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First-half goals from Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard elevated Chelsea to the top of the Premier League table as they comfortably beat West Bromwich Albion.

1-0 D.Drogba 3′

2-0 F.Lampard 45′

Drogba’s looping header after three minutes, his first league goal of the season, set up a dominant performance.

However, Albion fought hard until Frank Lampard’s close-range finish in first-half stoppage time killed them off.

West Brom had a little more of the game after the break but Chelsea were able to cruise to victory in second gear.

Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari chose to pair Premier League top scorer Nicolas Anelka with Drogba up front, and the decision paid immediate dividends.

Drogba met Joe Cole’s swirling cross from the right and delivered a well-placed header past the helpless Scott Carson.

West Brom barely had a sniff of the first half action as Chelsea engineered time and space on both flanks, with Albion striker Craig Beattie alone and frustrated up front for the visitors.

But the home side sometimes struggled to convert their possession into shots on goal, Lampard the chief culprit as a succession of chances lacked the telling finish.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech dealt comfortably with Albion’s few opportunities, Do-Heon Kim’s bundled half-chance their only first-half strike of note.

The home team soon realised they were under little threat and eased their tempo, but a second goal never seemed far away.

THIS SEASON’S REVERSE FIXTURE

West Bromwich Albion 0-3 Chelsea

15 November 2008 – Ref: Steve Bennett
Chelsea scorers: Bosingwa 34, Anelka 38, 45