Didier Drogba fired Chelsea back to the top of the Premier League with two second-half goals in a 4-1 win over struggling West Ham on Saturday

Alex set Carlo Ancelotti's side on their way with a 16th minute header and while Scott Parker levelled for West Ham in the 30th minute, the home side sealed the points through second half goals from Drogba and Florent Malouda.

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba scores during their 4-1 Premiership win over West Ham on Saturday PIC/AFP

Last weekend's FA Cup victory over Stoke City had silenced talk of a growing crisis at Stamford Bridge that followed successive defeats to Inter Milan and Manchester City.

Yet while Chelsea were securing their place in the semi-finals of the competition, they relinquished their standing at the head of the table to Manchester United, who took advantage of the Blues' break from league duties.

This then was Chelsea's chance to reclaim the position they have occupied for most of the season although their preparations were hampered by an injury to stand-in keeper Hilario.

The Portuguese was drafted in for a rare run in the side after Petr Cech was injured against Inter but pulled his groin against Stoke, paving the way for Ross Turnbull to make his first league appearance for the club since his summer move from Middlesbrough.

Recent form suggested that Turnbull would get little chance to stake his claim for more regular action with West Ham hitting a new low with last weekend's home defeat to Bolton.

That left Gianfranco Zola's side on the fringe of the bottom three and the manager admitted before this game they needed ten points from their last ten games to have a chance of staying up. Having failed to win away from home since the opening day of the season, the odds were stacked against the Hammers making a dent in that target at Stamford Bridge.

Other results:
Tottenham 3 Blackburn 1
Birmingham 2 Everton 2
Bolton 4 Wigan 0
Burnley 1 Wolves 2
Stoke 0 Aston Villa 0