New 64 Unbeaten home records with Chelsea win

Chelsea are the proud owners of new English top flight record.

The 2007/8 model continued where the version from the previous season left off, not to mention the teams of the two years before that, by proving unbeatable in the league at home.

It took some fluid and invigorating attacking play to reach the milestone of 64 games not out as newly-promoted Birmingham looked well equipped for the season ahead.

However, pleasing home debuts from Claudio Pizarro and Florent Malouda were marked by goals and with the game tied at 2-2 at half-time, a Michael Essien belter shortly after the break was enough for an opening day three points.

The squad fitness picture had improved since the Community Shield to the extent that two strikers could be fielded. Pizarro was ready to start a game and Kalou was back. Drogba was also on the bench.

The formation was 4-4-2 with wingers - Wright-Phillips and Malouda in the starting line-up. Johnson had won the selection contest for the right-back shirt and played his first game at the Bridge since his loan at Portsmouth. Essien and Lampard were asked to patrol the central midfield.

For Birmingham, Mikael Forssell was playing his first game at the Bridge since leaving in 2005 and Friday's loan arrival from Arsenal, Johan Djourou, went straight into central defence.

It was Forssell with the first shot on target of the game, a medium power strike that squirmed briefly from Cech's grasp before it was safely pouched. That was after just four minutes.

Three minutes later, Malouda was only a foot away from rippling the Shed End net, striking Kalou's ball inside first time but just clearing the crossbar. A lovely 50 yard pass by Wright-Phillips had opened space for the move.

Pizarro headed a Wright-Phillips cross on target on 12 minutes but the looping effort never looked likely to beat Doyle. With the next move, supplier turned shooter as Wright-Phillips blasted across goal and narrowly wide. The bright Blues were involving the wide men well.

But then Birmingham won a free-kick midway inside the Chelsea half. McSheffrey floated it in high, Ridgewell flicked it on and Forssell was free to nod past a helpless Cech. In Hasselbaink-style, the Chelsea old boy made no significant celebration of his Matthew Harding End goal.

It took Chelsea just three minutes and one attack to equalise. Malouda had drifted over to the right and touched a pass on to fellow winger Wright-Phillips. The cross came in low and Pizarro released the trigger. Doyle on his line got a good hand to the low shot but still let it in. Our new Peruvian was off the mark.

If the 17^th minute equaliser was all about penetration down the wings, Chelsea's second on 30 minutes was driven straight through the heart of Steve Bruce's side.

Malouda began the incision, passing forward to Lampard who found Kalou. Standing strong, the Ivorian picked out Malouda's continuing run and the summer signing finished confidently. It was a goal of pass-and-move excellence that Mourinho on the touchline appeared to enjoy especially.

Looking dangerous with every move forward, the Blues broke next through Kalou out wide, Lampard scooping the cross goalwards but Djourou was in the right place to divert the ball behind.

A Chelsea third was looking well on the cards but then on 35 minutes, Birmingham bludgeoned an equaliser. Kapo out on the right beat Johnson in the tackle and unleashed an absolutely stinging shot into the far side of Cech's net. This was certainly a lively opening to the league season, even if it wasn't going totally to plan!

That second goal looked to have knocked Chelsea back on our heels but the impressive Kalou brought down a high ball shortly before the break, turned and fired a shot straight into the arms of Doyle.

Shortly after the restart, Wright-Phillips blasted just past the post after Pizarro had performed target man duties well. Just a minute later, Essien had no such difficulty locating the target, smacking in a 25-yarder after a lay-back from Wright-Phillips.

As with the first goal, Doyle's contact looked sufficient for a Premier League goalkeeper to save, but yet again, the ball found its way past.

Essien was booked for celebrating his first of the season with the Matthew Harding Lower. He took his punishment without complaint.

The same player steamrollered Nafti in midfield soon after but this time blasted over from long range.

Drogba was introduced on 63 minutes as a straight swap for Pizarro who can be well-satisfied with his Stamford Bridge start. Mikel came on five minutes later for Essien who hadn't been happy since taking a knock in a challenge a few minutes earlier.

After a Johnson ball forward, this time the Birmingham keeper gave a good account of himself when he saved a Kalou shot.

Soon Malouda and Wright-Phillips nearly combined to find Kalou at the far post on 74 minutes. This Chelsea team had plenty of attacking ideas.

Larsson became Birmingham's first booking when hauling back Malouda who had left him for dead. Carvalho followed into the book for hauling down Forssell.

With the game entering the final 10 minutes, Chelsea were asked to show some defensive resilience, scrabbling one loose ball behind followed by Ben-Haim making an important block.

When Doyle's mixed afternoon saw him rush from goal to clear danger and hack upfield in the direction of Drogba, the man with the Golden Boot fired at an empty net from just over the halfway line - the ball flying close enough to get a few bums off seats.

With three minutes to go, the same player found Sidwell whose shot on the turn was just a yard wide. The Chelsea fans, who had been in good voice throughout, were asked to hold their breath for a few moments more before the win was safe.

When the final whistle came, it was met with a mighty cheer as one mention of Liverpool's name was erased from the record books.

Chelsea (4-4-2): Cech; Johnson, Ben-Haim, Carvalho, A Cole; Wright-Phillips, Essien (Mikel 69), Lampard, Malouda (Sidwell 82); Kalou, Pizarro (Drogba 63).

Goals Pizarro 14, Malouda 30, Essien 49.

Booked Essien 50, Carvalho 78.

Birmingham (4-4-1-1): Doyle; Kelly, Djourou, Ridgewell, Queudrue (Parnaby 50); Larsson, Muamaba, Nafti (De Ridder 74), McSheffrey (Jerome 68); Kapo; Forssell.

Goals Forssell 14, Kapo 30.

Booked Larsson 76