Callum Hudson-Odoi was among the goals as Chelsea cruised to a 4-0 win over PAOK in Thursday evening's Europa League clash.
The youngster netted on the hour for his first goal at senior level after Giroud had put the Blues a couple of goals in front.
PAOK, who had Yevhen Khacheridi sent off seven minutes in, also conceded to a Morata header in the final quarter of the match.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Europa League tie between Chelsea and PAOK at Stamford Bridge. The home side have won four from four so far in Group L to book their place in the last 32 of the competition with a couple of games to spare, and they now require just one more victory over the next fortnight to make certain of top spot.
The other Group L fixture this evening between BATE and Videoton is already underway, and the outcome of that one will have an impact on both sides at Stamford Bridge. Updates from that clash in Belarus will be provided throughout our build-up, but let us first turn our focus to some confirmed team news from West London, which makes for interesting reading from the hosts' perspective.
CHELSEA TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Kepa; Zappacosta, Christensen, Cahill, Emerson; Barkley, Fabregas, Loftus-Cheek; Pedro, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi
SUBS: Caballero, Alonso, Ampadu, Jorginho, Kovacic, Morata, Willian
Starting with a look at the home team, manager Maurizio Sarri has made 10 changes on the back of the 3-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. Wholesale changes were expected, as the Blues have already made it through to the last 32 and have therefore prioritised their meeting with Fulham in three days' time. The only player to retain his place in the side is goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The big news is that Callum Hudson-Odoi is given a first start since the Community Shield defeat to Manchester City in August. That is a move that will please the vast majority of those in attendance tonight, as the English winger is highly rated following some superb pre-season displays. Sarri was questioned for leaving the youngster out in other matches this term, but he has another chance to impress tonight.
Ross Barkley is one of those who has taken his chances this term, though he has been relegated to starts in the Europa League of late, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek netted a hat-trick against BATE in Chelsea's most recent European outing. There is plenty of experience alongside Hudson-Odoi in the forward line, meanwhile, as Olivier Giroud and Pedro are also given the nod.
Giroud, who has scored two goals in 13 matches this term, could do with a big performance tonight to force his way into Sarri's plans for Sunday's showdown with Fulham. The man he is battling for the centre-forward spot, Alvaro Morata, is out of form and this could well be an audition of sorts for the Frenchman. At the other end of the field, it is all change as Emerson Palmieri is one of four new faces in the backline from the loss to Spurs.
PAOK TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Paschalakis; Matos, Khacheridi, Crespo, Vieirinha; Mauricio, Wernbloom; Jaba, Shakhov, El Kaddouri; Prijovic
SUBS: Akpom, Biseswar, Canas, Pelkas, Rey, Valera, Warda
Switching focus to the visitors, boss Razvan Lucescu has made six changes to his side following last weekend's win against Xanthi. Jaba, who netted a couple of times in PAOK's win against BATE earlier in the competition - their only victory to date - starts in a three-man attacking midfield alongside Yevgeniy Shakhov and Omar El Kaddouri. That means former Arsenal man Chuba Akpom is only among the subs.
Akpom is one of three former Premier League players in PAOK's squad as Jose Angel Crespo, formerly of Aston Villa, starts at centre-back and ex-Swansea City man Jose Alberto Canas is among the subs. There are no real star names in the visitors' squad, though striker Aleksandar Prijovic is a full Serbia international and netted in last week's win over Lithuania, before registering against Xanthi on his return to club action.
Mauricio returns to defensive midfield alongside Pontus Wernbloom as Lucescu continues with his rotation policy in that area of the field, and it is likely to be a busy evening for the four players positioned directly behind them, as well as goalkeeper Alexandros Paschalakis. Dimitris Pelkas was tipped to return to the fold on the back of the loss to Vidi last time out in this competition, but he has to settle for a place on the bench.
Kepa Arrizabalaga is the only survivor from Chelsea's 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur as manager Maurizio Sarri makes 10 changes, including a first competitive start of the season for Callum Hudson-Odoi out wide. The visitors, meanwhile, show six alterations from last weekend's league win against Xanthi.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Chelsea's 1-0 win over PAOK on matchday one was the first time that these two sides have faced off in a UEFA competition. The Blues are now unbeaten in five matches against Greek opposition and have won both previous home matches, most recently seeing off Olympiacos 3-0 in the 2007-08 Champions League last 16.
PAOK have a good record away to Premier League opposition, however, having drawn 1-1 with Arsenal and defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 on their previous two visits. The Greek side had been tipped to provide Chelsea with their sternest competition in Group L, but they have taken just three points from a possible 12 and appear to be on the brink of an early exit, unless results go their way tonight.
The visitors' only win and only goals so far came in their 4-1 victory over BATE Borisov on the second matchday, losing 2-0 and 1-0 to Vidi home and away since then, on top of their opening-game defeat to Chelsea. That puts them three points adrift of surprise package Vidi, who are the only side that can topple the Blues and finish top, while BATE are also in contention for a top-two finish.
PAOK's fate is no longer in their own hands following those back-to-back losses against Vidi, but the early kickoff in Group L is going in their favour at the moment. A failure to win at Stamford Bridge, coupled with a Vidi draw at BATE, would see them exit the competition before they even emerged down the tunnel. However, BATE lead the Hungarian minnows 1-0 at the Borisov Arena in a result that would be enough for Chelsea to claim top spot.
We have avoided this match becoming a dead rubber as things stand, then, although a late goal for Vidi will change all that. PAOK retained the Greek Cup last season, but they failed to make it past the qualifying stage in the Champions League and Europa League, so they have already bettered last term's finish on the continent regardless of the outcome of tonight's matches.
Not that it will be much consolation for Lucescu, who would not have envisaged his side being dumped out of the competition after just five, or possibly four, matches, especially after knocking out Basel and Spartak Moscow in Champions League qualifying prior to a two-legged loss against Benfica. PAOK do tend to do well when reaching the Europa League group stage, though, progressing to the knockouts in four of their six previous campaigns.
On the four occasions that the Salonika side have made it through to the last 32, however, they have been immediately knocked out. Simply making it that far this time around is a massive challenge in itself, with three points possibly being required in West London this evening. PAOK have won nine and drawn six of their previous 21 away matches in the Europa League group stage, though they did recently suffer a first defeat in five against Vidi.
Tonight's game will be PAOK's 41st in the Europa League group stage - the third-highest tally of any club, behind only Red Bull Salzburg and Basel. The Greek side have hit form domestically speaking since losing to Vidi a few weeks ago, racking up three wins in a row, most recently seeing off Xanthi 2-0 to find themselves five points clear at the top of the Greek Super League. If nothing else, they are once again right in the mix for domestic silverware.
PAOK, who lead the way in the Greek Super League, require victory tonight to draw level on points with BATE and Vidi in the race for second place in Group L. BATE currently lead Vidi 2-0 in Belarus - a result that keeps the group alive ahead of this late kickoff, though it does mean that top spot is already wrapped up for Chelsea before they have even kicked a ball.
This is the first season that Chelsea have participated in the group phase of the Europa League, and it is fair to say that they have cruised through - although not exactly in style, having had to grind out three 1-0 wins from their four matches. Four wins from four cannot be questioned, though, even if the calibre of opposition is not exactly high, with their winning run in this competition now standing at seven matches - only Atletico Madrid, with 15 in a row, can boast a better run in its history.
Chelsea kicked things off with a tricky but deserved 1-0 win away to PAOK, before edging out Vidi by the same scoreline and earning back-to-back wins over BATE Borisov. The win in Belarus a couple of weeks ago made certain of a place in the last 32, and we now know that the Blues will finish top of Group L, even if they lost their remaining two fixtures. After welcoming PAOK tonight, Sarri's men travel to Vidi on December 13.
The home side may have European football to look forward to in the second half of the season, but they have stuttered domestically, winning just three of their last eight Premier League matches. The 3-1 loss to Spurs at the weekend was a major blow for Sarri's men, seeing them drop down to fourth place and leading to questions being asked for the first time since the Italian succeeded compatriot Antonio Conte in July.
A loss of momentum at this key stage of the season will be a big concern for Sarri, making it all the more important to pick up victory tonight to get back on track. Sarri confessed even when his side were winning match after match that his squad is not strong enough to challenge Manchester City for the title, and the manner of the loss to Spurs certainly suggests that they have a long way to go yet.
Hazard also admitted as much in the aftermath of the Wembley humbling, and now Chelsea have to get back in gear ahead of league games against Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Man City in quick succession. The Europa League is a competition that Sarri intends to take seriously, as proved by the four successive wins so far, and this is a competition the Blues enjoy, having gone all the way in 2013 in their only previous participation.
Chelsea share the best defensive record in this season's competition along with Slavia Prague, conceding just one goal in their opening four matches. No side has ever managed to go six group games without conceding in the Europa League, though two others have progressed through with just one goal shipped - Standard Liege (2011-12) and Red Bull Salzburg (2017-18). That is something for Sarri's men to aim for ahead of their final two Group L games.
DID YOU KNOW? Chelsea have won each of their last five Europa League home matches, with four of those coming by a 3-1 scoreline, and they have gone 13 matches since losing at Stamford Bridge in European competition. That is a run stretching back to September 2013 when going down 2-1 to Swiss side Basel in the group stage of the Champions League.
With kickoff in West London now less than five minutes away, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Maurizio Sarri: "I went player by player. I had a meeting of ten minutes individual meetings. We lost the match after three months and a half, we have to understand why and from the mental approach. If you don't have the determination then maybe you don't have the character in the mind, I wanted to understand this. The target in my mind is very clear, it is to win something and in the long time to become the best team in Europe."
Razvan Lucescu: "We will try to do everything to have a perfect game. Inside of all of us is the will to fight and have a very good result to continue also in the Europa League. It's difficult, but we want and we wish this. The situation is not in our hands. We have to be ready for everything, ready to react, ready to give everything and run a lot. Chelsea have huge control of the game, they will make us run a lot. Whenever we have the ball we need to take advantage of our quality."
Lucescu acknowledges that his side's hopes of progressing out of Group L are no longer in their own hands, though that could change should they pick up a shock victory here. A reminder that BATE's 2-0 win over Videoton a little earlier ensures that PAOK are still in with a chance of finishing in the top two, while Chelsea are assured of top spot no matter what the result tonight.
KICKOFF: Chelsea get proceedings underway at Stamford Bridge. Not a great deal on the line for the Blues on the face of it, but it is certainly a chance for a number of their fringe players - Cesc Fabregas, Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek among them - to impress.
There are 3,000 PAOK fans in attendance this evening, and Chelsea had to issue a warning against home fans selling on their tickets to the Greek side's supporters. They are making plenty of noise, as they have done for a good hour.
A positive start from the home side. Pedro works a shooting position and looks to find the far corner, but his effort hit an opposition player and went out for a corner, which ultimately came to little.
Solid defending from Gary Cahill, who could be making one of his final appearances in a Chelsea shirt should there be any truth to the rumours that he will be allowed to leave in January. The centre-back gets his head to Vieirinha's whipped delivery.
RED CARD! A difficult task for PAOK has just become even tougher. Olivier Giroud pounced on a stray pass and was through on goal, only for Yevhen Khacheridi to hack down the French striker. The referee had little choice but to reach into his back pocket.
Further punishment does not follow, as Cesc Fabregas dragged the free kick under the wall but past the post from 20 yards. PAOK, whose gameplan is to sit back and soak up the pressure, must now do so with just 10 men.
CHANCE! Callum Hudson-Odoi sends the ball over the top for Olivier Giroud to latch onto, but the Frenchman blasted over the crossbar with a rather awkward attempt. Prior to that, a drilled cross went right the way through the box.
CHANCE! Another chance for Chelsea to make a breakthrough inside the opening quarter of the match, which Pedro fails to take. The Spaniard's first touch was delightful, but he could not keep his shot down when through on goal.
CLOSE! Chelsea are truly dominating this match now, as Callum Hudson-Odoi cuts in from the left and curls the ball narrowly wide of the far post. A header from distance was easily kept out by Alexandros Paschalakis prior to that, as was Hudson-Odoi's shot down the middle.
It's a mystery how Chelsea have failed to make a breakthrough, having already created a number of big openings. PAOK are just enjoying a spell on the ball, but it is surely just a matter of time before the hosts find the net.
PAOK are just looking to hold on for as long as they can without conceding. Nearly a quarter of the game gone and, with just 10 players on the field following the red card for Yevhen Khacheridi, they have so far managed to do that.
SAVE! Ruben Loftus-Cheek netted a hat-trick against BATE here last month, and he would have had another goal if not for a stunning save from Alexandros Paschalakis. The visiting keeper got a hand to the midfielder's long-range drive.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has really stepped things up over the last five minutes, jinking his way past a couple of players but failing to squeeze the ball in at the near post. The Blues probing away and will surely bag an opener before half time.
Chelsea have seen nearly 70% of the ball in the opening 26 minutes - it seems like more - and are turning possession into chances. Emerson Palmieri gets in behind down the left but cannot find a teammate with his cross.
GOAL! CHELSEA 1-0 PAOK (OLIVIER GIROUD)
Just short of the half-hour mark at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea finally make the breakthrough. Olivier Giroud placed the ball out of Alexandros Paschalakis's reach after being played in by Pedro for his third goal in three matches.
OFF THE BAR! Callum Hudson-Odoi could have had a few goals already tonight. The youngster's latest effort is a curler from just outside the area, which came back off the frame of the goal with Alexandros Paschalakis beaten. The Blues look good value for a second.
A fine cross from Emerson Palmieri was crying out for a player in blue to help it over the line, but none of them managed to do so. Sarri does not look all that pleased down on the touchline, despite his side's dominance here.
SAVE! A good stop from Alexandros Paschalakis at his near post to keep out Pedro's flicked finish. PAOK are digging deep and will take a one-goal deficit at half time after the huge blow of losing a player inside the opening seven minutes.
GOAL! CHELSEA 2-0 PAOK (OLIVIER GIROUD)
I said this would be a big night for Olivier Giroud, and he is certainly sending a message out to Maurizio Sarri. Great movement from the Frenchman to peel off his man and volley Cesc Fabregas's lofted pass past Alexandros Paschalakis at his near post.
This has been an impressive first-half showing from Chelsea, who certainly look motivated despite having next to nothing to play for tonight. Olivier Giroud, seen here celebrating his opener, now has four goals in three matches for the Blues.
Just a few minutes of the first half to play and PAOK have still yet to put together an attacking move of any note. Lucescu's gameplan pretty much went out of the window with the early red card; his side are heading for a big loss on the basis of the opening 42 minutes.
CHANCE! Emerson Palmieri is having plenty of joy down the left, once again getting in behind and this time picking out Pedro in the middle. The Spaniard miscued his shot, though, and Leo Matos was able to block it in front of goal. Should have been 3-0.
PAOK are finally offering an attacking threat, with attacking midfielder Leo Jaba getting a shot away for Gary Cahill to block in front of goal. Just a minute of the first half to play, plus any added on by the officials.
HALF TIME: CHELSEA 2-0 PAOK
Chelsea take a two-goal lead into half time thanks to a couple of strikes from Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman netted twice in the space of 10 minutes following Yevhen Khacheridi's early sending off, giving the Blues plenty of breathing space with 45 minutes still to play.
Brought back into the side as one of 10 changes from the 3-1 loss to Chelsea last weekend, Giroud made an immediate impact as he pounced on a stray pass and charged through on goal. Khacheridi was forced to hack down the former Arsenal striker and was shown a red card by Kristo Tohver inside the opening seven minutes, making a tough task for PAOK all the more difficult.
Chelsea were having no problems turning possession into chances, as Giroud and Pedro both came close to netting with their efforts, while Callum Hudson-Odoi also tested Alexandros Paschalakis. The visiting keeper would also be needed to push aside a powerful drive from Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who netted a hat-trick against BATE Borisov in Chelsea's most recent European outing here, but the breakthrough arrived before the half-hour mark.
Pedro slotted a pass through for Giroud, who tucked the ball out of Paschalakis's reach with a smart finish to make it three goals in three games. That record was extended soon after as Giroud this time volleyed Cesc Fabregas's chipped pass past Paschalakis at the Greek keeper's near post. Hudson-Odoi curled a shot against the crossbar between those two goals and Pedro had a couple of shots kept out in a dominant first-half showing from the hosts.
BENCH WATCH!
CHELSEA SUBS: Caballero, Alonso, Ampadu, Jorginho, Kovacic, Morata, Willian
PAOK SUBS: Akpom, Biseswar, Canas, Pelkas, Rey, Valera, Warda
KICKOFF: We are back up and running at Stamford Bridge, where there is news of a half-time change. Aleksandar Prijovic, who barely had a touch in the first half, is replaced by Egyptian midfielder Amr Warda.
Chelsea win a corner early in the second half, which caused panic in the visitors' box before eventually being hacked clear. The Blues, on course for five wins from five in Europe, could do with a third goal just to make certain of the points.
YELLOW CARD! Pontus Wernbloom, shifted to centre-back early in the match, is shown a yellow card for chopping down Callum Hudson-Odoi. PAOK are struggling to live with their opponents this evening, not helped by the early sending off.
Sarri will likely make a change or two on the hour mark, and it will be interesting to see if two-goal Olivier Giroud stays on. Emerson Palmieri challenges Amr Warda in the box, but the opposition player looked to have instigated the contact.
PAOK have performed better in the first 10 minutes of the second half than they did in the first, with Amr Warda shooting wide from a half-cleared corner. Chelsea are guilty of taking their foot off the gas, as Gary Cahill sees yellow for a strong challenge on Omar El Kaddouri.
SAVE! Ruben Loftus-Cheek clearly wants to get on the scoresheet, and he very nearly did so with this attempt. A good run from the Englishman and a decent shot at the end of it, which Alexandros Paschalakis was equal to.
Amr Warda has made a difference since coming on for the visitors at half time. Chelsea are looking the more likely to score the game's third goal, but Alexandros Paschalakis has managed to keep the scoring down to just the two goals.
GOAL! CHELSEA 3-0 PAOK (CALLUM HUDSON-ODOI)
A first goal in Chelsea colours for teenage attacker Callum Hudson-Odoi, who has shown glimpses of exactly what he is capable of all evening. The youngster worked the ball onto his right boot and basically passed it into the bottom corner from 12 yards.
CHELSEA SUB! Another highly-rated Chelsea youngster is brought on for the final half an hour or so, as Wales international Ethan Ampadu replaces Davide Zappacosta. That will mean a tactical reshuffle from Sarri.
I was about to say that Chelsea had been guilty of taking their foot off the gas since half time, but that did not stop them bagging a killer third goal. If the match was not already over, it certainly is now thanks to Callum Hudson-Odoi's strike.
CHELSEA SUB! A like-for-like change in the forward line now as Willian comes on for Pedro. The Brazilian scored the only goal of the game in Chelsea's 1-0 win over PAOK in the reverse fixture a couple of months back.
Another mazy run from Ruben Loftus-Cheek ends with a challenge from Jose Angel Crespo on the edge of the box, though the referee did not award Chelsea a free kick. Andreas Christensen has just landed awkwardly and looks to be in some pain.
Andreas Christensen seems to be OK to continue following that nasty landing when challenging for an aerial ball. Chelsea are looking for a fourth goal, with 20 minutes to find it. PAOK, on the other hand, could do with the full-time whistle.
CHELSEA SUB! There will be no hat-trick goal for Olivier Giroud, as he makes way with a little over 15 minutes to play in West London. Alvaro Morata is on in his place and will be keen to match Giroud in finding the net.
PAOK SUB! Fernando Varela is brought on by Lucescu in PAOK's second change of the evening, taking over from Omar El Kaddouri. There has been little action in front of goal at either end since Chelsea's third goal.
GOAL! CHELSEA 4-0 PAOK (ALVARO MORATA)
A much-needed goal for Alvaro Morata, who did not even bother celebrating. Only on the field for a few minutes, the Spanish striker got between two men to guide Callum Hudson-Odoi's cross into the back of the net - good header.
Ten minutes to go at Stamford Bridge, meaning that there is still time for Chelsea to add a couple of goals to their tally if they wish. The Blues will make it five wins from five in Europe under Sarri ahead of their trip to Videoton next month.
Callum Hudson-Odoi has one goal tonight, but the youngster may be a tad disappointed not to have added to his tally. This latest shot was wayward following some promising play in the build-up. The Blues look good value for a fifth goal.
SAVE! Willian cuts inside and has a shot saved by PAOK's overworked goalkeeper. The Blues had a couple of men over there and really should have been finding the back of the net. They still have six minutes to add to their tally.
Cesc Fabregas, who has performed well this evening, opts to take on a shot from the halfway line after spotting Alexandros Paschalakis off his line. The goalkeeper read it, though, and he comfortably kept the cheeky attempt out.
A professional performance from Chelsea in this final home group-stage outing. The Blues, who take on Fulham on their return to Premier League action on Sunday, as cruising over the line with a couple of minutes to play.
Not a bad attempt at all from Ross Barkley, whose free kick from 25 yards ends inches over the crossbar. Just one minute of added time has been added on.
FULL TIME: CHELSEA 4-0 PAOK
The full-time whistle sounds at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea have claimed the most straightforward of victories over 10-man PAOK. The visitors, reduced to 10 men just seven minutes into the contest, shipped twice to Olivier Giroud in the first half and were undone by Callum Hudson-Odoi and Alvaro Morata in the second period.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from West London. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, and be sure to join us again on Saturday as we bring you updates from a selection of Premier League and La Liga fixtures.
