Chelsea produced an impressive attacking display to expose Blackburn's flaws and claim a thumping win which sends them top of the Premier League. They opened the scoring when Gael Givet diverted Nicolas Anelka's cross into his own net and Frank Lampard fired home from close range to make it two. Michael Essien curled in from distance before Lampard slotted a penalty after Ryan Nelson tripped Didier Drogba. Drogba completed the rout, out-jumping Nelson to head in Lampard's corner. The win was Chelsea's biggest ever against Blackburn and sees them leapfrog Manchester United, who face Liverpool on Sunday. Boss Carlo Ancelotti now prepares his side for Wednesday's visit of Bolton in the Carling Cup and then their trip to the same opponents in the league on Saturday. While this result was achieved against depleted opponents who deployed negative tactics and still ended up being torn apart, the Italian should be delighted with the way his players bounced back from their defeat at Aston Villa last time out in the league. He will also be buoyed by the performance of Joe Cole on his first Premier League start since January following a cruciate knee ligament injury. The England midfielder was at the heart of Chelsea's attacking play from the outset and might have marked his comeback with a goal inside 30 seconds, only to nod Lampard's lofted pass wide from a completely unmarked position. Lampard himself came tantalisingly close to opening the scoring with a rasping 25-yard drive which sailed just wide of the top right-hand corner. The omens were not good for Blackburn, who have now lost their last nine away league games, are yet to claim a point away from Ewood Park this season and have not scored a goal in their last seven matches against Chelsea. Chelsea put them on the back foot from the outset and, when they did look to counter-attack, lone-striker Jason Roberts was dealt with comfortably by John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho. That gave the hosts enough confidence to set up base camp in the Blackburn half and it came as no surprise when they opened the scoring. Michael Ballack sent Anelka racing down the left wing and the Frenchman's low centre, aimed for the on-rushing Drogba, was poked into his own net by a sliding Givet. A succession of chances came Chelsea's way but they were denied by a combination of their own profligacy and the inspired reflexes of Blackburn goalkeeper Paul Robinson. The former Tottenham stopper came off his line to expertly foil Anelka before repelling a venomous swerving strike by Drogba and turning away a goalbound Terry volley with a magnificent dive to his right. In between those chances, Morten Gamst Pedersen drilled wide after neat hold-up play by Roberts and Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech was relieved to see Essien clear after he came to punch Pedersen's long throw but completely missed the ball. Chelsea continued to flood forward at the beginning of the second half and swiftly gained reward for their dominance. Drogba rolled Martin Olsson and, after Lars Jacobsen failed to deal with his cross from the right, Lampard smashed the ball home from 10 yards to notch his first league goal from open play since April. Sam Allardyce's men were firmly on the ropes and five minutes later Essien received possession from Ballack and found the net with a curving shot from 35 yards which Robinson will feel he should have saved. With Robinson now looking a shadow of the player that repeatedly thwarted Chelsea in the first half, the Blues began taking shots from all angles and distances. So perhaps it came as something of a surprise to the Blackburn defence when Drogba attempted to trundle his way towards goal. Nelson tripped the powerful Ivorian and Lampard wrong-footed Robinson from the spot. The rout was completed when Drogba outmuscled Nelson and headed Lampard's corner past a flapping Robinson. In the final act Terry, to the crowd's delight, ensure a clean sheet for Chelsea when he bravely cleared off the line after Olsson had lobbed Cech. The scorline could have been far worse for Blackburn and, after hosting Peterborough in the Carling Cup, they face a daunting trip to Manchester United next Saturday. Source: BBC