Chelsea delivered their most convincing performance yet under interim manager Guus Hiddink, thrashing Newcastle United 5-1 at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues were dominant from the outset, with an in-form Diego Costa netting the opener after just five minutes. Pedro and Willian soon got amongst the goals themselves, meaning that it really was game over after just 17 minutes of play.
It took a while for the dominant Blues to score their fourth, but they did so just before the hour mark, Pedro getting his second. Bertrand Traore got the final goal with around eight minutes on the clock, sealing a magnificent victory. Andros Townsend got one back in the final minute of normal time, but it will be quickly forgotten.
Having not lost any of their eight league games since Hiddink took over the reigns from Jose Mourinho, the Blues had shown improvement, but they'd only won two of those eight. This win may have banished many of the negative attidues towards that record, as they comfortably put a sorry Newcastle to bed.
Chelsea race into a three goal lead
Diego Costa, who has scored more under Hiddink this season than he managed in double the matches for Mourinho, got the ball rolling with a neat finish early on. Willian was given too much room to drive through the midfield, putting Costa in behind, the Spaniard making no mistake as he delicately rolled the ball past Rob Elliot.
Pedro grabbed the second goal less than four minutes later, capitalising on a Newcaslte mistake to double Chelsea's lead. Intercepting a poor pass from Rolando Aarons, he found himself one-on-one with Elliot, sending a cool finish into the corner of the net. Pedro was the only member of Chelsea's XI to not have started against Swansea City on the opening day, but the Blues were showing no similarities to their early season form.
It took another eight minutes or so for the third goal to come, Costa turning provider for Willian this time. Out-pacing Fabricio Coloccini to get on the end of a Cesc Fabregas pass, the striker took his time before slotting in the Brazilian, who crashed an effort into the goal to make it 3-0.
Steve McClaren had said before the game that the first 20 minutes were going to be hugely important, and his side had conceded three in that period. With Newcastle falling apart at the seams, Hiddink's men could, and should, have added more to their tally before half-time.
Branislav Ivanovic went close to making it four, getting on the end of Costa's cross only to see his shot blocked. Pedro almost benefitted from another intercepted Newcastle pass, Costa this time winning the ball before giving it to his teammate, only for the midfielder to shoot straight at Elliot. Willian was another who went close to a brace, the 'keeper forced into a save from his stoppage time free-kick.
Pedro's second follows Terry injury
Newcastle did have one, very good chance in the first half, but wasted it. Daryl Janmaat charged down the wing, seeing his ball in find Georginio Wijnaldum, who could only shoot straight at Thibaut Courtois. One sour note for Chelsea was captain John Terry being forced off with an injury before the break, leaving him a doubt for Tuesday's Champions League fixture against PSG.
If that injury had left the fans feeling downbeat, they were smiling again a little after half-time, as Pedro made it 4-0. Fabregas was at the heart of it, playing a brilliant pass onto Pedro's chest, leaving him to take the ball down and slot it past Elliot.
That goal came just after the visitors had missed a big chance to pull a goal back, with Aleksandar Mitrovic firing wide from the edge of the area after the ball fell kindly to him. However, there were few chances to come after Chelsea made it four, with the pace of the game slowing dramatically.
Traore wraps up comfortable win
The Blues kept possession comfortably, seemingly unfussed about chasing a fifth goal, whilst the Toon, stuffing knocked out of them, were content to keep it at just four by sitting deep and letting Chelsea have the ball.
Bertrand Traore had different ideas though, and he scored his first league goal for the Blues to make it 5-0 in the final 10 minutes. It was a simple but effective goal, Cesar Azpilicueta getting down the byline by playing a one-two with Eden Hazard, before crossing for Traore who arrived first at the front post to tuck the ball away.
Hazard did spurn a good opportunity to bag a sixth with three minutes left on the clock, shooting wide after another pass from Fabregas created a chance. Still, whilst his goalscoring frustration's continued, Chelsea's home frustration certainly didn't.
There was one goal left, Newcastle getting a consolation in the final minute of stoppage time. Andros Townsend scored his first for the club, cutting in from the right hand side before burying a shot into Courtois' bottom corner. However, it will make little difference in the grand scheme of things.