On a pitch resembling Copacabana beach, Chelsea produced a performance to match with their touch of Brazilian flair overwhelming Charlton at Stamford Bridge.

Despite the appalling surface, the Blues, who had taken just one point from their three previous league games, wasted no time in relaunching their Premiership campaign in some style.

They seized the lead after just two minutes through Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's contentious penalty, the day after Claudio Ranieri had effectively admitted his forward was for sale at the right price.

And with further strikes by William Gallas and Eidur Gudjohnsen, they were out of sight well before half-time.

Although Charlton pulled a goal back through their own spot-kick, an appalling blunder by keeper Dean Kiely allowed Graeme Le Saux to put Chelsea 4-1 ahead on 54 minutes.

Other chances came and went but their most convincing win of the season still ensured a measure of revenge after Charlton had completed the double over them in the past two seasons.

Ranieri's side, who also triumphed at The Valley in August in a late comeback, still benefited from a controversial ruling by Mike Dean less than two minutes into this game.

A neat flick by Gudjohnsen set up Le Saux to cross but any contact that Chris Powell then made with Hasselbaink as they went for the ball together was at best minimal.

Referee Dean nevertheless pointed straight to the spot - when he could find it, that is - and Hasselbaink sanded himself down before sending Kiely the wrong way.

It was clearly not Powell's day. For he had little time to recover before playing an unwitting role in Chelsea's second goal with just 10 minutes gone.

Jesper Gronkjaer's through-ball looked harmless enough until Powell miskicked his clearance and Gallas took full advantage as he volleyed the loose ball into the far corner of the net.

Despite the appalling conditions, Chelsea were still managing to play one-touch passing game that gave them the edge and Le Saux flashed another shot just wide.

Charlton, meanwhile, were rather less dangerous up front and they still struggled to make an impact even though Emmanuel Petit was drafted back into defence as John Terry went off injured.

Euell wasted three openings, including an indirect free-kick near the penalty spot, and Chelsea's response was as effective as it was simple.

In a classic counter-attack, Gronkjaer went past Powell and crossed towards Gudjohnsen at the far post for him to deliver a shot which deflected off Luke Young and duly evaded Kiely at his near post.

There was some relief for the visitors five minutes before the break when they earned their own dubious penalty after Petit had conceded possession on the edge of his box.

Marcel Desailly was adjudged, possibly harshly, to have fouled Kevin Lisbie and Euell this time held his nerve to beat Cudicini from the spot.

Alan Curbishley boldly made a double change at the interval, with strikers Kevin Bartlett and Jonatan Johansson replacing midfielder Radostin Kishishev and full-back Powell.

However, amid a feisty start to the second half, it was still Chelsea who continued to threaten.

Le Saux's free-kick almost managed to lob Kiely, but the Charlton keeper recovered his ground to tip the ball over the bar.

Kiely was nevertheless left red-faced when his awful mistake allowed Le Saux's speculative long-range shot to slip through his grasp and sneak inside the far post.

Hasselbaink came desperately close to putting Chelsea further ahead when he struck the inside of the post and despite moving to a back three, Charlton were still under pressure.

That they survived without going even further behind was more down to luck than judgment as their superb run of eight league games without defeat came unceremoniously to an end. Chelsea, in turn, moved back to five points behind Arsenal.

The pitch, meanwhile, will now be relaid although, on this display, maybe the Blues have mastered their own brand of beach football.

Teams

Chelsea: Cudicini, Terry (Morris 22), Desailly, Gallas, Babayaro, Gronkjaer (Zenden 81), Lampard, Petit, Le Saux (Zola 78), Hasselbaink, Gudjohnsen.

Subs Not Used: de Goey, Cole.

Booked: Le Saux, Desailly, Gudjohnsen, Petit.

Goals: Hasselbaink 3 pen, Gallas 11, Gudjohnsen 34, Le Saux 54.

Charlton: Kiely, Young, Rufus, Fish, Powell (Johansson 45), Kishishev (Bartlett 45), Parker, Jensen, Konchesky, Lisbie (Fortune 65), Euell.

Subs Not Used: Rachubka, Bart-Williams.

Booked: Powell, Konchesky, Parker.

Goals: Euell 42 pen.

Att: 37,284

Ref: M Dean (Wirral).