Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou hit two. An opener from Florent Malouda and the last kick of the game goal from Yossi Benayoun saw Chelsea smack six past hapless Wigan to remain top of the Premier League
Fresh from their 6-0 opening day mauling of West Bromwich Albion last week, Chelsea repeated the score this time away to Wigan who defeated the Double winners 3-1 last season.
But there was no real expectation of that score, despite a nervy start this evening.
Wigan lost their first game at the DW stadium 4-0 to Blackpool last week and must have feared the worst.
But the first half an hour saw Wigan on top with half chances being well saved by Petr Cech, especially a long-range effort from Figarola on 14 minutes.
Nicolas Anelka almost broke through the Wigan defence but was judged to be offside.
But the Blues opened the scoring on 34 minutes when Florent Malouda kept on running into the Wigan area after setting up Didier Drogba who fed the ball wide to Ashley Cole. The left back’s byline cross was met by Frank Lampard. The midfielder poked his shot on goal but goalkeeper Chris Kirkland could only parry the ball into the grateful path of Malouda who slotted coolly home into an empty net with his right foot from eight yards out.
In truth, the visitors in what can only be called their Jaffa Cake kit of chocolate and orange could have scored more before half-time.
Chelsea’s goal was their 24th in the past five league games.
Wigan had the first chance of the second half but Alex managed to clear from a Rodallega run into the Chelsea area on 46 minutes.
But a minute later and a route one pass from Mikel bisected the Wigan back four and Anelka raced through and lashed home a right-footed daisy-cutter from an acute angle past Kirkland to double the visitors’ lead.
James McCarthy, Wigan’s young player of the year last season had a half chance on 50 minutes but failed to trouble Cech as his shot hit the side netting.
But on 52 minutes Anelka hit his second and Chelsea’s third as a big punt by Cech fed Malouda on the left. The French wingman sent over a deep cross and Drogba side-footed back into the gleeful path of Anelka who nodded home from close range.
Alex could have given Wigan a lifeline on 57 minutes when he appeared to handle the ball in the penalty area but referee Mike Dean waved away the Wigan appeals.
Wigan had the ball in the net on 62 minutes when Boselli tucked home a rebound off the post from a deflected McCarthy shot, but he was judged to be offside.
Paulo Ferreira replaced Branislav Ivanovic on 63 minutes.
Boselli had a fierce header on 64 minutes from eight yards out but the ball was straight at Cech who held comfortably.
Malouda lasted 70 minutes when he was replaced by Salomon Kalou.
Michael Essien had a shot, on target, on 71 minutes but Kirkland managed to clear the tight-angled drive.
Charles N’Zogbia had a nice curling left-footer on 75 minutes but it failed to trouble Cech’s goal.
Kalou took just eight minutes to score Chelsea’s fourth on 78 minutes.
A selfless Drogba powered through the Wigan rearguard but he passed to in-running Kalou who side-footed home from just inside the Wigan area.
Essien was then replaced by Yossi Benayoun.
Wigan’s first change saw Ben Watson replace McCarthy. That was quickly followed by Mohamed Diame who replaced by McArthur with 10 minutes left.
Things got worse for the home side when Figueroa was carried off following a challenge by Drogba. He was replaced by Emmerson Boyce on 84 minutes.
Kalou nodded home number five with a minute remaining.
An exceptional cross field play saw Drogba arrow into the box a vicious cross which Kalou met first and glanced the ball past Kirkland from six yards out.
Substitute Benayoun got in on the act for number sixth on 93 minutes when he cushioned the ball home with the last kick of the game.
Teams: 1 Petr Cech
2 Branislav Ivanovic
33 Alex
26 John Terry (c)
3 Ashley Cole
5 Michael Essien
12 John Mikel Obi
8 Frank Lampard
39 Nicolas Anelka
11 Didier Drogba
15 Florent Malouda
Subs: 40 Hilario, 19 Paulo Ferreira, 38 Patrick van Aanholt, 18 Yury Zhirkov, 10 Yossi Benayoun, 21 Salomon Kalou, 45 Fabio Borini.
Wigan: Kirkland, Stam, Gohouri, Alcaraz, Figueroa; Thomas, Diame, McCarthy; N' Zogbia, Boselli, Rodallega.
Subs: Al-Habsi, Boyce, McArthur, Watson, Gomez, Moses, Scotland.
The referee is Mike Dean.