Goals from Nicolas Anelka, Florent Malouda and Didier Drogba ensured Chelsea also kept the heat on second-placed Liverpool in the Premier League.

Guus Hiddink‘s side dented Fulham’s own hopes of European football next season as West Ham and Manchester City both moved above the Cottagers in the race for seventh place.

The contest began in dramatic fashion with three goals inside the first 10 minutes.

The Blues opened the scoring inside 50 seconds.

Malouda and Anelka combined down the left before Malouda’s cross was stabbed into the path of Anelka by Drogba.

The France international finished from the edge of the six-yard box.

But Fulham hit back immediately and were level in the fifth minute.

Norwegian striker Erik Nevland scored his second goal in as many games when he ran to a great pass by Danny Murphy to beat Petr Cech with a fierce angled drive.

Two minutes later Frank Lampard was narrowly wide with a clever chip shot as Chelsea looked to restore their advantage.

But the home side were back in front in the 10th minute when Anelka fed Drogba inside the penalty area and his low cross was lashed into the net by Florent Malouda.

But Fulham were still dangerous on the counter and Nevland smashed an 18-yard volley just over the bar in the 14th minute.

Moments later a cross from Paul Konchesky found the head of Bobby Zamora but the Fulham striker’s effort was just wide of Cech’s right-hand upright.

Chelsea’s Drogba then had a goal ruled out for offside but TV replays clearly showed that the Ivorian was onside and the goal should have counted.

Drogba felt he should have earned a penalty in the 29th minute when he went down in the area under a challenge from Konchesky. But referee Alan Wiley rejected Chelsea’s appeals.

But moments later Drogba was fouled by John Pantsil only for Lampard to send the free-kick into the second tier of the Shed end.

Fulham were dealt another blow to their attack in the 35th minute when goalscorer Nevland succumbed to a knock on his knee and was replaced by Diomansy Kamara.

But Kamara proved to be full of running and won the ball off John Terry before supplying Zoltan Gera via Pantsil.

Gera’s ferocious effort was deflected for a corner by Terry, who threw his body into the path of the ball at the last minute.

Aaron Hughes saved Fulham from falling further behind seconds later when he half-blocked a shot from Lampard which then grazed the outside of the post.

Chelsea made two changes at half-time with Michael Ballack replacing Michael Essien in midfield and Branislav Ivanovic coming on for Alex in the centre of defence.

Chelsea made it 3-1 in the 53rd minute with a superb counter-attack that was finished by Drogba.

Anelka broke clear on the right flank and slipped a perfect ball into the path of the Ivorian who took one touch before slotting the ball beyond the advancing Mark Schwarzer.

Chelsea were given an injury scare in the 55th minute when Drogba collided awkwardly with Pantsil on the edge of the Fulham penalty area.

Drogba was eventually declared fit enough to carry on and play had ended when Malouda was fouled on the edge of the penalty box.

Lampard’s free-kick was tipped over the crossbar by Schwarzer and Drogba was given a rousing reception as he returned to the fray.

Fulham had now lost their shape completely and Chelsea were able to break out at will.

Drogba almost made it four in the 68th minute but he could only turn Anelka’s right-wing cross wide of the near post.

Chelsea continued to dominate and Ballack went close with a close-range header that finished on top of the net.

n the 88th minute Mikel was just wide with a 25-yard rising drive but Chelsea had done enough to run out comfortable winners.

Source: teamtalk.com

The Serbian defender – only playing because of the injury to first-choice right-back Jose Bosingwa – scored his first goals in a Blue shirt as Guus Hiddink’s team brought the Reds fine run of recent form to a crashing halt.

Fernando Torres gave Rafael Benitez‘s side an early lead but two headers either side of half-time from Ivanovic and a Didier Drogba strike put Chelsea into the driving seat ahead of next week’s return leg at Stamord Bridge.

The Reds’ reward for a fast start was the opening goal in the sixth minute. Dirk Kuyt pulled Alex’s clearance out of the Merseyside sky before the Dutchman’s superb backheel sent Alvaro Arbeloa clear down the right. The full-back was precise in his delivery, picking out Torres, who stroked the ball past Petr Cech from 12 yards out.

Chelsea could and should have been level immediately. Solomon Kalou robbed Fabio Aurelio before feeding Drogba, who smashed the ball straight at Pepe Reina when one-on-one with the hosts’ keeper.

Florent Malouda’s low, left-footed drive from the edge of the box drifted narrowly wide of Reina’s post midway through the opening period, while Torres’ curler at the other end came equally as close moments later.

Drogba wasted his second golden opportunity in the 28th minute when he blasted over from close range but despite the prolific Ivorian’s wastefulness, Chelsea hauled themselves level six minutes before the break.

Florent Malouda’s corner landed on the edge of the six-yard box and Ivanovic evaded the attentions of both Xabi Alonso and Martin Skrtel to plant a firm header past Reina.

Liverpool came desperately close to retaking the lead within seconds of conceding when Kuyt left John Terry for dead on the right-side of the box but Cech rescued his side, sprinting off his line to block the Dutchman’s effort.

The frenetic pace of the game continued in the early exchanges of the second half, and Drogba finally managed to hit the target five minutes after the break. However, with Reina beaten by the Blues’ striker’s low effort, Jamie Carragher recovered to clear off the line, preserving parity for the hosts.

Blues’ captain John Terry collected a caution on the hour-mark, earning the defender a suspension but Chelsea recovered from the blow of losing their skipper for the second leg by taking the lead in the 62nd minute.

Liverpool failed to learn from their earlier mistake and it was Ivanovic again who nodded home, this time from Lampard’s corner.

Things quickly got worse for the hosts when a sublime move culminated in Chelsea’s third on 66 minutes.

Michael Ballack’s slide-rule pass sent Malouda clear on the left, and his low, driven cross was smashed home from close range by Drogba.

Liverpool desperately sought a way back into the tie but Chelsea looked the more likely to increase their lead on the break.

Hiddink’s troops leave Anfield in control of the tie, with Liverpool now needing to score at least three times in west London next Tuesday.

Following on from the crucial Premier League win at Aston Villa on Saturday, the Blues made it two wins out of two for new boss Guus Hiddink, while ex-Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri has work to do ahead of the return leg in a fortnight if he is to guide his Serie A side into the last eight at the expense of his former employers.

Drogba’s early strike made the difference for the hosts, whose only regret may be not turning their territorial domination into a bigger advantage to take to the Stadio Olimpico in Turin.

The Blues began on the front foot, and stayed there for the entire first period.

Salomon Kalou tested Gianluigi Buffon’s handling with an effort from outside the box in the third minute, shortly before Jose Bosingwa’s right-wing cross was headed over from close range by Drogba.

The Ivorian made amends however in the 12th minute with the opening goal. Kalou’s threaded pass from outside the box was pounced upon by his compatriot and the Blues striker made no mistake in firing past Buffon on the turn from just inside the box.

Drogba failed to test Buffon again when he mistimed his leap to meet Frank Lampard’s inswinging corner kick in the 16th minute while Juve finally found some fluency in attack midway through the opening period when Alessandro Del Piero’s shot on the turn forced Petr Cech into a fine diving save.

Drogba wasted another headed opportunity just after the break when he was picked out by Bosingwa’s cross from deep on the right before Buffon fielded Lampard’s drive from outside the box shortly before the hour mark.

Cech had to be alert to keep out Amauri’s 70th-minute header while Anelka’s 25-yard drive whistled past the Juve post as the Blues looked to increase their lead with four minutes remaining.

Substitute David Trezeguet then miscued a volley moments later but the Bianconeri will not be too dispirited to leave London with only a one-goal deficit and the tie still far from over.

Source: teamtalk.com

New Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink believes Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba can play in the same team – if they show defensive as well as attacking qualities.

Anelka marked Hiddink’s first game in charge by scoring the winner against Aston Villa – his 21st goal of the season. Victory pushed the Blues ahead of Villa into third spot in the Barclays Premier League.

Previous Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari had been reluctant to play Drogba and Anelka in the same team. However, Hiddink said: “You can only play good attacking football when everyone knows their job defensively.

“We have quality players like Anelka and Drogba and, when they have the spirit to work defensively for the team, then you can also the play the way we like tolay.

“They are the first defensive line and must join in with the midfield in having defensive responsibilities.

“If they are willing to do that there is no problem with using their strong qualities offensively.”

Hiddink also insisted he had seen no divisions amongst the players in the build-up to the game.

He said: “We have worked very hard physically and also strategically. Everyone has been very professional. I have not seen any division in the group.”

As regards Chelsea’s 1-0 victory, Hiddink said: “I am satisfied with the performance and the result, especially against a team like Villa who have had a very good record recently. They have not been beaten in the league for a long time.

“In the first half we were very dominant and the only criticism is that we did not finish the game off.

“In the second half they came at us with their big strong guys in the air but we were also a bit too static when we had the ball in possession.

“We can improve a little bit but I am very pleased and satisfied to get that game in our pocket.”

Villa boss Martin O’Neill felt a third game in six days after cup ties with Everton and CSKA Moscow had taken its toll on his side.

He said: “It sounds like an excuse but I do believe the three games in quick succession took their toll. At the beginning, we looked leggy and Chelsea got into their stride very quickly.

“We got a bit of momentum before half-time and had a lot of possession in the second half without creating too many chances.

“I am disappointed with the setback but we are far from finished. I suppose it is a sign of how far we have come that we are disappointed at being fourth in the table.

“We have some quality players. You get disappointments but we will bounce back and there is not a dent in our belief.

“I thought we could win today. I still thought that at half-time. In terms of effort and determination they have given everything.

“The top four teams have the squads to cope with hectic schedules and it is something we will have to learn as well. But we are still in there fighting.”

Meanwhile match-winner Anelka hopes Chelsea’s win can kick-start a winning run under Hiddink.

He told Sky Sports 1: “We showed it last week and again, today, we showed a lot of character because it was a hard game.

“It is good for all the players and for the new coach as well because we can continue this winning way and we hope we can win more games.

“It is going to be difficult but we think it is possible. We hope we are back in the race.”

Source: www.football365.com