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Having watched his team run out comfortable winners against the only London side to have previously taken a point off them, Carlo Ancelotti was confident the Manchester City defeat is now out of Chelsea's system.

It could have been one of those afternoons when it all went badly wrong with West Ham equalising Alex's opener with a goal they had barely threatened. But the side that drew 1-1 with us at Upton Park in December and on their visit to Stamford Bridge last season were blown away by a second-half Didier Drogba brace and a Florent Malouda goal.

'We played a good match and were better in the second half,' decided Ancelotti as he assessed the 4-1 win that put Chelsea back on top.

'It was important to have a good performance and to return to playing our football with confidence. I am happy for this, not only for the result. Now we want to maintain this concentration and determination because every game could decide our future.

'It was important to have a good reaction after losing to Manchester City. We had that against Stoke City and improved on that in this game. It was a bad day against Manchester City and we came back the right way.'

Key to the win was the performance of Malouda who not only scored the third goal but tortured West Ham right-back Jonathan Spector all afternoon, supplying the delivery for Chelsea's first two goals; two of 16 crosses from the France international during his 86 minutes on the pitch.

'That was the best performance of Florent Malouda,' praised his manager.

'He did very well, worked for the team, did fantastic assists for goals and I hope that he will play like today on Tuesday. He won't play left-back,' Ancelotti smiled.

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola had surprised many with his team selection by leaving out the creative Alessandro Diamanti in favour of player s he believed could do a better job counter-attacking.

'It was tough after Chelsea's second goal,' said the former Stamford Bridge favourite. 'Before that we looked okay and Scott Parker in the middle was dominating the scene. But then John Terry came through the middle and we made a mistake because Behrami and Spector both went to challenge him and Terry put the ball wide.The cross was perfect as you'd expect from a quality player like Malouda. The rest was easy for Drogba.

'That is the difference. Teams like Chelsea really punish you when you make mistakes. I believe the score at the end was too much. It doesn't reflect the game.'

It took until the final minute of the second-half for West Ham to properly test Ross Turnbull for a second time in the game and the Chelsea league debutant keeper was up to that task.

'Turnbull was not involved a lot of times but he did a good save at the last minute and he played with confidence. This is important,' said Ancelotti.

'He deserved to play this game because he has trained very well.I think he will play on Tuesday.'

Chelsea will spend Saturday evening back on top of the league table following a morale-boosting derby demolition of West Ham.

Alex gave the home team the lead in the first half, only for the visitors to equalise before the break but unlike against Manchester City in the last league fixture, it was Carlo Ancelotti's men who kept their nerve to add three more goals.

Didier Drogba weighed in with two to give him 27 for the season and between those came a goal from Florent Malouda who played as well as anyone as Gianfranco Zola's side were sent even deeper into trouble.

In Ancelotti's team selection, Malouda had moved forward from midfield to left of the front three with Kalou making way. Ferreira kept his place at left-back with Zhirkov returning from injury on the bench. Ballack came straight back in after suspension.

The game kicked off with a red ball that is on view in matches across the globe this weekend to promote HIV and AIDS awareness and the first chance came Malouda's way within two minutes. In space but off-balance, he sliced it wide.

A Malouda corner was headed on by Ballack on five minutes but a stretching Alex couldn't reach it at the far post.

Drogba had no trouble making contact with a volley soon after but his fierce strike deflected wide off a Hammers defender. The newly-crowned African Player of the Year then ran out of space in trying to convert a Ballack pass.

It took 12 minutes for West Ham to mount an attack but when they did they should have scored. Spector bundled the ball past Ferreira, Mido crossed but Ilan failed to test Turnbull as he skied his shot high over the bar.

Mido and Ilan, along with Dyer, were part of a completely changed front three selected by Zola as he attempted to inject counter-attacking pace out wide. Carlton Cole had an injury concern and was on the bench.

Chelsea were soon up the other end and when our chance came, Alex buried it with his head. The big Brazilian had won the ball in the air initially inside the opposing area, Terry got involved and Malouda crossed well for the finishing touch to be applied from eight yards out. It was Alex's first goal of the season.

That was on 15 minutes and a minute later the ball hit the Hammers' bar, Upson having diverted a cross in that direction. Under heavy Blues pressure, it was eventually cleared.

Lampard was crowded out of an attack when Malouda and Drogba had nearly played him in and it was all going pretty smoothly for Chelsea. That was until 29 minutes when former Blue Scott Parker conjured a goal out of next to nothing.

Taking a long throw that Mikel perhaps should have cut out, the midfielder caught his volley from five yards outside the area with the perfect loop to curve over the top of Turnbull's aborted save and into the Matthew Harding End net.

Just as against Man City in the last league game here, the visitors were back level and again it was unmerited on the play. Would Chelsea now crumble as they did then?

Green in the West Ham goal did well to save a Lampard shot low down by the post and then he had to stand still and field a header as Ferreira threatened to score an unlikely goal. That too was from a Malouda across and the Frenchman was having plenty of success in finding space and sending the ball in against Spector on the West Ham right. It needed someone on the end of those crosses though. That would come.

The first significant moment of the second half was a booking for the corpulent Mido for a challenge from behind on the quiet Ballack deep in the Chelsea half.

Another Malouda cross threatened to find Ballack before Mido intervened. With Malouda's next ball from the left the Blues restored the lead, this time Drogba heading home from nearly under the bar having sprayed the ball wide in the first place. And who opened the defence up before that with a surging run up the pitch and into the area? John Terry.

There were 10 minutes of the second half gone and a minute later it took an extremely good one-handed save from Green to prevent Alex heading his second. The cross for once had come from the right - Ivanovic curling it in. Terry nearly scored with the rebound off Green's save.

Joe Cole was introduced after 65 minutes for Anelka and Zola swapped Carlton Cole for Mido and Stanislas for Dyer a minute later.

It was all Chelsea during this midway period in the half. Mikel drilled just wide with a crisp effort after Drogba was harshly denied a free-kick right on the edge of the area.

On 76 minutes came the goal Malouda's performance richly deserved. A Terry long ball was chested to the scorer by Drogba standing strong and showing immense composure, Malouda stepped inside Gabbidon and passed the ball into the bottom corner.

Drogba could have added a rapid fourth but his stretch didn't quite reach a Cole pass.

Lampard rolled a shot against the post following more Malouda trickery with five minutes to go and Drogba was denied on the follow-up by a last-ditch block.

Malouda's game, during which he had supplied 16 crosses, came to an end to the accompaniment of great applause when Kalou was put on for the closing moments.

There was still time for Drogba to net his second, smashing in from close-range after Green could only parry Lampard's stinging low shot as Chelsea broke with speed.

In stoppage time came a confidence-boosting save by Turnbull from Kovac at his near-post.

Bring on Inter on Tuesday night!

Chelsea (4-3-2-1): Turnbull, Ivanovic (Zhirkov 79), Alex, Terry (c), Ferreira; Ballack, Mikel, Lampard; Anelka (J Cole 65), Malouda (Kalou 86); Drogba.
Scorers Alex 15, Drogba 55, 89, Malouda 76.

West Ham (4-3-3): Green; Spector, Gabbidon, Upson (c), Deprela; Kovac, Parker, Behrami; Ilan (Diamanti 83), Mido (Cole 66), Dyer (Stanislas 66).
Scorer Parker 29.
Booked Mido 49.

See the full 90 minutes on Chelsea TV from 6pm on Sunday.

Chelsea will spend Saturday evening back on top of the league table following a morale-boosting derby demolition of West Ham.

Alex gave the home team the lead in the first half, only for the visitors to equalise before the break but unlike against Manchester City in the last league fixture, it was Carlo Ancelotti's men who kept their nerve to add three more goals.

Didier Drogba weighed in with two to give him 27 for the season and between those came a goal from Florent Malouda who played as well as anyone as Gianfranco Zola's side were sent even deeper into trouble.

In Ancelotti's team selection, Malouda had moved forward from midfield to left of the front three with Kalou making way. Ferreira kept his place at left-back with Zhirkov returning from injury on the bench. Ballack came straight back in after suspension.

The game kicked off with a red ball that is on view in matches across the globe this weekend to promote HIV and AIDS awareness and the first chance came Malouda's way within two minutes. In space but off-balance, he sliced it wide.

A Malouda corner was headed on by Ballack on five minutes but a stretching Alex couldn't reach it at the far post.

Drogba had no trouble making contact with a volley soon after but his fierce strike deflected wide off a Hammers defender. The newly-crowned African Player of the Year then ran out of space in trying to convert a Ballack pass.

It took 12 minutes for West Ham to mount an attack but when they did they should have scored. Spector bundled the ball past Ferreira, Mido crossed but Ilan failed to test Turnbull as he skied his shot high over the bar.

Mido and Ilan, along with Dyer, were part of a completely changed front three selected by Zola as he attempted to inject counter-attacking pace out wide. Carlton Cole had an injury concern and was on the bench.

Chelsea were soon up the other end and when our chance came, Alex buried it with his head. The big Brazilian had won the ball in the air initially inside the opposing area, Terry got involved and Malouda crossed well for the finishing touch to be applied from eight yards out. It was Alex's first goal of the season.

That was on 15 minutes and a minute later the ball hit the Hammers' bar, Upson having diverted a cross in that direction. Under heavy Blues pressure, it was eventually cleared.

Lampard was crowded out of an attack when Malouda and Drogba had nearly played him in and it was all going pretty smoothly for Chelsea. That was until 29 minutes when former Blue Scott Parker conjured a goal out of next to nothing.

Taking a long throw that Mikel perhaps should have cut out, the midfielder caught his volley from five yards outside the area with the perfect loop to curve over the top of Turnbull's aborted save and into the Matthew Harding End net.

Just as against Man City in the last league game here, the visitors were back level and again it was unmerited on the play. Would Chelsea now crumble as they did then?

Green in the West Ham goal did well to save a Lampard shot low down by the post and then he had to stand still and field a header as Ferreira threatened to score an unlikely goal. That too was from a Malouda across and the Frenchman was having plenty of success in finding space and sending the ball in against Spector on the West Ham right. It needed someone on the end of those crosses though. That would come.

The first significant moment of the second half was a booking for Mido for a challenge from behind on the quiet Ballack deep in the Chelsea half.

Another Malouda cross threatened to find Ballack before Mido intervened. With Malouda's next ball from the left the Blues restored the lead, this time Drogba heading home from nearly under the bar having sprayed the ball wide in the first place. And who opened the defence up before that with a surging run up the pitch and into the area? John Terry.

There were 10 minutes of the second half gone and a minute later it took an extremely good one-handed save from Green to prevent Alex heading his second. The cross for once had come from the right - Ivanovic curling it in. Terry nearly scored with the rebound off Green's save.

Joe Cole was introduced after 65 minutes for Anelka and Zola swapped Carlton Cole for Mido and Stanislas for Dyer a minute later.

It was all Chelsea during this midway period in the half. Mikel drilled just wide with a crisp effort after Drogba was harshly denied a free-kick right on the edge of the area.

On 76 minutes came the goal Malouda's performance richly deserved. A Terry long ball was chested to the scorer by Drogba standing strong and showing immense composure, Malouda stepped inside Gabbidon and passed the ball into the bottom corner.

Drogba could have added a rapid fourth but his stretch didn't quite reach a Cole pass.

Lampard rolled a shot against the post following more Malouda trickery with five minutes to go and Drogba was denied on the follow-up by a last-ditch block.

Malouda's game, during which he had supplied 16 crosses, came to an end to the accompaniment of great applause when Kalou was put on for the closing moments.

There was still time for Drogba to net his second, smashing in from close-range after Green could only parry Lampard's stinging low shot as Chelsea broke with speed.

In stoppage time came a confidence-boosting save by Turnbull from Kovac at his near-post.

Bring on Inter on Tuesday night!

Chelsea (4-3-2-1): Turnbull, Ivanovic (Zhirkov 79), Alex, Terry (c), Ferreira; Ballack, Mikel, Lampard; Anelka (J Cole 65), Malouda (Kalou 86); Drogba.
Scorers Alex 15, Drogba 55, 89, Malouda 76.

West Ham (4-3-3): Green; Spector, Gabbidon, Upson (c), Deprela; Kovac, Parker, Behrami; Ilan (Diamanti 83), Mido (Cole 66), Dyer (Stanislas 66).
Scorer Parker 29.
Booked Mido 49.

See the full 90 minutes on Chelsea TV from 6pm on Sunday.

Barclays Premier League clash against Everton at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 13 March, 2010.

Chelsea (4-3-2-1): Turnbull; Ivanovic (Zhirkov 79), Alex, Terry (c), Ferreira; Ballack, Mikel, Lampard; Anelka (J Cole 65), Malouda (Kalou 86); Drogba.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti

West Ham (4-3-3): Green; Spector, Gabbidon, Upson (c), Deprela; Behrami, Kovac, Parker; Ilan (Diamanti 83), Mido (C Cole 67), Dyer (Stanislas 67).
Manager Gianfranco Zola

Referee Mark Clattenburg
Environment it's a cool and slightly cloudy afternoon in west London.
Kit Chelsea - blue shirts, shorts and white socks. West Ham - claret and blue shirts, white shorts and claret socks.
Attendance 41,755

First half
Kick off: West Ham
2 Shot Malouda sends the ball screaming wide following an early break from the Blues involving Lampard and Drogba.
8 Shot Drogba receives a tap back from Ballack but his shot is deflected out for a corner by the West Ham defence.
10 Shot Drogba breaks into the box but can only manage to hit the side netting from a tight angle. Chelsea are threatening.
12 Miss Ilan smashes the ball over the bar from only a few feet out with only Turnbull to beat, Chelsea beaten on the line as West Ham snatch possession.
15 CHELSEA GOAL Alex leaps high to head a Malouda cross beyond Green's reach; it's a well played Chelsea goal and a deserved opener.
16 Chance Anelka tries to collect a dangerous cross but instead Upson bounces the ball off his thigh and nearly into his own net. Green if forced to push the ball away from his own bar as Drogba tries to head home.
30 WEST HAM GOAL Parker smashes a shot from 25 yards out, it's a right-footed volley which flies into the top right. Turnbull can only watch as the ball hits the net.
37 Shot Anelka drills a long-range effort along the floor and into Green's arms without ever troubling the West Ham keeper.
38 Header Ferreira gets on the end of a Malouda cross to the near post but his subsequent header goes straight into Green's grasp.
Stoppage time: 2 minutes.

Half time Chelsea 1 West Ham 1

Second half
Kick off: Chelsea
48 Abused Mido is shown the yellow after cutting Ballack to the ground.
55 CHELSEA GOAL Drogba makes it two with a header at the far post following another great Malouda cross from the left flank.
57 Chance It's nearly three as an Alex chance is denied by Green before Terry hits the side netting.
61 Chance Malouda breaks down the right and sends a cross skimming towards the near post where Green collects.
65 Chelsea substitution Joe Cole comes on to replace Anelka.
67 West Ham substitution C Cole comes on to replace Mido.
67 West Ham substitution Stanislas comes on to replace Dyer.
73 Shot Mikel sends the ball skimming past the post from 25 yards out after Drogba appeals for a freekick on the edge of the box.
77 CHELSEA GOAL Malouda makes it three from the edge of the box and a smartly taken left-footed drive along the floor after breaking down the centre of the pitch.
79 Chelsea substitution Zhirkov comes on to replace Ivanovic.
83 West Ham substitution Diamanti comes on to replace Ilan.
85 Chance Lampard hits the post after deflecting a Malouda cross goal-ward, Drogba's follow up is forced out for a corner.
86 Chelsea substitution Kalou comes on to replace Malouda.
89 CHELSEA GOAL Drogba follows up on a failed attempt from Green to hold onto a Lampard shot. With the ball slipping away from the West Ham keeper's grasp at the far post, Drogba taps into the net from close range.
Stoppage time: 3 minutes

Unused subs Chelsea - Taylor, Bruma, Deco, Sturridge. West Ham - Stech, Collison, McCarthy, Franco.

Shots on target Chelsea 7 West Ham 1
Fouls Chelsea 9 West Ham 10
Corners Chelsea 11 West Ham 0
Offsides Chelsea 1 West Ham 2

Comment
John Terry made his 446^th Chelsea appearance today, moving him into fifth place as the club's all time appearance maker, ahead of Dennis Wise.
It was another emphatic win as the Blues came back from conceding to net another three before full time, as Gianfranco Zola returned to Stamford Bridge once more.

Watch the full game on Chelsea TV this Sunday evening.

Paulo Ferreira retains his place at left-back with Yury Zhirkov returning from injury on the bench.

Michael Ballack returns after suspension while Salomon Kalou is dropped to the bench to make way for Florent Malouda to move forward into the front three.

Ross Turnbull makes his Chelsea league debut and John Terry overtakes Dennis Wise to go clear as our fifth all-time appearance maker.

Gianfranco Zola shuffles his pack including a totally changed front three.

On the bench go Alessandro Diamanti, Guillermo Franco and Carlton Cole (who reportedly has an injury concern), in come Mido, Araujo Ilan and Kieron Dyer.

Chelsea are expected to line up in the following 4-3-2-1 formation:

22 Ross Turnbull
2 Branislav Ivanovic
33 Alex
26 John Terry (c)
19 Paulo Ferreira
13 Michael Ballack
12 John Mikel Obi
8 Frank Lampard
39 Nicolas Anelka
15 Florent Malouda
11 Didier Drogba.

Substitutes: 30 Rhys Taylor, 18 Yury Zhirkov, 43 Jeffrey Bruma, 10 Joe Cole, 20 Deco, 21 Salomon Kalou, 23 Daniel Sturridge.

West Ham away are expected to line up in the following 4-3-3 formation:

Green; Spector, Gabbidon, Upson (c), Deprela; Behrami, Kovac, Parker; Ilan, Mido, Dyer.

Substitutes: Stech, Stanislas, Collison, Diamanti, McCarthy, Franco, C Cole.

The referee is Mark Clattenburg.

For SMS Alerts, check out Chelsea Mobile.

Carlo Ancelotti and John Terry put their thoughts down on paper for each home game and e-members can read these online before the kick-off.

>> click here to read today's programme notes

Chelsea's youth team made it a successful week for the club with a 2-0 home win over Birmingham on Saturday.

The result was never in doubt with the visitors missing several players through injury and Chelsea coach Dermot Drummy able to name much of the side that would be expected to start at Blackburn in the FA Youth Cup this coming Wednesday.

A goal in either half from Milan Lalkovic and Jacopo Sala were enough for victory, and although Gokhan Tore was withdrawn late on with injury, it was merely a precaution and the exciting Turkish winger should be fine to travel to Ewood Park in midweek.

After missing an early chance, Lalkovic opened the scoring with a great goal in the first half, after a superb diagonal ball from Rohan Ince. The young winger showed fine control by bringing the ball down and cutting in from the left-hand side, smashing hard into the far corner.

Sala added a second with another fine individual effort, turning his marker and curling the ball into the far corner over the goalkeeper.

Home goalkeeper Sam Walker barely had a shot to save, while Marko Mitrovic went close to adding a third.

'At times we were knocking it round like a training match, we were so in control, and we were able to put three subs on before Wednesday to give everyone some game time, then Gokhan came off as a precaution but Birmingham still didn't offer anything against us,' Drummy said afterwards.

The youth team now have a day off on Sunday before training kicks in for the Youth Cup on Monday.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Sam Walker; Billy Clifford, Rohan Ince (sub Kenny Strickland h-t), Aziz Deen-Conteh, Ben Sampayo; Aliu 'Kaby' Djalo (sub Jack Saville h-t), Conor Clifford, Jacopo Sala; Milan Lalkovic (sub Josh McEachran h-t), Marko Mitrovic, Gokhan Tore.

Wednesday's game will be shown live on Chelsea TV, with coverage beginning at 6.15pm on Sky channel 421.

Carlo Ancelotti has been considering the pressure facing Ross Turnbull ahead of this afternoon's game with West Ham, and has tipped the third choice stopper to succeed.

With injuries to Petr Cech and now Hilario, the baton is passed to 25-year-old Turnbull to face Gianfranco Zola's side at Stamford Bridge, in what will be his league debut for Chelsea.

'It is a big test for Ross but I think that he doesn't have a problem. He is a very quiet man and he didn't have a possibility to play but he worked very hard and had a long time to improve his quality,' Ancelotti said.

'It is a good opportunity and I am happy he can play because he did fantastic work, stayed here in Cobham to train individually with the goalkeeper coaches, it is a good opportunity to show his quality.

'It is very difficult, I understand this, and Turnbull understands this, but he has a quality to do well, and I am not worried about this because he is a good goalkeeper. He won't be worried, he is very calm, like a man. It is important for him to be optimistic and to play a good game for the team.'

Turnbull has turned out just twice in our colours, as a first-half sub in a 4-0 Carling Cup win over Bolton in October, and in the 2-2 Champions League draw at home to APOEL in December.

Ancelotti has also reiterated his belief that Joe Cole will remain a Chelsea player next season, after facing further questions on the 28-year-old's future.

Cole's contract expires this summer but the Italian remains convinced he will still be a Blue come the summer.

Speaking prior to this afternoon's match against Cole's former club, Ancelotti said: 'The club want Joe to stay here and I think they are speaking. I didn't speak with Joe about his contract because I am not the right people to speak about this.

'He wants to stay, the manager wants him to stay, the club want him to stay, there will be a solution. I can say to nobody that you will stay in the team, John Terry, Drogba, I cannot guarantee their position in the team.I can guarantee their position in the squad, and I guaranteed the position in the squad of Joe Cole.

'All the players need to play but I cannot put all the players in the line-up, it is important when you have an opportunity to show your best.'

It is a message that both Cole and Turnbull will this afternoon be wanting to demonstrate they have taken on board.

John Mikel Obi has called on the importance of an early goal when West Ham visit Stamford Bridge this afternoon.

With defeat to Manchester City a fortnight ago still lingering in the memory, the Nigerian midfielder is eager to return to winning ways, but believes we must start positively against a Hammers team desperate for points.

Gianfranco Zola's side currently sit 16th in the Barclays Premier League table, meaning both sides need to pick up points for very different reasons.

'At this stage of the season perhaps you can't expect to win everything because this is when teams are trying to figure out what they can do to stop you and to pick up points,' Mikel admitted.

'It has always been difficult, against West Ham especially, and they will want to frustrate us again but we have to attack and play our game, and try to make sure we get goals in the first 15, 20 minutes.

'I don't think we have been playing badly but we have not been at our best picking up results recently, which is what we are trying to do and we're trying to get things right.'

A look at the stats makes for interesting reading, and shows the important of striking early. In 13 league games where the Blues have led at half-time this season, we have gone on to win them all, while midway parity or deficit has brought about rather more mixed fortunes.

'I think it is important for us to try to get early goals,' stated the 22-year-old. 'I know Chelsea, when we get goals in the first 10, 15 minutes we go on to dominate and win the games, but in the second half it gets harder to break through, we get tired and the other team feels more settled defending.

'In training we are working very hard on breaking teams down when they do this, and I think towards the end of the season it will start paying off.'

Got an opinion you'd like to share? Head over to the Chelsea Chat pages on The Shed and speak to like-minded Blues.

Striker Daniel Sturridge scored twice for the reserve team this week, and enjoyed his short stint with the second string, but still can't bring himself to give them too much praise...

The best goal I have seen this week…
The most shocking goal of the week was my first one for the reserves against Stoke, in off my back! The second wasn't lucky, that was well judged, so be careful. Samir Nasri's for Arsenal against Porto was very good, I'll say that.

The best save I have seen this week…
I'm a striker, I don't look out for keepers' saves do I? How about Alex's tackle against Stoke on Tuncay?

The best training…
Being with the reserves, the overall banter and feel of the session the day before the game was hilarious, everybody was up for it and enjoying themselves.

The worst training…
I can't be airing out the coaches for getting involved, there have been a couple of one-off incidents, but I don't know, nothing I want to tell you about!

Funniest moment of the week…
That reserve training session, we were playing some six-a-side which was funny, one team was bantering the whole time and ended up winning it, they had Nikki Ahamed, Danny Mills Pappoe, Jacob Mellis, Gokhan Tore, they did very well.

My favourite sound this week…
There's a song by Mr Slick called 'Chillin', and I'm always listening to that because I'm always chilling myself.

Best food this week…
Anything my mum cooks, and this week I'll say her chicken, which is always amazing.

Best entertainment...
I've not watched a lot this week on TV or anything, I've stopped with the computer games at the moment, so I'm spending time in London with my friends, but I did watch 'The Taking of Pelham 123' again this week, and that's good.

The news story that stands out…
That Facebook murder, it just shows you have to be careful with it because it can obviously be dangerous.

And a special mention goes to…
Maybe the reserve boys. No why am I giving them a special mention? This should be family shouldn't it? So my family for keeping me happy through hard times.

In their final game before travelling to Stamford Bridge, next Tuesday's Champions League opponents Inter suffered their first defeat in 18 games.

In a Serie A match held on Friday evening, Jose Mourinho's side lost 3-1 away at Catania who move up to 15^th place with the three points gained.

Diego Milito, who scored the opener against Chelsea in the San Siro, put the Nerazzurri in front early in the second half but Catania equalised 20 minutes later before Inter were reduced to 10 men.

Former Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari was sent off after giving away a penalty from which the home side took an 81^st minute lead. The Ghanaian earned two yellow cards within two minutes of coming on as a sub.

The third goal was added in the final minute and Inter's lead at the top of the Serie A table could be cut to just one point if AC Milan beat Chievo on Sunday.

Inter: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Lucio, Materazzi, Zanetti; Stankovic (Pandev 77), Cambiasso (Muntari 79), Mariga (Quaresma 46); Sneijder; Milito, Eto'o.
Subs not used: Toldo, Orlandoni, Cordoba, Krhin.


Carlo Ancelotti has been talking injuries ahead of the West Ham game as he welcomes Yury Zhirkov back into his squad and prepares to give a Chelsea league debut to Ross Turnbull.

Hilario has a groin injury suffered in the match against Stoke last weekend and has not trained all week. He is a doubt to face Inter on Tuesday and will not play tomorrow (Saturday).

Ricardo Carvalho is also out of the West Ham match as he recovers from a hamstring niggle but injuries apart, Ancelotti will be fielding his strongest team.

'We need to come back to the top of the table and so I want to put the best line-up out,' confirmed the Chelsea manager after Friday's training.

'We have some problems because we have injuries to some players, but I am not worried. I have trust in Turnbull. He hasn't played a lot of games but with our goalkeeper coach, he has improved very well.'

The 25-year-old has made two Chelsea appearances since signing from Middlesbrough in the summer.One was a full 90 minutes in a 2-2 draw against APOEL at the Bridge in the Champions League. He also came on midway through the first half of the Carling Cup win at home to Bolton when Hilario was injured and kept a clean sheet.

He last played in the Barclays Premier League when Boro lost at the Bridge in January 2009.

The goalkeeper on the bench will be Rhys Taylor, a 19-year-old from the reserve squad who played in the FA Youth Cup Final two years ago and was an unused sub for three first-team games during the Christmas and New Year period 2007/08.

'Yury Zhirkov is fit,' Ancelotti reported. 'He trained very well this week and has recovered completely. He can play tomorrow and also Tuesday and I don't think Carvalho has a problem for Tuesday.

'Maybe we will have a problem with goalkeepers because we don't know about Hilario and Petr Cech is doing physio but he hasn't trained on the pitch, so it is very difficult for him to recover for Tuesday.'

Ancelotti also had news on more long-term injured Ashley Cole and Michael Essien. They return to Cobham today from their rehabilitation in France after surgery.

Essien after an initial complication that has put his recovery back three to four weeks is progressing well.

'We are sure that he will play before the end of this season if his recovery continues without roblem.Ashley Cole is doing very good recovery, very fast. We have to look at him but we hope to have him before the three months.'

That was the time period initially predicted for the left-back's recovery. While he is considering his own injured players, Ancelotti has empathy for his opposite number this weekend, Gianfranco Zola.

'It is not easy for him because he has had a lot of injuries. Now, after the recovery of Carlton Cole, they have the possibility to play well until the end of the season. I hope West Ham stay in the Premier League because I think Gianfranco did a very good job this season. It is a very difficult job but he didn't lose his focus.

'The last Italian manager we played against beat me, but I am happy to meet my ex-player.'

MATCHDAY HOSPITALITY PACKAGES AVAILABLE FROM £195+vat. SEAT ONLY AVAILABLE FROM £80
Click here or call 0871 984 1955 for more information. CFC Members still earn loyalty points when purchasing a matchday package.

Frank Lampard has praised Carlton Cole for the progress the forward has made since leaving Chelsea in 2006.

Cole, now with tomorrow's opponents West Ham United, graduated through the Chelsea Academy in the early 2000s, and scored a number of key goals in his early Chelsea career before loan spells with Wolves, Charlton and Aston Villa.

One of his early Chelsea appearances came alongside Lampard as we hauled ourselves back from a two-goal deficit away at Charlton to win 3-2, each scoring second-half goals after none other than Gianfranco Zola had pulled a goal back before half-time, the Italian of course now in the managerial seat at Upton Park.

'We played poorly in the first half and were 2-0 down, but came back to win and it was a good season for me that 2002/03 one. I remember Carlton came off the bench that day and changed it all for us,' Lampard told the Official Chelsea Website.

'Over the last few years his development has been fantastic, he had great potential here, with strength and quality and I think maybe he needed to go and play regularly somewhere. It was never going to be easy to play regularly here but he has shown himself able to play at the top level at West Ham, and is deservedly in the England squad, but still a great down to earth lad.'

Indeed Lampard has played alongside Cole in each of the forward's seven international appearances, and believes the striker, who has nine goals this season, could be a part of Fabio Capello's World Cup squad.

'He's done very well with England, he trains very well and shows what he's got in training, but will perhaps want longer to show what he can do,' said the 31-year-old.

Of course we hope Cole's return to Stamford Bridge this weekend is a quiet one, but all at Chelsea will be keeping a keen eye on how he fares as South Africa approaches.

Can't be at the Bridge on Saturday afternoon? Keep up to date with the game via Chelsea Mobile.

An evening of entertainment took place at Stamford Bridge last night as Carlo Ancelotti and Ray Wilkins were our Stars on a Stool.

Used to wowing the crowds with their tactical sideline decisions, last night the pair were amusing the masses in a different manner, regaling fans with football tales and answering their questions.

And it was a sell-out crowd which listened intently to every word the duo uttered as they covered topics from favourite cars to which trophies they'd prefer to win. Obviously the answer was all of them.

Apart from the more obvious questions came queries covering Ancelotti's English and Wilkins' lack of hair.

'I am follicly challenged,' admitted Wilkins, 'I don't give a monkeys about that, it doesn't bother me one bit. I still breathe fresh air into my lungs every morning and that's all that matters.'

Our Italian boss then revealed a nickname he uses for Wilkins, Ciccio. It's a word referring to an Italian doll, although Wilkins seemed unaware of this!

He also went on to reveal the learning process behind his ability to speak good English, revealing how it only gets difficult when he's angry.

'The first time was not easy. The first time I was angry with the players was against Reading in the friendly game,' explained the Champions League-winning coach.

'We were losing 2-0 at half time and I tried to shout in English but it was impossible!'

Wilkins added: 'I said to Carlo from the offset, if you do feel angry then do it in Italian, because people will understand.

'No matter what language you do it in, if you're losing it, then people will understand,' laughed Wilkins.

The evening finished with a question on the important things in life, football and family.

Wilkins revealed that no matter what, although his devotion to the game cannot be questioned, family must always come first for him while Ancelotti pondered another life-long love.

The Italian was considering whether films or football took a number one role in his life, aside from his family of course, but soon revealed that no matter what the film was, he would always opt to watch a football game first.

'I love film but football is my love, I will always watch a match on TV over a film,' added our manager.

Once the duo had answered all the queries put to them it was time to head home and prepare for the weekend's game against West Ham.

But for the Star on a Stool crowd there was still one more treat, a Q and A session with Nigel Spackman, who rounded off the evening with more footballing stories.

Chelsea TV has exclusive coverage of last night's event in Star on a Stool: Ancelotti and Wilkins Special at 6pm tonight before Inside Cobham begins at 6.30pm.

The next Star on a Stool event will be a 40 year anniversary special of when we first won the FA Cup called Kings of King's Road, set to take place on Thursday 29 April.

There have been further announcements made regarding ticket sales for our Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester United.

Seats will go on sale to members with 85 loyalty points or more this Monday 15 March, these tickets will be available from 7am online and 9am through the box office and call centre.

There will then be further announcements made regarding the amount of loyalty points needed to purchase a ticket on Tuesday 16 March.

Thomas Cook are offering coach travel to the game, which kicks off at 12.45pm, priced at £33 per person.

Anyone heading to Stamford Bridge for tomorrow's London derby may appreciate the following information.

If you're heading to the stadium via London Underground services then be aware the District Line will be closed between Earls Court and Whitechapel.

There will be no service between Paddington and Harrow & Wealdstone on the Bakerloo Line and Harrow-on-the-Hill and Aldgate on the Metropolitan Line.

The entire Jubilee Line and Circle Line will be closed this weekend, as will the Waterloo and City Line.

National Rail users will be pleased to hear there are no major disruptions planned this weekend inside the capital although you are advised to check your train's arrival and departure time by clicking here.

Road users will also be happy with the knowledge there are no major roadworks taking place within the vicinity of the stadium. Again, fans are advised to check their route before departure through either the AA or RAC websites.

For more information on London Underground services in and around the capital then visit Transport for London.

CHELSEA STATS
Chelsea have lost three Premier League games at Stamford Bridge in six years since February 2004.

Chelsea have kept the most Barclays Premier League clean sheets with Man Utd - 13

It is 142 games and four years since Chelsea last lost back to back Premier League matches.

2009/10 Premier League scorers
Drogba 19, Lampard 12 (6 pens), Anelka 8, Malouda 6, Ballack 4, A Cole 3, Essien 3, Deco 2, Terry 2, J Cole 1, Ivanovic 1, own goals 4 (Givet, Blackburn h, Vermaelen, Arsenal a, Adebayor, Man City a, Smalling, Fulham h). Total 65.

MILESTONES
Frank Lampard needs four more goals to draw level with the joint third highest scorers in our history, Peter Osgood and Roy Bentley on 150.

John Terry is set to make his 446th appearance, which will move him into fifth place ahead of Dennis Wise in our all-time appearances table.

All-time appearances top 10
Ron Harris 795
Peter Bonetti 729
John Hollins 592
Frank Lampard 464
John Terry 445
Dennis Wise 445
Steve Clarke 421
Kerry Dixon 420
Eddie McCreadie 410
John Bumstead 409

Congratulations to Nicolas Anelka who celebrates his 31st birthday on Sunday.

WEST HAM STATS
Formed 1895

Major trophies
3 FA Cups, last in 1980
1 European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965
1 FA Charity Shield in 1964 (shared with Liverpool)

The Hammers have gone 13 games without an away league win since their opening day win at Wolves.

They have kept one clean sheet, at Aston Villa, in their last 12 away games.

West Ham have won two points from the last 21 available away from Upton Park and have failed to score in four of their last seven on the road.

West Ham have won eight points in 14 games on their travels this term scoring 12 goals and conceding 23. Their away Barclays Premier League record is one win (Wolves 2-0), five draws (Blackburn 0-0, Sunderland 2-2, Hull 3-3, Aston Villa 0-0, Portsmouth 1-1) and eight defeats (Wigan 0-1, Man City 1-3, Stoke 1-2, Birmingham 0-1, Bolton 1-3, Tottenham 0-2, Burnley 1-2, Man Utd 0-3).

Manager Gianfranco Zola
Days in charge: 544
Played 70
Won 21
Drawn 19
Lost 30

In 2002/03 West Ham were the first team since Oldham in 1993/94 to achieve the league 'double' over Chelsea and suffer relegation in the same season.

2009/10 Premier League scorers
Cole 9 (1 pen), Diamanti 7 (4 pens), Franco 3, Stanislas 3, Upson 3, Collison 2, Noble 2 (1 pen), Behrami 1, Da Costa 1, Faubert 1, Hines 1, Ilan 1, Jimenez 1 (pen), Kovac 1. Total 36.

WINDOW WATCH
Hammers major January transfers
In Benni McCarthy (Blackburn undisclosed), Ilan (free agent), Mido (Middlesbrough, loan).
Out Luis Jimenez (Inter Milan, loan return), Frank Nouble (West Brom, loan), (Nigel Quashie (QPR, free), Freddie Sears (Coventry, loan).

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE
The referee is Mark Clattenburg. He last took charge of Chelsea for our draw at Hull as well as the 2-1 win against Portsmouth and the 3-0 home win against Burnley. His most recent West Ham game was the home FA Cup defeat by Arsenal in January.

OTHERWISE ENGAGED
West Ham's Manuel Da Costa is suspended having been sent-off for violent conduct in a reserve match against Chelsea.

Ticket sale dates for our FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa at Wembley have been announced.

Seats for the game, which takes place on Saturday 10 April, go on sale to supporters on the UK Away Scheme on Tuesday 16 March.

Season ticket holders with 91 loyalty points or more can then purchase a ticket on Wednesday 17 March until 5pm.

On Thursday 18 March, seats will go on sale to season ticket holders with 75 loyalty points or more.

All remaining season ticket holders will be able to purchase a seat for the match on Friday 19 March. Further announcements will then be made if any remaining tickets are available.

The club has received 32,030 tickets for the game priced at £30, £40, £50 and £60. Over 65s and under 16s receive a £10 reduction on the full adult ticket price. We have been allocated the east side of Wembley stadium. Click here for further information.

Please note the box office and call centre will be closed on Saturday 20 March.

>> click here for a stadium seating plan

>> click here for the ticket terms and conditions

>> click here for Disabled ticket information

Two youth team league fixtures have been postponed.

The away match versus Tottenham, originally scheduled on 20 March, is postponed due to the FA Youth Cup campaign. The home match versus Aston Villa, originally on 27 March, will also be rescheduled due to participation in a tournament in the United States.

New dates are yet to be arranged.

Didier Drogba has been named the African Player of the Year for the second time in his career.

The Chelsea striker previously won the honour in 2006 (pictured below) and has been in the top three places on four other occasions.

Today (Thursday) on the evening of what is his 32^nd birthday he beat the challenges from other nominees Michael Essien and Samuel Eto'o to receive the 2009 award.

The winner is voted by the national coaches from the 54 countries affiliated to the Confederation of African Football.

Unable to be at the ceremony in Ghana due to his Chelsea training commitments, it was collected on Drogba's behalf by an official of the Ivorian Football Federation.

Both Drogba and Essien were named in the African Best XI for 2009.

Essien was quick to congratulate his Chelsea team mate and friend. Speaking from his rehab camp in France he said:

'Congratulations to Didier for winning this superb award. He has worked hard over the last year for Chelsea and Ivory Coast and he deserves every award he wins.

'The winner is chosen by people who know and understand the game and all three of us in the running would have loved to have won it, but there can be only one winner and this time it is Didier - Well done mate.

'I hope this is a sign of things to come in the upcoming Chelsea versus Inter Champions League game. For a Chelsea player to beat an Inter player Eto'o for the award could be a good omen ahead of the game.'

From Bentley to Zola via Greaves and Osgood - that is the B to Z of Chelsea Legends featured in a new section on the Official Chelsea Website. Now we want fans to add some more.

Giving rightful recognition of some of the great players who have played a big part in the club's story down the decades, Chelseafc.com has set the ball rolling by selecting 20 past stars for the Legends pages where profiles and pictures can be found. Supporters can also add comments about the players.

The selection won't remain at 20 for long. Anyone visiting the section can vote for who they believe should be added to this Chelsea pantheon and two new names will be included each month.

Now click on Legends to visit the new section.

Due to us reaching the FA Cup semi-final, our Premier League home game against Bolton Wanderers has been moved back one day.

It will now take place on Tuesday, April 13, with an 8pm kick-off. It will be televised live in the UK on ESPN. 

Alex has been nominated for the E.ON Player of the Round after his performance in Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final against Stoke at Stamford Bridge.

The defender didn't put a foot wrong all game, and is pictured making a superb saving tackle on Sanli Tuncay in the first half, the second key challenge he had made after an early block on Mamady Sidibe denied a likely goal.

Alex, 27, has earned rave reviews from John Terry for his performance against Stoke's physical forwards, which he discussed with the Chelsea website the day before the game.

Fans can vote for Alex until Wednesday March 24 by clicking here, and those who do so will be entered into a prize draw to receive a commemorative trophy and two VIP tickets to The FA Cup Final on May 15.

Bon anniversaire Didier Drogba - 32 years old today!

You are certainly carrying the years well if the evidence of the last 12 months is anything to go by.

Since his Chelsea career took an upturn with a chronic knee problem fully behind him and the arrival of Guus Hiddink last February, our centre-forward has scored a prolific 36 goals in just 52 appearances.

As he spearheads the continuing assault on the three most coveted trophies, Didier Drogba, it seems, is 32 years old going on 22.

That suggestion makes him chuckle as he sits down at Cobham to discuss the passing years with the Official Chelsea Website.

'I still have the same passion for the game,' he agrees. 'I still feel hungry and I am still chasing medals.

'I feel really good you know. As I have said in the past it depends on the injuries you get and this season I can say that I am lucky, or I can say that the few months that I took out last year to get my knee well are now paying off.'

It is perhaps an over-simplification of recent Chelsea history to claim that Didier was out-of-favour under Hiddink's predecessor Luiz Felipe Scolari and has since been reborn.

In reality he was often simply out-of-action in the early months of Scolari in charge due to injury or suspension, and he was taking time to recover his best form and match fitness when he did return in the approach to Christmas. However in the closing games of the Brazilian's stewardship as results dropped away, Didier did find himself starting on the bench.

There was no such problem under Hiddink and now in Carlo Ancelotti he has a manager who clearly has him as one of the first on the team sheet. He is also a manager who is not surprised to see his principal striker doing the business in his early 30s.

'When a player is 30 to 33-years-old he is not old, he is a player in the middle of his career,' the Italian said recently.

'Maybe 20 years ago when I finished my career, at 33 years I was an old player but now the physical training sessions have improved and there is more injury prevention and so the career of a player is more prolonged,' Ancelotti added.

'It is true,' reckons Didier, 'but at the same time your lifestyle is only as important as your mental approach to the game. If you put in your head that you are 32 and you are old it is going to be difficult. I still feel like a kid when I am on the pitch so sometimes he [Ancelotti] has to pull me back.'

A hint of the physical care that goes into maintaining peak working order is the massage Didier undergoes after training and prior to this interview. It lasts nearly as long as a football match - with extra-time added! On the Cobham pitches too with no midweek fixture this week there have been lengthy preparations.

'There is not really a big difference in the way Carlo Ancelotti manages me compared with past managers,' Didier says. 'They all know my strengths and my weakness and they all give me help to improve those, but especially now they put everything around me that I need to score goals or to be important for the team. That is what really makes me feel happy.'

Should Chelsea accumulate enough points in our final 10 league matches to take the title for a third time in the six seasons Didier has been at the club, we can speculate that it might be a victory that makes him happy like never before.

In his autobiography he admits to 'not taking any real pleasure' from the first championship win. His 10 league goal contribution in 2004/05 is not to be sneezed at but a hernia operation midway through was a hindrance and he started just 18 of the games. He felt peripheral.

The second title triumph involved a battle to win over many of his own supporters and at 12 goals from 20 starts and nine sub appearances, the statistics remained similar.

The next season Drogba's Chelsea career exploded amid a hail of goals and 'best striker in the world' plaudits, even if the status of champion was lost.

In reaching 2010, Chelsea and Didier have been through a lot together and there is no doubting now he is a main man (he already has 19 league goals this campaign), but for the time being he won't be drawn on what a new Premier League title would mean.

'We are far from that,' he rightly cautions. 'We have lot of games coming and big games too so I don't want to bring bad luck by talking about if we win, but this season so far has been really good for me.

'Even when I came back from the African Nations Cup it was good. I really thought that I was going to be tired and it was going to be difficult for me to come back. It was but for a different reason - because Ivory Coast had been knocked out of the competition - but it was also good to be back at Chelsea and scoring again straightaway.'

For Ivory Coast there is the chance to make up for January's disappointment when the World Cup begins in the summer. Didier, Salomon Kalou and their compatriots will have a new coach for South Africa and never one to be scared of dual responsibility, Hiddink has, according to some reports, agreed to take temporary control of the Elephants. The new Turkey boss is free to do so due to Turkey's failure to qualify.

'The Ivory Coast FA asked me for his number, like they asked for the number of Carlo, of Jose Mourinho, of a few managers,' Drogba explains. 'Guus was a big success here at Chelsea.'

The Dutchman was also one of a list of Chelsea managers, Ancelotti included, who have described Drogba as 'a leader' and an important aid to their stewardship of the team.

'You can be a leader on the pitch, you can be a leader in the dressing room,' the player says.

'There are different kinds of leadership and maybe I do speak when I feel it is important to. When you speak, after that you have to go out on the pitch and show and prove it. That is how people respect you and I think that is how you become a leader.

'When you speak and then you act, that is what gives you more courage and credibility.

'When I feel it I do it but the good thing is I am not the only one. When I speak, JT or Lamps or Bally or other players are really going in the same direction. That is why sometimes when we have a difficult first half we come back and we try to be stronger.'

That strength is bound to be tested in the coming months as Didier and his team-mates hunt domestic league and cup honours, and the one type of club honour that has so far eluded him - a European trophy. He has been as close as a Uefa Cup finalist with Marseille and of course a Champions League runner-up with Chelsea.

'It is in here,' he says solemnly with hand on chest. 'As long as I play at a high level it will always be my ambition. I think all players dream about it and there are no reasons why it shouldn't happen.'

If it does happen for Didier as early as this coming May, he can call it the best late 32^nd birthday present he could possibly give himself.