Five-star Chelsea stay top of the pile

Chelsea made light of their injury crisis with a crushing 5-0 win at Middlesbrough on Saturday to ensure they remain top of the English Premier League.

Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari was without seven first-team regulars for the trip north but Boro were still powerless to resist.

A first-half strike from Salomon Kalou put Chelsea in front and their hosts imploded after the break, allowing Juliano Belletti, Kalou again, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda to run up the London club’s biggest win since Scolari took charge in July.