stoke city 7-0

The Times

Chelsea thrash Stoke to edge ahead in Premier League title race
Chelsea 7 Stoke City 0

Matt Hughes, Deputy Football Correspondent

It is the source of some embarrassment to Liverpool fans that the Premier League title has never been decided at Anfield, but effectively that tantalising prospect lies in wait when Chelsea visit on Sunday, albeit not in the manner of which the home fans will have dreamt. To make matters worse, they will be caught in a tangled web of conflicting emotions.
In normal circumstances Liverpool would like nothing better than to take the title from Chelsea, with whom they have developed an increasingly bitter rivalry because of their frequent Champions League meetings, but the situation is far from ordinary with two matches of the most competitive championship in years remaining.
A Liverpool win or draw on Sunday would hand the initiative to Manchester United, who would need victories from that afternoon’s match away to Sunderland and their final home game against Stoke City to claim a fourth successive title and move ahead of their rivals with 19 overall.
Most Liverpool fans would prefer to witness the public humiliation of seeing Chelsea effectively claim the title on their ground than the more enduring agony of United taking their place in the record books, but with Champions League qualification also at stake, the players are hardly in a position to throw in the towel. Given so many fascinating subplots, it should be quite a contest, a real Clash of the Titans, as opposed to the film Carlo Ancelotti had planned to watch on Saturday, a cinema trip that did not take place. Instead the Italian preferred to relax by taking “a walk in the park”, which proved to be somewhat prophetic.
As preparation for a potentially season-defining encounter this mismatch was like warming up for the London Marathon by strolling down to the shops, but Chelsea’s strut along Fulham Broadway was mightily impressive nevertheless, as their home form has been all season. This was the biggest top-flight win in the club’s 105-year history, yet such has been the ease with which Chelsea have scored at Stamford Bridge this season that the procession almost seemed prosaic.
Roman Abramovich has attempted to build an entertaining team since buying the club seven years ago, and Ancelotti has finally delivered without spending any money. The Russian owner has previously complained that previous Chelsea teams were bland and characterless, but Ancelotti has given them a fresh identity, as the manager explained afterwards.
“We have changed something,” he said. “If Chelsea play good football and people see that we do that, we are happy. That is our aim, to play good football and give joy to our fans. This is our philosophy. We have a lot of attacking players and we want to attack to use their quality. With this ability you will always score goals.”
That is of an understatement. In eight home league matches since the turn of the year Chelsea have scored 33 goals, a considerable improvement even on their remarkable record of 60 goals in 18 home games all season and 93 in 36 overall. Stoke’s supine surrender was so complete that even Daniel Sturridge got in on the act with two minutes remaining, although the plaudits resulting from the 20-year-old’s composed finish for his first Premier League goal for the club were immediately retracted after a ridiculous celebration.
Such a free-scoring approach would make Chelsea worthy champions, were it not for a modest record on their travels that makes the Liverpool game so intriguing. Ancelotti’s side have been beaten away from home by Wigan Athletic, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur this season, which in an ordinary campaign would leave them well off the pace. These shortcomings will be forgiven if they follow victories at the Emirates Stadium and Old Trafford with a win at Anfield, which, as a shell-shocked Tony Pulis said, is shaping up as the championship decider.
It is odd to relate now, but Chelsea began the afternoon under considerable pressure, which soon dissipated. Thomas Sorensen denied Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole with a brilliant double save and tipped a header by Didier Drogba round the post as the home side seemed to shoot at will, but was powerless to stop Salomon Kalou opening the scoring with a diving header in the 24th minute.
Kalou got even closer to Sorensen as he doubled Chelsea’s lead with a sliding challenge eight minutes later, causing the Denmark goalkeeper to be carried off on a stretcher with a suspected dislocated elbow that could rule him out of this summer’s World Cup. Pulis was gracious enough to admit that the loss of his goalkeeper did not influence a result he likened to a murder, but the visiting team did implode when Asmir Begovic replaced him for his debut, which may provide at least some consolation to Portsmouth.
Kalou was denied a chance to score a first hat-trick when Lampard insisted on taking a penalty won by the Ivory Coast striker just before half-time, although he was soon presented with another opportunity. After Begovic saved his initial shot in the 69th minute, Kalou converted the rebound, thus quadrupling the number of league goals he has scored this season in the space of 45 minutes.
The last ten minutes was a humiliating experience for Pulis, with Lampard, Sturridge and Florent Malouda queueing up to score as Chelsea hit seven for the second time in a month. Lampard’s 25th goal was the pick, a wonderfully delicate right-foot volley, although he would trade all of them for three points next week.
Many Liverpool fans would be happy to see Chelsea take them, which must be another first as we approach the climax of an unforgettable season.

Chelsea (4-3-3): P Cech 6 — P Ferreira 6 (sub: S Hutchison, 73min), B Ivanovic 6, Alex 6, A Cole 6 — F Lampard 8, M Ballack 7, F Malouda 7 — S Kalou 8 (sub: J Cole, 71), D Drogba 8 , N Anelka 7 (sub: D Sturridge, 80). Substitutes not used: Hilário, Y Zhirkov, J Belletti, P van Aanholt. Next: Liverpool (a).

Stoke City (4-4-2): T Sorensen 6 (sub: A Begovic, 35 4) — R Huth 4, D Collins 3, Abdoulaye Faye 3 (sub: R Shawcross, 9 4), D Higginbotham 4 — R Delap 4, G Whelan 4, D Whitehead 5, M Ethrington 4 — R Fuller 5, D Kitson 4 (sub: Tuncay Sanli, 59 4). Substitutes not used: L Lawrence, J Beattie, D Pugh, A Wilkinson. Booked: Huth, Whelan, Whitehead. Next: Everton (h).

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Telegraph:

Chelsea 7 Stoke City 0
By Jason Burt at Stamford Bridge

In a nerveless, breathless display, Chelsea powered their way back to the top of the Premier League table, blowing Stoke City away with a hat-trick from Salomon Kalou, as they destroyed their opponents earning their biggest win of the season. The margin of victory also significantly boosted their goal difference and may be a factor in the final reckoning while it was a humiliation for Stoke.
The contest, however, was marred slightly by a bad injury to Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen who suffered a suspected broken elbow – which would put the Dane out of this summer’s World Cup Finals - after being caught by Salomon Kalou as he slid in to score Chelsea’s second goal. Fulham v Chelsea previewKalou was central to Chelsea’s performance, having stooped to head in the first goal and also earning a penalty, side-footed home by Frank Lampard.
However, he appeared to lunge to reach the ball – after Sorensen had parried Lampard’s shot – as he bundled the ball into the net for Chelsea’s second.
Chelsea’s resumed their one point lead over Manchester United and the result was rarely in doubt even though Stoke were undefeated in their previous six away league games this season.
The home side, despite missing suspended captain John Terry, took control from the start with a compelling display of attacking football. Manager Carlo Ancelotti had made five changes from the team that was defeated last weekend away to Tottenham Hotspur with Ashley Cole returning, to make his first appearance since breaking his ankle on Feb 10.
He almost opening the scoring as he rushing in to meet the ball after Sorensen had blocked another raking Lampard shot but the goalkeeper saved brilliantly with his legs to deny the defender. Soon after Sorensen again made another excellent save, pushing away a header from Didier Drogba at his near post.
He was beaten after Florent Malouda – again Chelsea’s best performer – sent a perceptive cross-field pass which was brought down with a flourish by Drogba who then crossed low for Kalou turned in from just inside the six-yard area.
After Kalou added his second, when he reached the ball after Sorensen saved from Drogba, Stoke appeared to lose heart. A third goal came when Kalou fell inside the area, following a foolish challenge by Robert Huth, even though the original offence took place outside the area. It was a soft award.
Lampard struck the spot kick to claim his 23rd goal of the season and Chelsea should probably have had another penalty when Glenn Whelan tripped Nicolas Anelka but it was unseen by referee Steve Bennett.
The second-half turned into a gentle session of keep ball for Chelsea until Kalou sprang forward from Lampard’s pass to claim his hat-trick, reacting quickly after Asmir Begovic had blocked his first shot. Chelsea suddenly shifted through the gears again. Then, somehow, from just a yard out Malouda failed to turn in Anelka’s low cross before, later, the substitute goalkeeper saved superbly from the Frenchman.
As impressive as Chelsea were, Stoke were dire and Lampard, almost nonchalantly, and expertly, flicked home a fifth from Sam Hutchinson’s deep cross. It wasn’t the end of the humiliation with another substitute Daniel Sturridge sprinting through to round Begovic and stroke the ball into the net.
It carried on with Joe Cole volleying low across the area only for Malouda to, finally, score, turning the ball in from a yard out. Sturridge may have been offside but it mattered little.

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Sun:

Chelsea 7 Stoke 0

From SHAUN CUSTIS at Stamford Bridge

The Drog showed off some new tricks, Chelsea produced goal after goal out of the hat, and the cards remain in their favour in the title race.
For the third time this season they hit seven in a game and, if it comes down to goal difference in the battle with Manchester United, they have done that argument a power of good.
Brilliant skill by Didier Drogba, 32, helped tee up young gun Salomon Kalou for the first two goals of his hat-trick and set Chelsea on course for a crushing victory which re-established their one point advantage over arch-rivals United.
Now it is on to the real crunch at Anfield next Sunday when all sorts of conundrums come into play.
The last thing Liverpool want to see is Manchester United winning the Premier League and establishing a new record of 19 title successes.
They know if they beat Chelsea that is what is likely to happen. But, at the same time, Rafa Benitez's men still have an outside chance of the last Champions League qualifying place although they know only victory can keep them in the hunt.
Even though Chelsea still have much work to do, they could finish it off next weekend should they beat Liverpool and United lose at Sunderland.
With Carlo Ancelotti's men playing first on Sunday, it's possible they could win the trophy while flying back from Merseyside.
Yesterday they did what they had to do - and more - despite United having apparently put the pressure on by virtue of their victory over Spurs the previous day.
Stoke came with a reputation as doughty fighters who, along with United, had conceded less goals away from home than any other team in the League.
They had lost only five times on their travels and were unbeaten away in the League this year.
That all suggested Chelsea were going to have to battle exceptionally hard to break them down.
As it turned out, the Blues shook Stoke till their pips squeaked.
Frank Lampard set the tone early on with a shot which was well saved by Thomas Sorensen and, as the ball ran free, Ashley Cole, playing for the first time since breaking his ankle on February 10, followed up only to be denied by the Danish keeper.
Sorensen was there again to make a superb save from Drogba's near-post header but he was finally beaten on 24 minutes.
Florent Malouda played a ball out wide to the right and Drogba showed real quality flicking out his right leg to bring the ball down before in one swift movement whipping a gorgeous low cross into the six-yard box.
Kalou, 24, read it and was virtually on his knees as he headed home.
Drogba proved his deft touch was no fluke when he was instrumental in setting up Chelsea's second for his Ivory Coast protegee on 31 minutes.
This time his outstanding touch was into Lampard's path and, though the midfielder's stinging shot was parried away by Sorensen, Kalou came sliding in to finish it off as the keeper scrambled to make up his ground.
TV replays showed Kalou had gone in two-footed and he caught Sorensen in the follow through.
The former Villa and Sunderland star, 33, was eventually carried off on a stretcher after lengthy treatment and a dislocated elbow could hit his World Cup hopes.
On came Asmir Begovic for his Potters debut but it was not long before he was picking the ball out of the net after Kalou finally went down after being tugged back by ex-Chelsea centre-back Robert Huth - again replays showed the initial offence occurred outside the box.
Up stepped Lampard to tuck the spot-kick away and Chelsea were cruising. Stoke were all over the place and Kalou completed his hat-trick - trebling his League tally for the season - when he took a pass from Lampard, fired at Begovic and, though the keeper blocked, finished off the rebound.
Florent Malouda missed a sitter from a yard out and Begovic made a great save to deny the Frenchman before sub Sam Hutchinson crossed to the far post and Lampard flicked it back across goal with the outside of his right foot for his 20th League goal of the season.
Chelsea kept going, well aware goal difference could come into play and from Drogba's pass Daniel Sturridge, another sub, rounded Begovic and shot home.
Still there was time for more and with a minute left Malouda got the goal he deserved converting Joe Cole's first-time cross.
It seems so long ago that Chelsea were losing to Spurs. This was an emphatic response to any claims they were wobbling.

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Guardian:

Salomon Kalou's hat-trick sets up Chelsea's seven-goal rout of Stoke
Kevin McCarra at Stamford Bridge

Salomon Kalou completes his hat-trick against Stoke despite the efforts of the substitute goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. Photograph: Gerry Penny/EPA
The title race was suspended. This result had its ramifications, with Chelsea now enjoying a lead of eight over Manchester United in goal difference and putting themselves in front once more by a point, but there was no sense of grand issues at stake. If anything, this was a therapeutic afternoon for Carlo Ancelotti's squad and Salomon Kalou claimed a first hat-trick at the club. This, too, was Chelsea's biggest victory in top-flight league football.
The embarrassment of Stoke City was all encompassing and Tony Pulis's side did not even maintain its dignity in the most mundane of circumstances. When the utterly ineffectual Dave Kitson was substituted he left the field with an ill-grace and a contemptuous gesture that implied he had been wronged. He should have thought himself blessed since most of his team-mates had to endure every second of the drubbing.
There was nothing unlucky about the devastation of the visitors, but there should be sympathy for their goalkeeper. Thomas Sorensen suffered an elbow injury as the second goal was scored and his participation for Denmark in the World Cup will be in doubt if there is more damage to the joint than a dislocation.
Temporary relief lay purely in his release from the unflagging menace of the opposition. Chelsea have 93 league goals to their credit, yet their leading forward, Didier Drogba, did not score here. The calibre of the line-up ought to improve a little more with the comeback of Ashley Cole from the broken ankle he sustained at Everton in February. Although he did not cut loose, these were perfect circumstances for him to settle back into the rhythm of first-team football.
He would have been delighted to reacquaint himself with the mercilessness of his fellow players. This was the sort of match where the scoring can taper off as boredom takes the edge off the side's work. Chelsea had no truck with that sort of attitude and three of their goals arrived in the last 10 minutes, with the substitute Daniel Sturridge and then Florent Malouda striking particularly close to the full-time whistle.
The value of other figures was underlined in the win. This Chelsea squad is to be revamped next season, with an eye to establishing younger players, but there have already been more subtle changes in this campaign. Malouda is fast becoming the key to the team's attacks because he now has the confidence to attempt the telling pass more often.
Even before playing a part in the opener, the Frenchman had released Drogba, only for the striker to lash an attempt off target. Chances, all the same, came regularly and Sorensen was soon making a splendid save from the Ivorian.
The Chelsea deluge began after 24 minutes. Malouda swept the ball to Drogba on the right and Kalou headed in the cross for the first of his goals. The next saw Drogba's lay-off setting up Frank Lampard for a drive that Sorensen could not hold and Kalou bundled home the loose ball. The goalkeeper, hurt in the melee, was replaced by Asmir Begovic.
The Stoke manager, Tony Pulis, had complained of favouritism towards Chelsea by referees, but he must have been devastated by a total lack of resilience in his squad and the officials can barely have caught his eye. A third goal was conceded as Frank Lampard converted a penalty in the 44th minute after Robert Huth had pulled down Kalou. His foul may have begun outside the area but Steve Bennett was right to play the advantage until the offence continued inside the box.
Lampard released Kalou after 68 minutes and the attacker, having smashed his first attempt against Begovic, turned in the rebound. There was a second goal for Lampard himself in the 81st minute when he converted a cross from the substitute Sam Hutchinson with a deft volley off the outside of his right foot. This rout has put Chelsea in a merry mood for the critical days ahead.
There is intrigue to come. Chelsea are at Anfield next Sunday. That is one of the more taxing fixtures on the calendar, but the enthusiasm of the home crowd for a win that could assist Manchester United to the title is, to put it mildly, in question. If Chelsea took the desired results while performing with this zest, however, no one could doubt the legitimacy of their triumph.

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Independent:

Ancelotti's juggernaut rolls over Stoke as Chelsea return to finest form
Chelsea 7 Stoke City 0

By Sam Wallace, Football Correspondent

In his captain's programme notes Frank Lampard revealed that the switch of this fixture to a Sunday meant that he was an absentee best man at his friend's wedding yesterday. In the end it proved so easy for Chelsea that no-one would have blamed him for leaving at half-time to make it in time for the speeches.
There have been wobbles from Carlo Ancelotti's team this season but yesterday was a vintage performance; one in which they blew their opponents away in the tradition of the very best we have witnessed from this club in the modern era. It was one of those days when the sun shone in west London and the goals just kept on coming.
If Manchester United were looking for a glimpse of weakness in the team that they must overhaul in order to win the title over the remaining two games of the season then they will not have spotted it yesterday. "Are you watching Manchester?" Stamford Bridge asked towards the end of the game. Of course they were and they will not have liked what they saw.
As the remains of Stoke City are scraped off the road, the Chelsea juggernaut now heads north to Liverpool on Sunday. The defining moment in Chelsea's pursuit of their third Premier League title will come at Anfield, the scene of some of their greatest triumphs and most crushing lows of the Roman Abramovich era. As usual it should be a classic.
In the days of Jose Mourinho, when Chelsea's domination of English football was routine for two years, Anfield stood as an outpost of resistance – never more so than the Champions League semi-final of 2005. Chelsea have not always lost there but even in spite of the form they showed yesterday, come Sunday they will still feel that old gnawing uncertainty when they walk into Anfield.
Yesterday's win over Burnley means Liverpool are still in the hunt for the fourth Champions League place, although only just. Beating Chelsea may well hand Manchester United that 19th league title which means they pass Liverpool's total but if Rafael Benitez is to be in the Champions League next year – with Liverpool rather than Juventus – then his team will have to do it anyway.
Before then, Chelsea can savour their third seven-goal haul of the season after Sunderland and Aston Villa on a day on which they made mincemeat of one of the Premier League's most awkward customers. Chelsea are five goals away from the record for the most goals scored in a Premier League season and yesterday they could have had many more than seven.
Unlike the unconvincing home win against Bolton, and the defeat to Tottenham last Saturday, there was a purpose about Chelsea – epitomised by Salomon Kalou whose hat-trick was the first in his four years at Stamford Bridge. Kalou has not always been the most reliable assassin in Chelsea's forward line but yesterday his aim was unerring.
Of equal significance was the form of Didier Drogba who was poor against Spurs but played a crucial role in three Chelsea goals. Lampard was the dominant figure in midfield and it was a good job he did not leave at half-time because that would have deprived us of the sweetest finish of all: an awkward knee high cross that he clipped in first time with the outside of his right boot for the fifth.
It did not help Stoke that they lost their goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen to injury in the course of conceding Chelsea's second on 31 minutes. With their Danish international on the pitch there might have been fewer goals but there would have been no difference about the outcome of the game.
The Stoke goalkeeper had made three very good saves when he spilled the ball from Lampard's shot and Kalou dived in two-footed to force the ball over the line, catching Sorensen as he did. Had it happened elsewhere on the pitch Kalou might have put himself in danger of being dismissed but referee Steve Bennett did not regard it as worthy of a booking.
It was a bleak day for the Stoke manager Tony Pulis whose side showed none of the backbone that has kept them in the Premier League this year. They were unfortunate with the first half injuries to Sorensen and Abdoulaye Faye but their afternoon will chiefly be remembered for Dave Kitson telling the Stoke bench to "fuck off" when he was substituted in the second half.
In fairness that is probably exactly what Stoke felt like doing. They were already 3-0 down by then. Kalou had scored a diving header in the 24th minute after Drogba had controlled a ball played behind him with a lovely piece of skill. Kalou scored the second. Then Lampard scored a penalty on 43 minutes after Robert Huth had dragged Kalou down in comedy fashion.
Joe Cole came on for Kalou after the latter has completed his hat-trick on 68 minutes – the third a rebound from his own shot. The goals came thick and fast from there. First Lampard's beautifully-taken goal from Sam Hutchinson's cross for the fifth. Then substitute Daniel Sturridge went round the goalkeeper Asmir Begovic running onto Drogba's pass.
The final goal came from Florent Malouda who had earlier missed unforgivably when Nicolas Anelka crossed in the 72nd minute. The match also marked the return to the starting XI of Ashley Cole who played like he had never been away.
Ancelotti's only regret? "I would have liked to have saved three of those goals for next week.''
Just two more wins will wrest the title from Manchester United's hands for the first time in four years but a much more formidable opponent than Stoke awaits at Anfield.

Chelsea (4-4-2): Cech; Ferreira (Hutchinson, 73), Ivanovic, Alex, A Cole; Malouda, Ballack, Lampard Kalou (J Cole, 71); Anelka (Sturridge, 79), Drogba. Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Zhirkov, Belletti, Van Aanholt.

Stoke (4-4-2): Sorensen (Begovic, 36); Higginbotham, Ab Faye (Shawcross, 9), Huth, Collins; Whitehead, Whelan, Delap, Etherington; Fuller, Kitson (Tuncay, 59). Substitutes not used: Lawrence, Beattie, Pugh, Wilkinson.

Referee: S Bennett (Kent).
Booked: Stoke Whitehead, Huth.

Man of the match: Kalou.
Attendance: 41,013.

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Mail:

Chelsea 7 Stoke 0: Salomon Kalou bags a treble as Blues batter Stoke to bounce back to the top of the Premier League

By Matt Lawton

And so to what Manchester United will hope is a real clash of the titans.
To next Sunday and the game that might well now determine the outcome of this intriguing Barclays Premier League title race.To Liverpool versus Chelsea, at the stadium that has brought Carlo Ancelotti’s players both pain and pleasure in the past few seasons.
A debate will rage until kick off at Anfield. The question of whether Liverpool will give their all in the vain hope of securing a Champions League place or not — and so deny United the chance to eclipse their great club with a record 19th title.The table says they have to keep fighting, however unlikely fourth seems. It says that while there is no more than a two-point spread between fourth-placed Tottenham and seventh-placed Liverpool, with Aston Villa and Manchester City wedged between, they still have to pursue what is not yet an impossible dream.
Even if they have played an extra game and might, by then, have one eye on the Europa League final. Whether they can stop Chelsea remains to be seen, because at Stamford Bridge yesterday Ancelotti’s team had the look of champions.
Sir Alex Ferguson no doubt hoped his Manchester United’s victory over Tottenham would unsettle their rivals, but no such luck.
They were as confident as their Italian manager, who having said he might head to the cinema chose instead to go for a ‘stroll in the park’ rather than sit through Saturday’s game at Old Trafford.
This, too, was a stroll in the park, and the third time this season that Chelsea have put seven past Premier League opponents. That is a remarkable achievement but, more significantly, it propelled Chelsea back to the summit with a greatly enhanced goal difference advantage over United.
From one to eight to be precise, and what Ferguson would agree is like having an extra point in the bag. Say what you want about the standard of the English game.
If Chelsea score five in their remaining two games, they will break United’s record for goals in a Premier League season and that would reflect well on Ancelotti, not least in the eyes of his employer.
Roman Abramovich has said he wants to be entertained and 93 goals in 36 games is some return whatever happens between now and May 9. They were entertaining in crushing a Stoke side that have often proved difficult opponents.Three goals from Salomon Kalou; two from Frank Lampard; one apiece for Daniel Sturridge and Florent Malouda.
‘We were murdered today,’ admitted Stoke boss Tony Pulis.
‘We were lucky to get zero.’
Didier Drogba did not score but his support play was superb, while there was the added bonus of seeing Ashley Cole return with style after a two-month injury lay-off.
Not even the absence of John Terry unsettled Chelsea. When Rory Delap was invited to launch one of his long throws, Chelsea dealt with the danger calmly and effectively.
Pulis made no excuses, refusing to even blame the two-footed finish from Kalou that left goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen nursing a dislocated elbow.
Instead, he blamed the ‘five or six players who went missing’.
Sorensen had done well to keep the scores level for 24 minutes, denying Ashley Cole and Drogba with two excellent saves, but when Drobga brought down a ball from Malouda with a raised right heel — an extraordinary piece of skill — and then drove in a cross, Ryan Shawcross allowed Kalou to score with a super diving header.
Kalou’s finish was more controversial shortly after. Having seen Sorensen parry a shot from Lampard, Kalou launched his feet at the ball but also took the man in the process of scoring.
What could have been a disallowed goal and a red card ended with Chelsea’s advantage being doubled. The penalty, awarded for Robert Huth’s foul on Kalou was equally dubious.
The rugby-style challenge seemed to be outside the box, but Steve Bennett pointed to the spot and Lampard celebrated the Player of the Season award he received before kick off with his 24th goal of the campaign.
With Stoke in disarray and Dave Kitson seemingly telling the bench to ‘f*** off’ after being substituted, Kalou completed his first Chelsea hat-trick in the 68th minute.After meeting a delightful chip from Lampard, the Ivory Coast star’s first shot was saved by substitute Asmir Begovic, but he scored with his second effort.
The finest goal then followed from Lampard; a brilliant volley with the outside of his right foot that diverted a cross from Sam Hutchinson beyond the keeper.Drogba’s pass invited Sturridge to accelerate past Begovic and score with his left foot for No 6 and Joe Cole crossed for Malouda to make it seven.‘Are you watching Manchester,’ cried jubilant Chelsea fans. Ferguson might not have been, but you can bet he will be tuning in for Sunday’s clash at Anfield.

MATCH FACTS Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech 6; Ferreira 7(Hutchinson 73min, 7), Ivanovic 7, Alex 7,A Cole 7; Lampard 8, Ballack 7,Malouda 7; Kalou 9 (J Cole 71, 7),Drogba 8, Anelka 7 (Sturridge 79, 7).
Stoke (4-4-2): Sorensen 6 (Begovic 36,5); Higginbotham 5, Faye 5 (Shawcross9, 4), Huth 4, Collins 4; Whitehead 5,Whelan 5, Delap 5, Etherington 5;Fuller 6, Kitson 4 (Tuncay 59, 5).Booked: Whelan, Whitehead, Huth.

Man of the match: Salomon Kalou.Referee: Steve Bennett.

* Chelsea have scored 33 goalsin eight Premier League games
at home this year.
* They have scored 60 at home in18 PL games this season.
* With 93 PL goals, they can stillhit a ton with two matches to go.