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Chelsea revive title hopes with four-goal rout of Bolton

Didier Drogba set Chelsea on their way to an emphatic away win.
Didier Drogba set Chelsea on their way to an emphatic away win.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Chelsea win 4-0 at Bolton to revive flagging English Premier League title bid
  • Reigning champions remain seven points adrift of leaders Manchester United
  • Didier Drogba opens scoring for Chelsea at Reebok with swerving shot
  • Leaders Manchester United visit Blackpool on Tuesday
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(CNN) -- Reigning champions Chelsea revived their English Premier League title bid with a thumping 4-0 win at Bolton on Monday night.

The victory leaves them in fourth place, still seven points behind leaders Manchester United, who have a game in hand, but the manner of their win suggested they can be a factor in the championship race.

Didier Drogba made the breakthrough in the 10th minute at the Reebok Stadium when his swerving shot flew over goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and into the net.

Florent Malouda added a second before halftime and further goals came in the second half from Nicolas Anelka and Ramires, his first for the club.

Carlo Ancelotti's side came into the match with a record of one win in nine league matches, but kept up their fine record at Bolton where they have won their past eight matches without conceding a goal.

Bolton have now lost four of their last five matches to undermine a fine start to the season.

Drogba's goal was his 10th of the season and French ace Malouda doubled the advantage to join his teammate on that mark.

Anelka then added a third goal, his 13th of the campaign, shortly after the break before Ramires scored the fourth to round off the rout.

Chelsea might have added a fifth as penalty appeals were ignored after Anelka went down in the area under a heavy challenge from Bolton defender Paul Robinson.

Before the kick off, tributes were paid to former Bolton legend Nat Lofthouse, who died last week aged 85.

Lofthouse, dubbed the "Lion of Vienna" for his performance in a famous win for England over Austria in 1952, played 452 times for Bolton, his only club, scoring 255 goals.