Didier Drogba scored his second hat-trick of the season as Chelsea swept aside Watford 4-0 at Stamford Bridge to rejoin Manchester United at the top of the Premiership.
Drogba opened the scoring on 27 minutes when he stabbed home from six yards after Andriy Shevchenko miskicked Geremi’s cross.
A good one-two with Shevchenko seven minutes later allowed the Ivorian to slide home his second from an acute angle on the edge of the six-yard box.
Shevchenko celebrated the birth of his second son with a goal of his own, his fifth of the season, on 51 minutes. Drogba turned provider, controlling Carlo Cudicini’s goalkick before chipping a clever pass for the Ukranian to chest the ball round Ben Foster and tap into an empty net.
Drogba capped a superb individual performance by completing his hat-trick in the 69th minute. Geremi provided another perfect cross for the Ivorian to steal in unmarked and fire the ball past Foster. Drogba’s tally now stands at 14 for the season.
Watford never really troubled Cudicini’s goal.
The win made it 50 League games without defeat at the Bridge.