Chelsea beat Aston Villa easily after a masterful first-half display with strikes from Joe Cole and Nicolas Anelka sealing a 2-0 win.

Villa only have themselves to blame as they give the ball away at the back, Florent Malouda finds Frank Lampard and he tees up Joe Cole inside the area on the right to smash a shot past Brad Friedel. Very much a deserved lead for the home team.

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Chelsea are rampant and they get a second following a flowing move down the left that ends with Brad Friedel saving from Michael Ballack and then Nicolas Anelka, but the French forward finishes at the second attempt.

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Boxing Day action got off to a real cracker at Stamford Bridge after eight goals, two penalties and three red cards, saw a pulsating clash end 4-4 as Chelsea fall further behind the top two.

Match of the Day Highlights

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Gabriel Agbonlahor attacks down the right for Aston Villa before cutting inside and drilling a low shot just wide of the near post.

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Ashley Young’s low effort hits the side netting.

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Villa come close to creating another chance at Stamford Bridge but John Carew can’t quite control a pass inside the box. Moments later the tall striker heads a corner over the bar when he should have done much better.

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Agbonlahor chips a pass into the box, which Carew heads into the path of Shaun Maloney who slides the ball home from close range.

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Joe Cole races through having got in behind the Aston Villa defence but his firm shot from the edge of the box is straight at Carson.

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Maloney races away down the left wing before cutting inside and trying his luck from just outside the box and although it’s straight at Cech, the goalkeeper lets the ball slip through his grasp and into the net.

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Chelsea come forward at pace and Shevchenko blasts an unstoppable shot high into the top corner of the net and it’s now 2-2 at Stamford Bridge.

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Chelsea are now on the front foot as they chase a third goal and when Shevchenko’s clever pass finds Alex inside the box, the Brazilian skips past Davies to fire the ball into the net.

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Aston Villa have a free kick in a dangerous position and Young’s excellent delivery finds Laursen who fires home with a quite brilliant finish from close range to make it 3-3.

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Chelsea have a free kick on the edge of the area and Ballack’s low curling effort around the wall finds the corner of the net and it’s now 4-3.

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At Stamford Bridge there is yet more drama with Ashley Cole sent off for deliberate handball on the line and Aston Villa have a penalty. Barry, under enormous pressure, slots the ball calmly into the corner of the net, sending Cech the wrong way and it’s now 4-4.

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