Chelsea 4-0 Sunderland - 1999

Expectation was high at Stamford Bridge. The Blues had narrowly missed out on the Premier League title the previous season and many pundits fancied Gianluca Vialli’s side to pip Manchester United and Arsenal to the post this time around.

That confidence was reinforced after a devastating start to 1999/00, as newly-promoted Sunderland were blown away at the Bridge. Gustavo Poyet, sorely missed for much of the season prior, opened the scoring midway through the first half with a trademark header.

Gianfranco Zola quickly doubled the lead from a Poyet pass, and in the second half Chelsea strolled to victory. Sub Tore Andre Flo – on for the misfiring Chris Sutton – added a third before Poyet netted quite possibly our most iconic opening-day goal.

Zola scooped an audacious pass over the Mackems’ backline that Poyet read perfectly, acrobatically scissor-kicking a volley into the top corner on the run.

‘They lived up to their billing and strutted like champions,’ crowed The Observer. Alas, such authority would not last in the league. Chelsea finished sixth, seven points ahead of Sunderland, who humbled the Blues 4-1 in the reverse fixture.

As was the case throughout the nineties, our best days came in knockout football: we won the FA Cup and reached the quarter-final of the Champions League in what was our maiden adventure at the top table of European football.

Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United - 2004

Chelsea supporters may not have known it on the day, but they were witnessing the start of something very special when Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United rolled into town for a blockbuster beginning to 2004/05.

Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea journey was just getting going, as was that of debutants Petr Cech and Didier Drogba.

This 1-0 win, courtesy of a scrappy Eidur Gudjohnsen goal that epitomised the occasion, was the first of 77 Premier League home games we did not lose under Mourinho’s stewardship, over two separate spells.

It was also the start of a very special journey for a Chelsea side that broke several Premier League records en route to winning the title, exactly 50 years after we had previously been crowned England’s best.

Chelsea 2-1 Hull - 2009

Football is all about timing. Drogba was one of those who had the happy knack of scoring when it mattered, and in Carlo Ancelotti’s first game in charge, the Ivorian delivered an injury-time sucker punch to finally floor Hull City.

The contest was drifting to a 1-1 draw at the Bridge after Drogba’s superb free-kick cancelled out Stephen Hunt’s surprise opener.

Boaz Myhill in the Hull goal was in inspired form, keeping out efforts from Michael Essien, Nicolas Anelka and Jose Bosingwa as the Blues laid siege in search of a second breakthrough.

It looked like all hope was lost when, in the first minute of six added on, Drogba glided down the left flank before lofting a chip over Myhill from the most improbable of angles. ‘I was worried, for sure,’ admitted Ancelotti. ‘But I am quiet. I am calm.’

He, Drogba and Chelsea never looked back. Our star striker added 27 more Premier League goals as the Blues pipped Man United to the title.

Chelsea 6-0 West Brom - 2010

We finished that 2009/10 campaign with a glut of extraordinary home results: 7-1 over Aston Villa, 7-0 against Stoke, and then an 8-0 thrashing of Wigan Athletic on the final day.

It felt like nothing had changed as Ancelotti’s second season got underway with a demolition of Roberto Di Matteo’s West Brom. Florent Malouda set us on our way early on and a Drogba free-kick on the stroke of half-time all but ended the game as a contest.

Chelsea ran riot in the second half. Frank Lampard opened his account for the season between two more Drogba goals, and Malouda rounded off what he had begun with a composed strike past Scott Carson.

Unfortunately, despite another 6-0 win the following weekend at Wigan, the Blues couldn’t replicate that form over the course of the season. Man United finished nine points ahead of us, Ancelotti departed, and by the following March, Di Matteo was in the Chelsea dugout. We all know what happened next…

Chelsea 2-1 West Ham - 2016

What better way to start afresh than by scoring a late winner in a London derby in front of a jubilant home crowd?

The defence of our title hadn’t gone to plan in 2015/16. Antonio Conte arrived that summer, tasked with bringing the Blues back to life after an insipid campaign.

His season-defining switch to 3-4-3 would come in time, but for now the performance of new signing N’Golo Kante on debut and signs Eden Hazard was back to his very best bode well.

The Belgian thumped a penalty into the roof of the net to put us ahead, only for West Ham’s James Collins to level as the defensive frailties all too common the season prior reared their ugly head.

But the Blues were dominant, and deservedly took the points when Diego Costa arrowed a finish into the far corner with 89 minutes on the clock. Conte joyously celebrated with the East Lower, and the sense a new leaf had been turned over was vindicated as Chelsea marched to the title in some style.

Chelsea 3-0 Crystal Palace - 2021

Our most recent home win on the opening day had something extra special about it.

That’s because Saturday 14 August 2021 was the first time Stamford Bridge was at capacity in 17 long months. The covid pandemic had initially halted fixtures taking place. When the schedule restarted, BCD – behind closed doors – became the new norm.

Limited crowds were permitted towards the end of the 2020/21 campaign, including for the FA Cup final and Champions League final, but a sunny summer’s afternoon was the first time the Bridge could reconvene in full.

Blues fans welcomed their European Champions home and then watched on as Crystal Palace were swept aside. Marcos Alonso, Christian Pulisic and Trevoh Chalobah scored the goals as Chelsea got back in the swing of things in style, and Stamford Bridge was, once again, the only place to be every other Saturday.