Chelsea thrash sorry Pompey

Chelsea picked up where Manchester City left off at the weekend by rattling four past a hapless, injury-hit Portsmouth.

Frank Lampard scored twice - the first from the penalty spot - while Florent Malouda and the eye-catching Salomon Kalou joined in the fun.

Chelsea manufactured the opening goal 10 minutes before the interval after Didier Drogba and Lampard combined to find Malouda down the left flank.

Malouda's cross was just behind the first ranks of blue shirts flooding into the box but Michael Ballack raced onto the loose ball. He toed the ball forward and was brought down by Nadri Belhadj. Referee Steve Bennett pointed straight to the spot and Lampard's low drive was unstoppable.

Malouda rifled Chelsea's second past James in the last minute of the half after being picked out by a clever ball from Kalou, Portsmouth's tormentor in chief.

Kalou was at it again moments after the re-start as Lampard scored his second in bizarre circumstances. James deflected Kalou's cross onto Lampard's knee and the ball dribbled almost apologetically into the net.

Lampard reacted sheepishly, as if he thought the goal would be disallowed, and it was not until he raised his arm that the Chelsea supporters positioned down the other end realised a goal had been scored.

The tempo was pedestrian with Portsmouth, featuring three deep-lying midfielders, unable to offer anything in response.

After playing such an effective supporting role Kalou then helped himself, cutting in from the right flank to beat a non-existent Portsmouth defence and score from 12 yards.