BLUE HEAVEN
Lampard enjoys thumping win over former boss Ancelotti
FRANk Lampard approached Carlo Ancelotti before kickoff and seemed unsure for a split-second exactly how to greet his former boss.
Should he offer a hand to Ancelotti or bump fists or try to touch elbows in these times of extreme caution?
In the end they smiled at each other and dived into a bear hug. On the pitch, Lampard suffered no such quandary. There were no doubts and not a trace of hesitation from his team and the warm homecoming embrace for Ancelotti did not last for long.
Chelsea delivered perhaps their most complete performance of the season.
Lampard has been criticised at times in his first season as a Premier League manager but this was one of those days when he got everything right.
having knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup on Tuesday, his team were surefooted and confident against everton as they coasted to a victory which consolidates them in fourth with a three-point cushion. They took control in the opening moments, were two up by half time and four up within 54 minutes. Teenager Billy Gilmour sparkled again in the heart of midfield with Jorginho suspended and Mateo kovacic injured.
Goals by Mason Mount, who excelled, and Pedro established an early lead. Two more inside three minutes at the start of the second half — converted by Willian and Olivier Giroud — killed the contest and proved the cue for an early exit from plenty of everton supporters.
Lampard was able to unleash two more teenage prospects from the academy.
Faustino Anjorin came on to replace Willian for what proved to be an eventful 20 minutes in which he fired one effort high over and was denied another chance in front of goal by a hefty recovery tackle by Djibril Sidibe.
Then came Armando Broja, off the bench for the closing stages in time to be chopped down brutally by a frustrated Mason holgate. everton, by this point, were thoroughly beaten.
Ancelotti (right), on his first competitive return since two years as Chelsea manager ended in 2011, shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other as his team were tormented. his gaze was fixed on the middle distance and he did not respond when the home fans sang his name with the score at 4-0. The Merseysiders are vastly improved under Ancelotti but they were dreadful, soft in midfield and feeble at the back and never looked remotely like ending a long winless run at Stamford Bridge which now stretches for 25 games, back to November 1994. In contrast, Chelsea were slick and hungry, moving the ball at pace and winning it back quickly. They overwhelmed everton and the midfield trio of Mount, Gilmour and Ross Barkley were the driving force. Mount soon tested
Jordan Pickford with a volley, wonderfully executed as the ball skipped up to him off the turf from a cross by Willian. On this occasion, the everton and england goalkeeper was equal to it.
Pickford, however, was soon beaten. Mount collected a short pass from Pedro on the left, turned into the penalty box and slammed a low shot into the bottom corner, his first goal since early December.
everton have not kept a clean sheet in a Premier League away game since Crystal Palace on the opening day and almost conceded a second when Willian cut in from the right.
Lampard’s front three, all over 30 and all out of contract at the end of the season, were invigorated.
Pedro grabbed the second, an unerring finish after a passing sequence
which culminated in a crisp ball by Gilmour into the feet of Giroud, who nursed the ball off to Barkley. Pedro raced on to the pass and scored his first Premier League goal for more than a year. He not been involved in a goal or an assist in the league and, suddenly, he had one of each in little over 20 minutes. Everton offered absolutely no attacking threat until Chelsea made a rare slip. Kurt Zouma failed to control a careless pass by Marcos Alonso and Richarlison nipped in. The Brazilian released Dominic Calvert-Lewin who missed the target. Ancelotti tinkered with his formation before half time in a bid to bolster his midfield and sent on Theo Walcott to replace Bernard at half time, but the game was soon beyond their reach.
Willian accepted the invitation from Everton to take aim from distance and fired in the third for Chelsea. Then he delivered the cross for the fourth, turned in from close range by Giroud.
Truly a day to savour for Lampard. And a return to forget for Ancelotti.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Kepa 6.5; Azpilicueta 6, Rudiger 6.5, Zouma 6, Alonso 6.5; Barkley 7, Gilmour 7.5, MOUNT 8.5 (James 60min, 6); Willian 8 (Anjorin 71, 6.5), Giroud 7.5 (Broja 86), Pedro 7.5. Subs not used: Caballero, Christensen, Batshuyai, Tomori. Scorers: Mount 14, Pedro 21, Willian 51, Giroud 54. Booked: Zouma.
Manager: Frank Lampard 7. EVERTON (4-4-2): Pickford 6.5; Sidibe 5, Keane 5, Holgate 6, Digne 5; Bernard 4.5 (Walcott 46, 5), Davies 5 (Kean 58, 5), Gomes 5, Sigurdsson 4.5; Richarlison 6, Calvert-Lewin 5 (Gordon 76, 5). Subs not used: Stekelenburg, Baines, Mina, Iwobi. Booked: Gomes, Holgate. Manager: Carlo Ancelotti 5. Referee: Kevin Friend 6.
Attendance: 40,694.