Premiership: Fernando Torres ends goal drought with a brace to give Benitez his first win

Torres got on the end of a clever cross from Eden Hazard to volley Chelsea ahead and he then converted a penalty in first-half injury time after Sebastian Larsson fouled Ramires.

The former Liverpool man almost claimed a hat-trick when he rattled the bar after the break, although the rebound fell to Juan Mata who tapped home his third in three games.

Adam Johnson pulled one back for the hosts who drop in to the relegation zone.

Mikel Arteta scored two penalties as Arsenal returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory against West Brom.

Arteta stroked home from 12 yards in the first half, but replays showed Santi Cazorla fooled referee Mike Jones with a dive to earn the penalty. Jones made the right call in the second half when he ruled Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had been fouled in the area and Arteta beat Boaz Myhill to wrap up the points.

A second-half strike from James McCarthy denied QPR their first win of the season as Wigan fought back to draw 2-2 at the DW Stadium.

Ryan Nelsen equalised McCarthy’s first-half opener, but Djibril Cisse raised away hopes when he put the visitors ahead after 71 minutes. The lead lasted barely two minutes, though, as McCarthy converted Jean Beausejour’s pass.

Norwich extended their unbeaten streak in all competitions to ten matches after beating Swansea 4-3 at the Liberty Stadium. Steven Whittaker, Sebastien Bassong and Grant Holt gave Norwich a 3-0 half-time lead, but Swansea hit back through Michu and Jonathan de Guzman after the break.

Robert Snodgrass scored the Canaries’ fourth before Michu scored the hosts’ third at the death.

Southampton climbed out of the relegation zone after edging past Reading at St Mary’s Stadium when Jason Puncheon he beat Adam Federici to earn a win that pulls Saints up to 15th.

Aston Villa are now two points above the relegation zone after they could only register a 0-0 home draw against Stoke.