Didier Drogba scored a hat-trick as Chelsea began the defence of the Premier League title with a crushing 6-0 victory over newly-promoted West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge yesterday.
Victory left Chelsea on top of the table after an opening day that saw Blackpool mark their first top-flight match in 39 years with a shock 4-0 win away to Wigan.
Florent Malouda, who ended the goal spree in the 90th minute, started Chelsea’s rout with a sixth-minute goal after Baggies keeper Scott Carson spilled Drogba’s tame free-kick.
Chelsea doubled their lead in the 45th minute when Drogba scored a free-kick from 25 yards against a West Brom side managed by former Blues midfielder Roberto Di Matteo.
Ten minutes after the break, Drogba made it 3-0 when he forced home from close range after John Terry’s goalbound header from a corner was cleared.
England midfielder Frank Lampard added a fourth goal in the 63rd minute after good work by Nicolas Anelka and Ashley Cole.
Ivory Coast striker Drogba, who ended the last Premier League season with a hat-trick against Wigan, completed his treble five minutes later with the aid of a shot deflected off Gabriel Tamas.
Blackpool, promoted via the play-offs, have been widely tipped to go straight back down, but the Tangerines were 3-0 up before half-time, with former Villa striker Marlon Harewood scoring twice.
They went ahead in the 16th minute at Wigan’s DW Stadium when Charlie Adam played in Harewood, whose cross was tapped in by Gary Taylor-Fletcher.
Harewood then held off Antolin Alcaraz, before beating Chris Kirkland from more than 20 yards for his first Premier League goal in two-and-a-half-years.
Two minutes before the break, Harewood tapped in after Elliot Grandin’s shot was parried.
Then, 15 minutes before full-time, Alex Baptiste made it 4-0 when his cross beat Kirkland at the goalkeeper’s near post.
“I don’t think any of us in our wildest, wildest dreams imagined we could come here and do something like that,” said Blackpool manager Ian Holloway.
“I’m so proud of the lads and the work ethic they showed.”
Aston Villa showed there was life after Martin O’Neill with a 3-0 win at home to West Ham just days after their former manager’s resignation.
England goalkeeper Robert Green, playing his first senior match since his World Cup blunder, helped give Villa a 15th-minute lead. His poor punch led to a Marc Albrighton shot and, although Green palmed it away, Stewart Downing scored from the rebound.
Villa made it 2-0 when Stiliyan Petrov headed in five minutes before half-time.
And in what could be a parting gift to Villa fans, before his possible transfer to Manchester City, England midfielder James Milner made it 3-0 after shooting powerfully from Albrighton’s cut back in the 66th minute.
In the day’s early kick-off, England goalkeeper Joe Hart – chosen by Roberto Mancini ahead of Shay Given – produced several fine saves to help big-spenders Manchester City secure a point in a goalless draw at Tottenham.
But Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard gifted hosts Blackburn a 14th-minute winner in a 1-0 victory when he somehow dropped a cross into the path of Nikola Kalinic, who duly scored.
Birmingham came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against 10-man Sunderland.
Darren Bent opened the scoring for hosts Sunderland with a 24th minute penalty. But two minutes before the break, Sunderland captain Lee Cattermole became the first player sent off in the Premier League this season after collecting two yellow cards.
Sunderland went 2-0 up when Steve Carr looped a header into his own net.
However, late goals from Scott Dann and Liam Ridgewell saw Birmingham draw.