Goals from Diego Costa and Eden Hazard before the break secured a 2-0 win for Chelsea at the expense of West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.
Any chance that the visitors had of getting back into the contest were then ended in the 29th minute as Claudio Yacob was red carded for a foul on Costa.
You can look back on the game below with Sports Mole's text updates.
Afternoon all. Well, thank goodness the international break is over and there is not another one scheduled until March! Here, on the Premier League's return, we will be concentrating on the league leaders Chelsea, who will play host to West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge.
Before we go any further, though, let's take a look at the team news, which has just been released. We'll start with the home side...
CHELSEA XI: Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic, Fabregas; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Costa
CHELSEA SUBS: Cech, Zouma, Filipe Luis, Ramires, Schurrle, Drogba, Remy
So, there are no surprises from Jose Mourinho in that Chelsea starting lineup whatsoever. The big news for the Blues is that Cesc Fabregas is fit, having sat out the recent internationals with a muscular problem. Diego Costa, as expected, will lead the attack, with the trio of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Willian offering the support from advanced midfield roles.
And now for the visiting Baggies...
WEST BROM XI: Foster; Wisdom, Dawson, Lescott, Baird; Yacob, Gardner, Brunt, Dorrans, Sessegnon; Berahino
WEST BROM SUBS: Myhill, Gamboa, McAuley, Morrison, Anichebe, Samaras, Ideye
Following the disappointing defeat at home to Newcastle United last time out, Alan Irvine has brought in Stephane Sessegnon to partner Saido Berahino up front at the expense of Victor Anichebe. James Morrison has also dropped down to the bench, with Craig Gardner coming back into the team. Meanwhile, Sebastien Pocognoli's absence at full-back is likely to see Chris Baird take on that role, with Claudio Yacob playing in holding midfield.
Turning attention back to Chelsea and their centre-back Gary Cahill, who has been talking to Sky Sports News moments ago. Here's some of what he had to say:
"We expect nothing different today, we know it's going to be a hard game but we're looking forward to it. Hopefully we can keep our performance level where we expect it to be."
And what his manager Mourinho? Here he is talking to BBC Sport: "I expect a tight match, against a team that know they can get a result against us because they have done it in the past. We go to every match thinking we can win, but the reality is that they have a good team, they can give us a very difficult match."
Of course, "the past" match that Mourinho talks about was the clash at Stamford Bridge in November of last year. The Baggies, who performed ever so well that day, were leading 2-1 as the match headed into stoppage time. Yet, an extremely dubious penalty was awarded to the home side following a collision between Steven Reid and Ramires, which Hazard duly converted to salvage a point and keep Mourinho's unbeaten home record in place. Can West Brom repeat that performance today?
After that match, Mourinho branded West Brom a "mickey mouse club". Baggies boss Irvine, who wasn't in charge at the time, was asked about that comment earlier this week. Here's his response:
"He pokes a few people from time to time. I guess if he's poking you then you've made an impression. It's part of what goes on with some managers, I don't really get involved with all that – the referees, fourth officials. When managers of top clubs are having to make little comments about other clubs, then there might just be that little bit of worry there.
"We aren't a mickey mouse club. We're a club that are run extremely well, a club that have fantastic support and you can't be a Premier League club and be a Mickey Mouse club. I don't see an awful lot in it. People say and do things in the heat of the moment and perhaps regret them later."
VIDEO PREVIEW! You've heard from the two managers, but how does Sports Mole see this clash panning out? To hear the views of our very own Pascal Lemesre and Barney Corkhill, simply watch the video below:
What does this match mean to both sides, then? Due to the fact that Southampton are not playing until Monday evening, a victory would see Chelsea extend their lead at the top to seven points. Even at this early stage of the campaign, that looks a tough gap for any team to bridge. As for West Brom, they sit four points above the relegation zone and are five away from the Champions League places - that's how tight the Premier League is right now!
HEAD TO HEAD: Perhaps worryingly for West Brom, they have not won a league match at Chelsea since September 1978. In total, Chelsea have beaten the Black Country-based outfit 56 times, while West Brom have won on 41 occasions. As far as draws go, there have been 35.
If West Brom are to pull off the unlikely, these two will have to be at their best defensively. There are certainly easier matches to make your first Premier League starts of the season!
CLUB RECORD? Will we see Chelsea make club history today? Avoiding defeat would see the Blues stretch their unbeaten run at the start of the season to 12 matches, which would be top-flight record for the West Londoners. What's more, they are also the only professional side in England to have won all their home matches this term. In those five games, they've scored at least two goals. You can hear the collective gulp of dread among the West Brom faithful!
Want to see West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster being put through his paces in the warm-up at Stamford Bridge? Of course you do! He's likely to be extremely busy today, that's for sure:
We've just seen Foster there, but up the other end for West Brom it's a big afternoon for Berahino. The 21-year-old was recently with the senior England squad and although he didn't play, his stock has risen dramatically this term, so much so that Liverpool are supposedly monitoring his situation closely. He may have eight goals to his name this term, but in Terry and Cahill, he will be up against arguably the Premier League's best centre-back pairing. It will be interesting to see if he can cause them any problems.
Right, let's give the final significant word before this contest starts to former Tottenham boss David Pleat, who has just been full of praise to Chelsea's attacking options over on BBC Sport:
"Chelsea have a settled team and a settled system and so far they have hit on the perfect combination of players. Diego Costa is important to that but Didier Drogba is waiting in the wings, Andre Schurrle can score and they went out and bought extra security in Loic Remy."
Right, here come the players and the handshakes are just about to take place. Not long now until we are off and running in West London.
KICKOFF! Visiting West Brom, attacking from left to right, get proceedings underway at Stamford Bridge.
It's been a positive start from visiting West Brom, who are keeping the ball well. They haven't carved out any chances, but they've kept Chelsea at bay and are looking to utilise Berahino's pace with quickly played forward passes.
SAVE! Chelsea's first attack of the afternoon and they almost score! Yacob is forced to clear the ball away for a corner, which the hosts take quickly. Oscar ends up rolling a low pass into the area for Terry, who from close range prods his effort goalwards. The fans behind the goal expect the ball to nestle in the net, but Foster gets down smartly to push clear the danger. That's a good save from the West Brom keeper.
After West Brom's bright(ish) start to this match, Chelsea, as you would expect, are dominating the possession and are in complete control. West Brom are holding firm for now, but you expect chances to arrive soon.
GOAL! CHELSEA 1-0 WEST BROM (COSTA)
Well, that didn't take long, did it?! The ball is whipped into the area from the left by Oscar for Costa, who West Brom have criminally left completely unmarked. The Spaniard proceeds to chest the ball down, before volleying it beyond a helpless Foster in goal. The Baggies defenders appeal for offside, but replays show that he was indeed on onside. How can you leave someone of Costa's quality with all that space?
SAVES! I said earlier that Foster will be busy today and that is proving to be the case so far. First he is called into making a flying save to deny a curling effort from Oscar and then he's up quickly to turn the rebounded shot from Costa over for a corner. Smart work from the West Brom keeper.
With the likes of Hazard, Oscar and Willian looking as sharp as they do, you've got to fear for West Brom. There is plenty of slick passing and interchanges going on at present. Worryingly for West Brom, Fabregas hasn't even been involved yet!
CHANCE! So, Costa can miss the target it would seem! Who knew?! On this occasion he beats both Dawson and Foster to a loose ball at the near post, but his effort squirms the wrong side of the far post. The Spaniard could have had a hat-trick already!
MATCH ACTION! Here's an image of Costa opening the scoring at Stamford Bridge. Look at the space that he has inside the area!
GOAL! CHELSEA 2-0 WEST BROM (HAZARD)
West Brom boss Irvine must be pulling his hair out on the touchline because once again his side have switched off and they've been punished. Oscar takes a quick corner for an onrushing Hazard, who sidesteps Gardner with his first touch and although the West Brom midfielder gets a toe on the Chelsea player's shot, it only diverts the ball through his goalkeeper's legs. It's a long way back for West Brom now and they only really have themselves to blame.
RED CARD! YACOB (WEST BROM)
Yacob's first Premier League start of the season has lasted just 29 minutes and it's so needless from the Argentine. He may get the ball as he challenges Costa, but he jumps in with both feet, which referee Lee Mason deems as dangerous play. In fairness to the official, it's hard to argue with the decision. So, with 30 minutes played, West Brom are 2-0 down and a man light - I think they'd take the final whistle right now!
To make matters even worse for West Brom boss Irvine, this is a tweet from Youssouf Mulumbu before the game started. It seems the midfielder was not impressed at being dropped:
This has almost become too easy for Chelsea. It's a bit like a training match as the home side stroke the ball around the pitch with ease, while West Brom look determined not to get hammered.
CHANCE! What a goal that would have been for Chelsea. It's a lovely defence-splitting pass from Fabregas which frees Ivanovic inside the area. The Serb tries to cut the ball back for Costa, but it's behind the Spaniard and Dorrans is able to nip in and clear the danger.
SAVE! Foster is having a storming game for West Brom. He does ever so well to push clear Costa's lobbed effort and then is up on his feet in time to push the ball away from the feet of Hazard. He had to get that right otherwise it would have been a penalty and maybe another red card!
There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this first half.
HALF-TIME: CHELSEA 2-0 WEST BROM
There goes the whistle for the break, although those connected with West Brom must have wished it was the whistle to call time on the match! They are 2-0 down after 45 minutes and have had a man rightly sent off. It could be a long second half for the away team.
It's been the perfect 45 minutes for Chelsea, who have barely had to get out of first gear. They've been gifted two goals, could have scored more and will play the second half against a team with a man light. It seems that only complacency is going to stop them from winning this one convincingly. From Mourinho's point of view, if his team can score another goal early in the second half, it will provide him with the perfect chance to rest some of his key players ahead of their Champions League trip to Germany on Tuesday.
It's probably fair to imagine that the West Brom dressing room will not that happy of an environment. Usually well organised in defence, they have given Chelsea two goals on a plate. In fact, every time Chelsea move forward it seems that they are going to score. Had it not been for Foster between the posts, this could have been 5-0 right now. Looking ahead to the second half, you'd assume that the message from Irvine is damage limitation.
Before we get back underway, here's the moment Yacob was handed his marching orders:
RESTART! Chelsea get the action at Stamford Bridge off and running. They lead 2-0, but will no doubt be looking for more goals during this second half.
CHANCE! And that should be 3-0. Where is the West Brom defence? Hazard floats over a cross towards the back post for a completely unmarked Matic, but he flashes his volley from eight yards out way over the crossbar. It seems that West Brom have learnt nothing defensively from the first half.
It seems like only a matter of time before the third Chelsea goal is scored. Moments ago Willian scampered down the right flank and although his cross took a deflection, it looped up over a helpless Foster and also squirmed into the net.
Breaking news alert! Chelsea goalkeeper Courtois has just touched the ball! However, it wasn't due to a West Brom shot, but the fact that it had been played back to him by Cahill. The Belgian has been a spectator for most of this match.
The Baggies have now had an attempt at goal, but it's one that Brunt will not want to remember. From 50 yards out, he sees Courtois creeping off his line, so tries his luck. The execution is badly wrong, though, and the ball ends up flying into the second tier behind the goal.
STAT! Taken from BBC Sport, which shows how much Chelsea are in control:
"Chelsea have had 88.4% of possession this half. West Brom have completed 19 passes. Chelsea 144."
WEST BROM SUB: Off comes Baird and on comes Cristian Gamboa, who is likely to move over to left-back, with Wisdom reverting to right-back.
CHANCE! Another good opening for Chelsea at Matic's flicked pass on the edge of the area releases Ivanovic. His volleyed cross flashes across the face of the goal, but Costa had gambled on running to the near post and so the ball trickled harmlessly out of play.
SAVE! Another great stop from Foster, who once again denies Hazard. The Belgian tries to be clever by chipping his effort from close range, but Foster lifts up a hand to tip the ball over the bar. The resultant corner is then easily cleared by Dawson.
BOOKING! The first yellow card of the contest goes to Chelsea and Willian for a needless sliding challenge on Wisdom. The replays show that once again the referee has got that decision right.
SUBS: The first Chelsea change of the afternoon and it's the impressive Oscar that leaves the field to be replaced by Loic Remy, who is fit again after a hamstring injury. West Brom have also made a switch, with Anichebe taking the place of Berahino.
CHELSEA SUB: And now it's Costa's turn for a rest ahead of the trip to Schalke 04. He's been replaced by club legend Didier Drogba. A big cheer goes up for both players.
SUBS: With the game dwindling out, there is a third and final switch for Chelsea. It's one Brazilian for another as Ramires replaces Willian. Also a switch for West Brom as Morrison comes on for Dorrans.
There will be three minutes of stoppage time at the end of this second half.
FULL TIME: CHELSEA 2-0 WEST BROM
There goes the final whistle and it ends what is probably the easiest three points that Chelsea will collect all season. They dominated virtually the whole contest, with the one criticism of their performance being that they should have probably scored more goals. Even so, they extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points and maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
That's all we have time for from Stamford Bridge. Thanks for joining us this afternoon, but be sure to stick with Sports Mole over the course of the evening for match reaction, analysis and player ratings of this clash, as well as coverage of all the football from at home and abroad. Enjoy, and until next time, goodbye.
