Essien red card takes the gloss off smooth riposte from Chelsea

The only blot on a smooth win yesterday came in added time when substitute Michael Essien was sent off for swinging an arm at Kenny Miller. Otherwise, Chelsea were efficient and adequate, with goals by Salomon Kalou and Shaun Wright-Phillips enough to keep them in the top-four hunt.

As for Derby, they lamented two moments that went against them. First Miller was denied a potential equaliser by an offside flag, then Giles Barnes was floored in the build-up to Chelsea's second.

Even well below full-strength and their best, Chelsea were value enough for their 12th game unbeaten in all competitions under new manager Grant.

In keeping with the theme of the day, the England players on view were roundly jeered. Derby fans' venom was particularly spiteful.

"You're not fit to wear the shirt," they sang at Wright- Phillips and Frank Lampard, who may not have had his best game for England but at least had the courage to convert the penalty. John Terry and Ashley Cole, absent against Croatia but fit to return for Chelsea, presented a bit of a problem. The crowd settled for: "Where were you on Wednesday night?"

It may have contributed to a subdued Chelsea start, though the absence of Didier Drogba, who had injured a knee on duty for Ivory Coast, was probably a more significant factor as they adjusted to playing with Andriy Shevchenko as central striker.

Even with Ricardo Carvalho injured and Essien and Joe Cole on the bench, Chelsea had far too many weapons for Derby.

Lampard did not seem especially concerned by the ridicule he received after sending a shot over the bar. Within a minute he instigated the move that ended with Steve Sidwell slipping a ball into Kalou, darting through the gaping Derby central defence, Chelsea's other Ivorian tucking the ball neatly past Stephen Bywater.

Kalou should have doubled the lead before half-time. Wright- Phillips, revelling in more accommodating opposition than the Croatians, floated in a cross from the left and Claude Davis horrendously headed the ball straight down on the edge of the Derby six-yard box. Kalou, unaccountably, fired over.

It would have been fair reflection of the balance of play, with Derby exhibiting the English disease, not good enough to retain possession for long enough to carve out clear-cut chances or sustain pressure.

Talented teenager Barnes did offer hope but he was too often isolated. When David Jones found Barnes, he in turn supplied Craig Fagan in space on the right but the drilled shot was wide.

Derby rarely tested Carlo Cudicini, deputising for the injured Petr Cech, aside from a Fagan shot pushed away and the Miller lobbed finish which was controversially ruled out.

Then when Barnes was caught in possession near halfway by Shevchenko, referee Andre Marriner waved play on, Lampard went on to hit a post and a kind rebound allowed Wright-Phillips to tap home.