Chelsea take battle of the Blues

Birmingham 1 Chelsea 3

Chelsea climbed back into third spot into the Premiership with an emphatic 3-1 win that left Birmingham still searching for their first win of 2003.

Goals from Gianfranco Zola, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink pushed Chelsea above Newcastle United for at least 24 hours.

Chelsea had lost their previous three away games and in the opening 45 minutes they were indebted to keeper Carlo Cudicini for keeping them on level terms. He produced a string of fine saves as City, inspired by Christophe Dugarry, produced one of their most enterprising periods of the season.

Cudicini first beat out a fierce shot from Stan Lazaridis, turned round a curling long-range free-kick from the same player, pulled off a superb save to finger-tip over a rising 20-yard pile-driver from Jamie Clapham and blocked a Dugarry shot.

But, a minute before half-time, Zola - who had made little impact - stunned the home side with his 13th goal of the season. Emmanuel Petit centred and Eidur Gudjohnsen headed the ball into the path of Zola, who made no mistake with a sweetly-struck volley from 15 yards.

The limping Zola was replaced for the second half by Hasselbaink as City tried to rally and Cudicini again earned his spurs to keep out a close-range effort from Lazaridis.

But after 49 minutes they were left with a mountain to climb as Gudjohnsen clinically grabbed his ninth of the season. Dugarry lost the ball deep in his own half to Frank Lampard, Chelsea broke with pace and Gudjohnsen was on hand to head home the eventual right-wing cross from Jesper Gronkjaer.

Chelsea now started to knock the ball around with confidence and Nico Vaesen did well to keep out a deft flick by Gudjohnsen after good play by Hasselbaink.

But he had no chance after 68 minutes when Hasselbaink drilled home a penalty after he had been brought down in the area by Robbie Savage to seal City's fate.

Birmingham managed a consolation goal five minutes from time when Marcel Desailly fouled Clinton Morrison with Savage scoring from the penalty but it was too little, too late.