped we would get something out of the game but reality was that we were expected to be in the bottom three still. We are in a relegation fight now, I've said that to the lads. We might as well understand that now. No bones about it.

"We won't be judged on today's game. I don't doubt our team spirit and fight they have in them. I reckon we had five good chances in the first half, but they had eight chances and were 3-0 up. Chelsea are as good as anything I've seen although Manchester United and Arsenal will argue about it.''