Chelsea 3 - 0 Bolton Wanderers: Lampard seals win

The Blues looked every inch a side that had failed to win any of their previous five games in another dire first half against Bolton at Stamford Bridge.

But they turned on the style after the break, defender David Luiz doing – unfortunately – what he does best by firing them ahead, before Didier Drogba and the recalled Frank Lampard sealed a desperately-needed three points.

Chelsea certainly made the more impressive start, Daniel Sturridge testing Adam Bogdan inside five minutes after a burst from the halfway line before finding Lampard with a superb through ball.

Drogba also had a couple of sniffs but the lack of confidence that has dogged the Blues’ play of late was soon evident as they struggled to fashion a meaningful opportunity.

Abramovich, attending his first game since the 3-3 draw against Manchester United three weeks earlier, looked on pensively as well-drilled Bolton continued to frustrate his expensively-assembled side.

They finally had Bogdan at full stretch in the 29th minute when he did well to palm away Drogba’s left-foot curler.

Chelsea were only dangerous on the break and their half was summed up when Branislav Ivanovic and Drogba ran into each other running on to Lampard’s inviting ball.

The home side were in dire need of inspiration and it arrived less than three minutes after the restart.

Luiz won the ball high up the pitch, carried on his run forward and profited when Wheater failed to clear, curling a lovely finish beyond Bogdan.

Chelsea hit the woodwork twice inside two minutes, Luiz’s header from a corner glancing the post before Drogba curled against the top of the bar.

There was no stopping the striker in the 61st minute when he shook off Fabrice Muamba to nod in Lampard’s corner, the midfielder taking the plaudits as the home fans sung “Super Frankie Lampard”.

Bolton threw on Marvin Sordell for David Ngog. The change had little effect and Chris Eagles soon joined Sordell, with Tuncay coming off, before Chelsea suffered a blow when Drogba limped off to be replaced by Fernando Torres for the final 14 minutes.

A goal arrived three minutes later, but it was Lampard who got it, stealing in at the back post to cushion Mata’s cross past Bogdan for his 12th goal of the season.

Kalou almost nodded in goal number four for the home side in stoppage-time as Chelsea enjoyed a rare trouble-free final ten minutes.