Middlesbrough 0-5 Chelsea

Chelsea completely outclassed Middlesbrough to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Salomon Kalou began the rout, stroking in after Juliano Belletti's shot had been blocked and Belletti made it 2-0 with a stunning 30-yard shot.

Kalou got his second when his low strike deflected off David Wheater before Frank Lampard's diving header rounded off a superb Chelsea breakaway.

Florent Malouda tapped in the fifth after Nicolas Anelka had hit the post.

Chelsea's intent was clear from the start - move the ball quickly, play with fluency and control and retain possession.

They achieved their aims to the extent that Boro barely had a kick from the outset.

And while Boro failed to put pressure on the ball, Kalou, Malouda and full-backs Jose Bosingwa and Wayne Bridge in particular, exploited the space.

It was through Bridge that Chelsea fashioned their opener as the left-back's cross fell to Belletti, whose shot ricocheted off two Boro defenders allowing Kalou to stroke the ball in.

More Chelsea goals seemed inevitable as they totally dominated a Boro side short on confidence after only one win in five games.

Only a last-ditch block from Jonathan Grounds prevented Lampard's shot providing the finishing touch to Malouda's low cross from the right.

Soon after the interval, Malouda raced clear after Grounds misjudged the bounce of the ball, but the winger shot wide when he should have scored.

But there was no such profligacy from Belletti when he took aim from 30 yards and arrowed a superb shot into the top corner to finally give Chelsea the second goal they deserved.

The sensational strike had the effect of deflating Boro even further - and Chelsea went on the rampage.

Malouda's exquisite cut-back found Kalou and, with everything going Chelsea's way, the striker's low shot diverted off Wheater to leave keeper Ross Turnbull no chance.

But if Chelsea's third goal was fortunate, their fourth was pure class.

Kalou and Anelka exchanged passes as the Blues came storming forward, before Kalou dinked a perfect cross for Lampard to send a diving header into the corner.

Worse was to come for Boro as four minutes later Anelka broke and sent in a low shot that Turnbull could only spill on to the post and Malouda tucked away the rebound.

Turnbull did much better shortly after when he got down well to save Anelka's shot but by then Boro had been embarrassed and outplayed by a Chelsea team missing seven first-team players.

The Blues remain unbeaten in 2008 and are in sparkling form under Luiz Felipe Scolari.