Chelsea two good for Latics

Two Shaun Wright-Phillips inspired goals were enough to see them cut the gap at the top.

He handed Frank Lampard the opener on a plate, before an athletic leap gave Juliano Belletti the chance to score his first goal for the club in fine style.

The lead was Chelsea's in the 11th minute when some quick feet from Wright-Phillips took him past challenges from Denny Landzaat and Kevin Kilbane.

His measured ball found Lampard in the area and he swept home with aplomb to follow up his hat-trick against Leicester.

Wright-Phillips was involved in the second, leaping acrobatically to keep the ball from going out, although there was a suspicion the ball may have crossed the line.

But it was Belletti who produced the magic, running 60 yards into Wigan territory before taking advantage of some reticent defending to rifle past Chris Kirkland from 20 yards.

Sloppy defending in the second minute after the restart handed Jason Koumas possession 20 yards from the Chelsea goal but, by the time the Welshman found Landzaat in the penalty box, the Blues had recovered sufficiently to block out his shot.

The hosts continued to put their opponents under pressure, Michael Brown's skiddy 56th-minute shot needing a well-timed block from Alex to protect Petr Cech.

Wigan were causing panic in the away defence with some aggressive running, although Bent looked like he could do with sharing the burden up front.