Match ends, Chelsea 4, PAOK Salonika 0.
Olivier Giroud scored twice as Chelsea saw off PAOK Salonika to secure top spot in Europa League Group L.
The Frenchman curled home from Pedro's pass before burying a volley from Cesc Fabregas' lofted through ball to give the hosts a two-goal lead at the break.
The Greek visitors had been down to 10 men since the seventh minute with Yevhen Khacheridi dismissed for diving in and denying Giroud a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
A depleted PAOK tired further in the second half and 18-year-old Callum Hudson-Odoi found the net before substitute Alvaro Morata headed in the youngster's cross with his first touch off the bench.
Chelsea play Hungarians MOL Vidi on 13 December in a final dead-rubber group game.
Chelsea fringe players come to fore
After Maurizio Sarri's 18-match unbeaten run as new Chelsea manager came to an abrupt halt with a 3-1 defeat by Tottenham on Saturday, the Italian changed all 10 outfield players for this encounter.
It gave several fringe players a chance to stake a claim for more first-team game-time.
With Morata still not fully convincing up front, Giroud now has four goals in his last three Blues games.
The France international lacks Morata's pace, but followed his precise first with a clever dart in behind the PAOK defence and a powerful first-time effort.
Elsewhere, Hudson-Odoi, who won the under-17 World Cup with England in 2017 and has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich, had some bright moments, the best of which was a crisp snap-shot that fizzed inside the near post for Chelsea's third and his first for the club.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek was perhaps of more interest to the watching England manager Gareth Southgate and impressed with his quick feet and incisive passing.
He was unfortunate not to add his name to the scoresheet bringing a superb save out of Alexandros Paschalakis with a fierce 20-yard effort.
Fans of the match
The travelling support barely stopped singing from the first whistle to the last, but the Greek league leaders were doomed from the moment that Khacheridi clumsily attempted to retrieve a loose pass and illegally blocked Giroud's route to goal.
A man down, PAOK, who lost 1-0 in the reverse fixture in September, failed to register a shot on target.
Former England age-grade international Chuba Akpom, who joined them in the summer from Arsenal, was an unused substitute on his return to London.
Chelsea can start turning their attention to the prospect of more serious opposition with the likes of AC Milan, Lazio and Sporting Lisbon among potential draws in the knockout stages.
Man of the match - Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea)
'Cesc played very, very well' - manager quotes
Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri on BT Sport: "We have to play every three days so in the future we will have to change very often. I am every happy with the performance of the young players especially.
"Cesc Fabregas played very, very well, especially in the first half. I said that in the central position of the three midfielders I prefer a very technical player like Jorginho or Cesc but N'Golo Kante has never played with me in this position, he has always played on the right of centre, he can do very well in that position."
Blues match Spurs Europa League streak - the stats
- Chelsea are just the second English side to win their opening five games of a Europa League group stage campaign, following Spurs in 2013-14.
- Chelsea have won five consecutive games in European competition for the first time since November 2010.
- Olivier Giroud netted as many goals in this game as he had in his previous 13 appearances for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (two in all competitions).
- Olivier Giroud has scored 11 goals in his last 15 starts in European competition (three for Chelsea, eight for Arsenal).
- Callum Hudson-Odoi (18y 22d) became the youngest player to score for an English team in the Europa League since the competitions rebranding in 2009-10.
What's next?
Chelsea meet west London neighbours Fulham on Sunday at midday in the Premier League.
Line-ups
Chelsea
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 21ZappacostaSubstituted forAmpaduat 63'minutes
- 24CahillBooked at 53mins
- 27Christensen
- 33Emerson
- 8Barkley
- 4Fàbregas
- 12Loftus-Cheek
- 11PedroSubstituted forWillianat 66'minutes
- 18GiroudSubstituted forMorataat 75'minutes
- 20Hudson-Odoi
Substitutes
- 3Alonso
- 5Jorginho
- 13Caballero
- 17Kovacic
- 22Willian
- 29Morata
- 44Ampadu
PAOK Salonika
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 31Paschalakis
- 3de Matos Cruz
- 34KhacheridiBooked at 7mins
- 15Crespo
- 20Vieira de Freitas
- 8da Silveira JúniorSubstituted forPelkasat 78'minutesBooked at 79mins
- 19WernbloomBooked at 50mins
- 98Rodrigues Lima
- 28Shakhov
- 7El KaddouriSubstituted fordos Santos Varelaat 76'minutes
- 9PrijovicSubstituted forWardaat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Rey
- 5dos Santos Varela
- 10Pelkas
- 21Biseswar
- 47Akpom
- 74Warda
- 87Cañas Ruiz-Herrera
- Referee:
- Kristo Tohver
- Attendance:
- 33,933
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home63%
- Away37%
- Shots
- Home28
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home10
- Away0
- Corners
- Home12
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Chelsea 4, PAOK Salonika 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ross Barkley (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Post update
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Vieirinha (PAOK Salonika).
Post update
Attempt saved. Cesc Fàbregas (Chelsea) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is saved in the bottom right corner.
Post update
Attempt saved. Willian (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Post update
Attempt missed. Pontus Wernbloom (PAOK Salonika) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Post update
Attempt missed. Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea) right footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Willian.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Willian (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Booking
Dimitrios Pelkas (PAOK Salonika) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Willian (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Dimitrios Pelkas (PAOK Salonika).
Substitution
Substitution, PAOK Salonika. Dimitrios Pelkas replaces Maurício.
Goal!
Goal! Chelsea 4, PAOK Salonika 0. Álvaro Morata (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Callum Hudson-Odoi with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, PAOK Salonika. Fernando Varela replaces Omar El Kaddouri.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Álvaro Morata replaces Olivier Giroud.
Post update
Foul by Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea).
Post update
Leo Jabá (PAOK Salonika) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Comments
Join the conversation
Accusing others of being chavs? Prat.
Terrible grammar and an overuse of emoji.
Either you should be in bed ready for school, or if you are older than that I pity what your life must be like.
The man's obsessed and a complete Muppet to boot
Watched him in last couple of youth cup finals . He has what it takes to be a star .
Loftus cheek should be a starter . Plenty of positives for Chelsea .
Forget about spuds trolls .
They’ve had more stadiums than they’ve won trophies in last 30 years .
We are perfectly Ok with the result against Spurs. The game was played on a cow field which your nomadic team are used to and Sari got his tactics completely wrong trying to play his usual neat passing game on that pitch.
Fact remains that Spurs will end the season below Chelsea with nothing again, so please enjoy that result, as it will be the high point of your season.
You are and forever will be a frustrating person as long as you support spuds!
Arsenal win 3-0, Chelsea win 4-0 and both secure top spots in their groups on their way to the knockout stages. Celtic and Rangers manage to score ....... one goal between the 2 of them and have yet to even qualify for the next stage and yet you wonder why the BBC have to chosen to open HYS’s for the 2 PL clubs and not the dour Scottish ones?
It appears that you are apparently a spurs fan but don't even know that Chelsea sold Jimmy Greaves to AC Milan. No knowledge, no class
Bobby, sitting in the biggest chair doesn't make you a king.
Best stadium? Did you mean Wembley?
Leave your best, biggest and long illustrious comments until May.