Chelsea made it four wins from four with a comfortable victory at home to Burnley on Saturday lunchtime.

After a frustrating opening 45 minutes, three goals came in the space of seven minutes, as first Nicolas Anelka scored before the break and then Michael Ballack and Ashley Cole found the net in quick succession at the beginning of the second half.

The win takes us to nine straight victories in the league, and this one rarely looked in doubt despite a string of first-half opportunities going to waste.

Burnley arrived in west London off the back of impressive wins against Manchester United and Everton, but with little expected of them against a Chelsea side with a 100 per cent record.

Carlo Ancelotti made more changes, with Deco and Michael Essien replacing Florent Malouda and John Mikel Obi in the starting line-up, the manager continuing with his rotation policy.

His side should have been in front by the sixth minute as Anelka dispossessed the clumsy looking André Bikey in the centre-circle with a clear run ahead of him.

The forward showed the pace and drive that made his name earlier in his career, but his final touch eluded him, allowing beastly Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen to collect at his feet.

Three minutes later it was Frank Lampard who was caught out at the other end, surrendering possession to Wade Elliott in his own half. Elliott squared to Martin Paterson, who with time and space dragged his shot wide of Petr Cech's goal.

Lampard almost made amends on 11 minutes when he fired Anelka's pullback towards goal, but saw his shot blocked by Clarke Carlisle's large frame.

It had been a busy opening, but lacking the quality that had been the trademark of Ancelotti's first three games in charge.

A first glimpse of fluid passing saw Drogba and Lampard combine to nearly play in Anelka, before the Ivorian was sent crashing to the floor by a misplaced challenge from Carlisle, from which the defender escaped unpunished.

Drogba went close when he returned from treatment, while Jensen made key saves from Ballack, John Terry and Lampard to keep the game goalless at the half-hour mark.

Deco and Lampard again tested the goalkeeper's handling before the half-time break but again he proved he was up to the test.

For the most part Burnley had struggled to escape their own half. When they finally did, in injury time, they lost possession allowing Drogba to beat the offside trap and cross low to the onrushing Anelka to slide the ball home.

The one-goal lead was probably what Chelsea deserved going in at half-time, but the advantage could and probably should have been more.

It took just two second-half minutes to double the lead as Ballack scored his second of the season, sending a diving header low beyond Jensen after the overlapping Lampard had sent in a high cross to the far post.

It was the perfect way to start the second period, and now there was an air of invincibility about the Blues.

Cole got forward again down the left, played a one-two with Lampard and fired into the far top corner for his first of the season and third in a Chelsea shirt.

Suddenly it was no longer a case of whether we would win, but simply by how many. Burnley, tight and organised in the first half, looked in chaos.

Anelka latched onto a Ballack through-ball, only to hit the crossbar before Burnley manager Owen Coyle opted to introduce another defensive midfielder, Joey Gudjonsson on in place of Martin Paterson to limit the damage.

Juliano Belletti made a welcome Chelsea return on 65 minutes after missing the beginning of the season with Achilles trouble, slotting in on the right in place of José Bosingwa.

Moments later Michael Essien took two efforts, the first tipped wide by Jensen and the second more comfortably collected, before Drogba saw his powerful header held by the keeper.

Essien took another pop on 76 minutes, this time left-footed, but again Jensen saved, pushing it behind for a corner from which he had to tip Ballack's flicked header over the bar.

Having missed a couple of chances earlier in the afternoon, Anelka eventually found the net with 10 minutes to go, only to see his effort chalked off for offside. Credit to Ballack for the pinpoint pass that brought the opportunity.

Sub Salomon Kalou almost managed to round the afternoon off in style when he poked the ball towards goal but a quick-thinking Burnley defender managed to divert his shot clear just before it crossed the line, meaning we had to settle for a three-goal win as we head into the international break.

Ancelotti maintains his winning streak, while for Chelsea it is nine straight in the Premier League. There is now a two-week rest before we head to Stoke on September 12.

Depending on results later this afternoon, we could well be top of the pile when we visit the Britannia Stadium.

By Andy Jones

Chelsea (4-3-2-1): Cech; Bosingwa (Belletti 65), Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole; Ballack (Mikel 82), Essien, Lampard; Anelka, Deco; Drogba (Drogba 75).

Goals Anelka 45+1, Ballack 47, A Cole 51

Burnley (4-1-4-1): Jensen; Mears, Carlisle, Bikey, Jordan; Alexander (c) (McDonald 74); Fletcher, Elliott, McCann, Blake (Guerrero 77); Paterson

Booked Mears 47