Happy days return at the Bridge

Chelsea 2 Hull City 0

Goals from Oscar and Frank Lampard were enough to seal victory against a Hull team likely to be fighting relegation this season; but what happened off the field was just as important in terms of what Chelsea can achieve over the same period.

The Special One, of course, was given a rousing, vociferous and emotional reception before kick-off but it was not only about him, it was about the owner too.

The matchday programme included — on the front cover — a personal and signed message from Abramovich to thank fans for their support over the last decade; possibly the first words anyone has read from the Russian billionaire since he agreed to put his name to a foreword of a Chelsea history book early in his days at Stamford Bridge.

In return, Chelsea fans twice rose to chant his name — which strangely, given everything he has done for the club, is something of a rarity.

So all the problems of last year, from the heartless sacking of Roberto Di Matteo to the thoughtless appointment of Benitez, have been forgotten and forgiven it seems; and that can only augur well for Chelsea’s future.

“I think it’s great, especially for the players, to feel the atmosphere around,” said Mourinho afterwards. “It’s my fifth season I’ve started with Chelsea and we had Mr Abramovich in the dressing room with us for the first time in those years before the match, which means a lot. We are together and know where we want to go.”

As for the action, Mourinho sprung one surprise by handing Kevin De Bruyne his Premier League debut in midfield and leaving out Juan Mata; but in many other ways it was a very familiar line up that took to the field, including the old ‘untouchables’ Lampard, Petr Cech, John Terry and Ashley Cole.

And the result was equally as predictable.

Chelsea almost earned the perfect start when Hull goalkeeper Allan McGregor needlessly clashed with Fernando Torres when the striker was heading away from goal, giving away an early penalty. As it happens McGregor saved superbly from Lampard’s spot-kick but he was only delaying the inevitable in what was a breathtaking opening from the hosts.

The opening goal came after 13 minutes when De Bruyne’s first-time through-ball set Oscar free and he calmly toe-poked a shot into the opposite corner for 1-0; and from that moment on, the result was never in doubt. The second goal arrived after 25 minutes — Lampard scoring with a stunning 30-yard free-kick that fizzed into the top right-hand corner — and there could have been a third if Ivanovic’s header had not been clawed to safety by McGregor on the goalline.

“I’ve played so many times here and won so many matches here, but we’ve not had so many periods of that quality,” insisted Mourinho afterwards, while Hull manager Steve Bruce admitted Chelsea had been almost unplayable.

“They were incredible for the first 20 or 25 minutes,” he said. “We knew, with the atmosphere, it would always be difficult. It was whether we’d weather that storm. Thankfully we don’t have to play Chelsea every week.”

Chelsea were comfortable from then on, although maybe it was all a little bit too easy because energy levels dropped in the second half; Hull even enjoying a period of possession and two efforts on goal before substitute Andre Schurrle livened things up again. But Mourinho has never been one to order his team to go for four or five when a match is already won, preferring to save energy for the next contest — which in this case is at home to Aston Villa on Wednesday. In that way, too, it was rather like the old days — and incidentally Mourinho’s record at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League now reads 61 games without defeat going way back to his original arrival in 2004. It’s amazing what you can achieve when everyone pulls together.

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Terry 6, Cole 7, Lampard 7, Ramires 7, De Bruyne 8 (Schurrle 67; 7), Oscar 7 (van Ginkel 84), Hazard 7, Torres 5 (Lukaku 75).

Subs: Essien, Mata, Ba, Schwarzer.

HULL: McGregor 7, Elmohamady 5, Chester 6, Davies 6, Figueroa 7, Brady 6, Meyler 5 (Huddlestone 59; 6), Koren 6, Sagbo 6, Graham 5 (Livermore 59; 6), Aluko 6 (Boyd 79).

Subs: Rosenior, Bruce, McShane, Harper.

Referee: Jon Moss.