Petr Cech was proud of Chelsea's performance yesterday as we dominated Aston Villa following a tricky Champions League fixture on Wednesday.

After an awesome first half to Sunday's game, where Aston Villa hardly broke past the centre circle, let alone test our keeper, it was a dramatic change from the mid-week match against Cluj.

'We looked much sharper in this game against Villa than Cluj,' explained Cech.

'We started really well, we didn't wait for anything, we just pressed them from the first second of the game and we took our chances from the start of the game.

'This was key because we got them a little bit nervous, then they felt it was going to be difficult for them.'

At last season's meeting at the Bridge, which saw sending offs for Ricardo Carvalho and Ashley Cole with away side losing a man too, it was Villa who took a two-goal lead. Chelsea fought back to lead the game before a Villa penalty in the dying moments levelled the score at 4-4.

But there were no red cards during this weekend's game, and Petr Cech hardly touched the ball during the match, instead watching the majority of Villa's chances fly wide as he achieved his 97th clean sheet for Chelsea.

'You always expect a really tough game against Villa and the last game we played against them it was a draw and it was a very tough, close and tight game.

'But we started really well and put them under pressure and then they couldn't find their confidence, because we played great football and we didn't allow them to have the ball.

'And it is always nice to get a clean sheet as well, especially in the tough games like that.

'For goalkeepers clean sheets are important, so I am always happy for the clean sheet, but I prefer to win than play 0-0, because three points is what matters.

'Today was an ideal result, because we won 2-0 and we kept the clean sheet, but when we kept the clean sheet against Cluj it wasn't the clean sheet for 1-0 or 2-0.'

So the Blues continue to preside at the top of the Barclays Premier League as we head into the international break.

However, after Liverpool's late comeback against Manchester City yesterday, it is only goal difference that keeps us in pole position, but Chelsea will use the confidence that first place gives when we return to Premier League football.

'It looked for the 80 minutes that Liverpool could lose some points, but we wanted to win our game and stay top of the league, so we can go with that positive feeling to our national teams,' said Cech.

'Now everyone has two weeks and when we come back we will have to concentrate again.

'We still have a few problems with injuries, and with that two weeks some of the guys will have time to recover and some of them will get match fitness with the national team, so in two weeks time they will be in better condition.

'Against Villa we saw the loss of Joe Cole and then Nicolas [Anelka], but we know we have a large squad with a lot of quality.

'So when Franco Di Santo came in, you could see he is a quality player and he can hold the ball, and I would say he did a similar job as Nicolas, so it was important for us.'

And with Ricardo Carvalho sidelined and Alex resting after a knock against Cluj, there was an opportunity for Branislav Ivanovic to play alongside John Terry, and Cech was impressed by the Serbian's performance.

'People have been talking since he joined the club about what sort of player he is to have been here for such a long time and not played yet.

'But he had a great game against Portsmouth in the Carling Cup, for me it was the best performance on that day, and this time he played as our inside defender and you can see the quality he has.

'So he has had to wait for his chance but he deserved that chance.'