Chelsea returned to Premier League action against Aston Villa this afternoon after two weeks out playing in the Club World Cup.
The Blues knew a win would take them back into third in the league, and they sealed the victory in emphatic fashion, running out 8-0 winners.
Fernando Torres, David Luiz and Branislav Ivanovic gave Rafael Benitez's men a 3-0 lead at the break before Frank Lampard, Ramires (2), Oscar and Eden Hazard completed the rout.
Read how events unfolded on a miserable day for Villa below.
Good afternoon! Thanks for joining Sports Mole for today's match between Chelsea and Aston Villa, let's get straight down to business...
Chelsea could return to third place with a win today, overtaking Arsenal, Everton, Tottenham and West Brom in one go.
Villa, meanwhile, would move as high as 13th if they can pull off a second consecutive shock in the league.
Chelsea aren't in great form in the league, however. They have drawn their last three home matches and won just one of their last eight league matches.
Right, let's bring you some team news... Victor Moses again starts in place of Oscar, while Frank Lampard makes his 500th Premier League start. Torres remains up front for the Blues.
Chelsea: Cech; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Cole; D Luiz, Lampard; Moses, Mata, Hazard; Torres
Villa, meanwhile, stick with the same side that got that special win at Anfield last weekend...
Aston Villa: Guzan; Lowton, Baker, Clark, Lichaj; Holman, Westwood, Bannan, Herd; Weimann, Benteke
Benteke is the man to watch for Chelsea, without a doubt. The big striker had the game of his life against Liverpool and, if he can produce a similar performance tonight, then Ivanovic and Cahill have a long afternoon ahead of them.
Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez: "I've picked a team to win. I think they have balance, play good football and play well in defence."
Benitez on Lampard's 500th league start: "It's a great achievement for any player to make that many starts, especially at the level that he has played."
Benitez also believes that David Luiz has all the capabilities to play in the centre of midfield, where he has been selected today. He was impressive there against Monterrey in the Club World Cup so it will be interesting to see how he gets on today.
Ten minutes until kickoff, time for a prediction from yours truly: I can't see Villa springing another shock here to be honest, so I'm going to go for a 3-1 win to the Blues.
This match isn't the first Premier League tie of the day, of course. League leaders Manchester United were in action earlier, but Swansea managed to hold them to a 1-1 draw.
Will Chelsea have any rustiness from their two-week absence from league action? They'll be hoping not, they haven't won at home in the league for two and a half months!
The teams are in the tunnel, we're nearing kickoff at Stamford Bridge!
A quick word on Lampard then. The midfielder has been a great servant to Chelsea and has been arguably their main driving forced throughout the most successful period in the club's history. He will go down as a Chelsea, and Premier League legend, and rightly so. Big achievement for the midfielder.
The teams are out, lined-up and ready to go...
Chelsea get us underway at Stamford Bridge through Torres and Mata!
And immediately Chelsea get a free kick in a good position for an off-the-ball tussle between Herd and Torres. Lampard over it...
...but he fires it straight into the wall.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Aston Villa (Fernando Torres)
Wow! That was the Torres of old in all of his glory! Chelsea knock the ball about in midfield before giving it to Azpilicueta. The right-back swings a ball into the box, and Torres gets in front of his man and powers a phenomenal header past Guzan. Great goal.
That's seven goals in five and a bit matches for the striker, yet criticism remains. That header was the best thing I've seen him do for a long time, though.
Villa have responded fairly well, taking hold of the ball in the last minute or so, but the Chelsea defence holds firm to their initial attack.
An overhit pass from Cahill asks too much of Cole, but Chelsea soon get the ball back and look to build another attacking platform.
It will be interesting to see how this young Villa side responds to going behind so early. It's been quite good so far, but can they keep it up?
Lampard sends a high ball to Moses, who controls it instantly on his chest before whipping a dangerous ball into the box, but no-one is there to meet it.
Holman threatens to break behind the Chelsea defence, but Cahill gets back just in time to hack the ball out for a corner, which is too long.
Westwood has a chance to slip Lowton in behind Hazard but he overhits it and the opportunity goes begging.
A scrappy period in the middle results in Chelsea coming forward with the ball. Moses tries to take on his man, who does well to track the winger and concedes the corner.
Villa try to hit Chelsea on the counter attack as a long ball upfield finds Weimann, but the striker has no-one in support and Chelsea get back to eventually clear the danger.
The match has certainly slowed down after that frantic opening!
Here comes the familiar Di Matteo chants in the 16th minute. Less vociferous than past weeks but still audible. Benitez still has some way to go to win these fans over!
A half-chance for Chelsea as Luiz slips Mata in, but Clark comes across in time to get a vital tackle in on the Spaniard. The ball comes out to Moses, but his cross is cleared away.
Moses tries to take his man on one too many times, but that right flank is where Chelsea have looked most dangerous so far today.
Another salute from the fans to do with the minute as Villa fans rise as one to pay tribute to Stiliyan Petrov. That is more like something I can get on board with.
David Luiz attempts his first, and I suspect not his last, ambitious strike at goal, but it is well blocked.
A hint of a penalty claim as Cole clips a ball in towards Torres. The Spaniard looks as if he is about to rise to meet it, but Baker is all over him preventing him from doing so. To make it worse, Baker gets nowhere near the ball himself! No real protest but I have seen them given! Would have been soft, though.
Benitez seems to have identified Villa's left flank as their weakness. They continue to probe down that side, and Hazard has barely seen any of the ball so far.
Lampard tries to thread a ball through but it's too heavy for Moses. Chelsea are dominating possession at the moment without really creating any good chances.
Villa play the ball out of the back, all the way from Guzan up to Benteke and just as it looks like the latter might break away the flag is raised for offside.
Mata swings a dangerous ball into the box but again no Chelsea player is attacking it!
Hazard runs at the defence for the first time this afternoon and is fouled right on the edge of the box while going for a one-two with Moses. Another good chance for a set piece for Chelsea...
GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Aston Villa (David Luiz)
Fantastic free kick from David Luiz! He gets it up and over the wall when it looked like he didn't have enough room to do so in true Cristiano Ronaldo style! Guzan had no chance!
Chelsea are awarded another free kick, quite a bit further out this time, but this time Mata takes it and it deflects off the wall and out for a corner.
Lampard's corner is poor but Lichaj fluffs his clearance out for another one.
A rare ball into the box for Villa is easily collected by Cech. No-one was gambling for Villa there, it could have been turned into a good ball to the near post!
GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 Aston Villa (Branislav Ivanovic)
That could be game over already. Mata's corner isn't the best, but Cahill does brilliantly to keep it alive and force a very good save from Guzan. Ivanovic is on hand to nod in the rebound, however. Hard luck for Villa.
SHOT! Hazard embarks on a mazy run down the left and is eventually brought down by Herd. The free kick is worked across to Luiz, but this time his effort is held by Guzan.
Luiz is enjoying his advanced role today. He sprays a ball all the way across the field to Moses, who works it to Mata and then Lampard, but the England international's return pass finds Mata offside.
A terrible pass from Moses gifts the ball to Villa, but Benteke again fails to hold his run. He has been too eager with his movement today and the linesman is spotting it every time.
A rare shot for Villa, in fact their first of the game, as Bannan lets fly with an effort that doesn't threaten Cech's goal.
Chelsea clear a free kick and Mata chases the ball all the way back to Guzan at the hint of an underhit pass back, but the Villa keeper is alert enough to beat the Spaniard to the ball and get it clear.
Benteke's runs are really starting to be a problem to Villa. They threaten to break again but can't give it to their most dangerous player because he is standing offside!
One added minute at Stamford Bridge.
HALF-TIME: Chelsea 3-0 Aston Villa
A dominant performance from Chelsea in the first half. They starting the match perfectly through Torres's spectacular header and Luiz added an equally good second before Ivanovic's header made it 3-0.
Villa have been poor, to be honest. They named an unchanged lineup from the one that beat Liverpool at Anfield, but have looked like a completely different team. I don't think I've seen Benteke onside once and they have no threat going forward so far!
Chelsea, meanwhile, have been clinical. They haven't really threatened Guzan apart from the three goals, but when they have had the chance to do so they have taken full advantage. Torres has been quiet since his goal, while David Luiz and Moses are Villa's main protagonists so far.
Sky Sports pundit Dwight Yorke is paying tribute to the Torres goal, and rightly so. The header was a long was out but Guzan still got nowhere near it.
Ray Wilkins, meanwhile, believes that Luiz's free kick is partly down to Didier Drogba bringing that free kick technique to the club!
So, what will the managers be saying at half time? Well, for Benitez it will be one of the easiest team talks he has ever given, they just need to keep doing what they are doing and they will find themselves third at the end of play.
Paul Lambert, however, faces the task of picking his players up. His side haven't created anything going forward and that must be his first concern. One of the things that they can do to stop that is to get Benteke to stay onside!
Chelsea had 65% of possession in that first half and each of their nine shots were on target.
Anyway, back to business and the teams are out on the field once more.
And Villa get us back underway for the second half.
Chelsea immediately attack again as Mata feeds Torres, but the striker takes his eye off the ball, allowing the defence to clear it out for a corner.
Hazard looks to break down the left but is denied by a fine tackle from Herd. Chelsea's initial intentions don't seem to be defensive, that's for sure!
Villa string a few passes together but as the ball is played into Benteke he is offside yet again. He needs to start looking along the line!
Chelsea are still looking to attack whenever possible, which is good to see. You just wonder whether Benitez thinks that emphatic wins will help the fans get behind him. They can't hurt of course!
GREAT SAVE! Mata, Torres and Moses link up before the former unleashes a powerful shot from the edge of the box. Guzan sticks a hand up and makes a fine save to deny Chelsea a fourth!
That really was an instinctive stop from the keeper.
Villa are looking to break in numbers whenever they can, but that is leaving them open at the back.
SHOT! That would have been some goal to cap your 500th league start! A long corner finds Lampard on the edge of the box, but he doesn't get hold of his volley and it results in a comfortable save from Guzan.
Cahill clears a low cross out for a corner with Benteke lurking, but the resulting set piece is poor.
Chelsea break on the counter attack and Hazard plays in Torres, but the striker's pull back is intercepted.
Another Villa corner results in a counter attack for Chelsea, and again Torres has a chance to hit it with his left, but instead goes for the skilful cross with his right foot coming behind his left leg, but it is cleared away. Would've been sublime if it came off!
DISALLOWED GOAL! Beautiful football from Chelsea results in a ball towards Torres, whose initial effort is poor, but he gets up to head it into the net, only to see the linesman flag up!
GOAL! Chelsea 4-0 Aston Villa (Frank Lampard)
There it is! Landmarks galore for Lampard as he becomes Chelsea's highest scorer in the top division ever in his 500th Premier League start, and what a goal to celebrate it with. A typical Lampard strike from 30 yards, bouncing and bobbling before the midfielder smashed it in!
SUB: And off goes Lampard to be replaced by Ramires. Great reception for the Chelsea legend.
It's hard to keep up with the chances Chelsea have had in the last few minutes! Just before Lampard's goal Moses was denied by a fine save when one-on-one, while moments after the goal Hazard put the ball over when he should have done better!
Ireland hoofs the ball upfield with the air of a player who knows that this game is well and truly over. Benteke almost makes something of it, but is eventually crowded out.
SAVE! Chelsea are really enjoying themselves now! Hazard, Mata and co are rolling out the tricks, and those two combine to set up Azpilicueta, whose low effort is well saved at the near post by Guzan.
SUB: Off comes Torres for Oscar. Torres has been fairly quiet since his goal, but it was a superb strike so he'll be happy with his contribution I'm sure.
CHANCE! Oh what a chance for Oscar just moments after coming on! Villa cannot deal with Chelsea's attackers at the moment and they create a chance every time they flood forward. This time Ramires feeds the Brazilian, but he can only poke it wide when he should have scored.
Moses tries to join in with the flicks and tricks, but his attempted backheel into the box is blocked. The Blues claim for a penalty for handball, but the ref correctly waves it away.
Oscar sends a sweeping ball over to Hazard, who turns his poor marker inside out before sending in a cross that is just nicked away from Moses.
And perhaps Villa's best chance of the match, which says a lot. Bannan sends a deep cross towards Benteke, but the striker can't get enough on it and it trickles harmlessly to Cech.
Azpilicueta goes down the right and looks to have beaten his man, only for Baker to show good strength and see off the danger.
SUB: Here comes a Premier League debut for Piazon, replacing Juan Mata.
GOAL! Chelsea 5-0 Aston Villa (Ramires)
Piazon is immediately involved as he sends an inch perfect pass into the path of Ramires, who fires his shot through the legs of Guzan.
It seems like a question of how many Chelsea will get now. Lambert's philosophy of not shutting up shop is admirable, but Chelsea look like scoring every time they come forward.
PENALTY TO CHELSEA!
GOAL! Chelsea 6-0 Aston Villa (Oscar)
And sure enough, they get another on their very next attack. Herd bundles into Oscar in the box and the Brazilian goes down. Phil Dowd is looking straight at it and awards the penalty. Oscar picks himself up, dusts himself off, and emphatically slams it into the top corner.
Villa look outnumbered every time Chelsea come forward! Does Lambert go for damage limitation, or is there no point when such damage has already been done?
Villa almost break behind the Chelsea defence as Weimann sees a good run from Ireland, but the ball is just too heavy and runs through to Cech.
GOAL! Chelsea 7-0 Aston Villa (Eden Hazard)
They are scoring at will. Hazard twists and turns in the penalty area, selling the defence with each one before smashing a brilliant finish over Guzan and into the top corner. This is getting embarrassing for Villa.
We all like to see goals, but you have to feel a twinge of remorse for these Villa youngsters. They have well and truly been taught a lesson by a ruthless Chelsea today and it will be interesting to see how they respond.
SHOT! Oscar finds shooting space in the box, but for once Chelsea don't find the target as this one hits the side netting.
Villa are still breaking with four or five at a time to be fair to them! I guess they have nothing else to lose, although goal difference could play a big part this season!
PENALTY TO CHELSEA!
PENALTY MISSED!
Piazon is felled in the box and Dowd has no mercy on Villa by awarding another spot kick. He steps up himself, looking to become the fourth Brazilian to score today, but Guzan pulls off a fine save to give the travelling fans something, finally, to cheer.
GOAL! Chelsea 8-0 Aston Villa (Ramires)
Ramires puts the cherry on the icing on the top of a very tasty cake for Chelsea, side footing his second of the game past Guzan, who perhaps could have done better.
FULL-TIME: Chelsea 8-0 Aston Villa
Phil Dowd finally brings Villa's misery to an end after a dreadful day for Lambert's men. Chelsea return to third in style.
Benitez will be dancing a secret jig of delight as he has now seen his side score 25 goals in their last six games. Not a bad record for an interim manager!
The defeat, incidentally, is Villa's heaviest Premier League defeat ever. Lambert will be wondering how on earth his side can put in two such contrasting performances after last week's win at Anfield.
Chelsea have sent a message to the two Manchester clubs with this result. Perhaps it won't be a two-horse race after all? They completely dominated and look deadly in attack, particularly when they had a big enough lead to start to enjoy themselves.
David Luiz may have played himself into a regular spot in the middle of the park, while Frank Lampard also deserves a mention for becoming Chelsea's top scorer in the top division ever, and in his 500th Premier League start!
Right, that's all from Sports Mole! Thank you for joining us for this sensational match today, I'm glad we could bring you so many goals (unless you're a Villa fan, of course!) Stay tuned to the site for match analysis, reaction and news. Goodbye!
Written by
Barney Corkhill
Barney Corkhill
