Chelsea sweeps to victory over West Ham

Chelsea sweeps to victory over West Ham

Published Sep. 11, 2010 7:29 p.m. ET

Chelsea kept up its perfect record in the Premier League on Saturday as two goals from Michael Essien steered the English champion to a 3-1 victory at West Ham and its fourth win from as many matches this season.

Chelsea wasted no time at Upton Park, with midfielder Essien heading home in the second minute and Salomon Kalou finding the net in the 18th when a clearance by West Ham defender Matthew Upson ricocheted in off the Ivorian striker.

Essien nodded in Chelsea's third in the 83rd minute, two minutes before Scott Parker pulled a consolation goal back for the home side when he lobbed keeper Petr Cech, the goal to be scored in the league against Chelsea this season.

''I think he's better than a new signing,'' Ancelotti said of Essien, who missed most of last season with a knee injury. ''We missed him last season because he's one of the top midfielders in the world. He came back and we're happy he can maintain this level of play.

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''He's fit now. We have to pay attention because he's playing well, all the games at the start of the season. He scored today, and that's fantastic. He's a fantastic jumper and I hope he maintains this position for as long as possible.''

Chelsea leads the standings with 12 points, two more than Arsenal and four clear of Manchester United.

West Ham is last having failed to win a single point and having conceded 12 goals, heaping pressure on manager Avram Grant.

By contrast, Carlo Ancelotti's team have now scored 17 and its domination of this game began as early as the second minute when debutant Ramires won a corner on the left flank and Essien rose above two defenders to head home Didier Drogba's cross.

West Ham almost equalised moments later when new signing Victor Obinna sent a close-range effort straight at goalkeeper Petr Cech.

The visitors went 2-0 up in the 17th minute, though, when West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green spilled a 30-yard free-kick from Drogba. Matthew Upson tried to clear the loose ball but it cannoned back off Kalou and over the head of Green.

Chelsea made it 3-0 in the 83rd minute when Essien headed home Paulo Ferreira's cross, but moments later Parker calmly lobbed Cech from 20 yards.

''Our start means nothing,'' Ancelotti told the Press Association. ''We have started better than Manchester United, but it will be a long race. I said last year that the race is only decided at the end of the season. I will say the same this year.

''There are moments during the season where you are not lucky. United conceded two goals in the last few minutes today against Everton. It can happen to us the same.''

With speculation over his future at Upton Park beginning to surface, Grant continues to insist he is here for the long term.

''I'm not happy we lost the game,'' he said. ''We have zero points, and we've deserved more from our last two home games. The owners won't be happy either, but they know it's a long-term project. I don't think we'll be in this position after 25 or 30 games.''

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