Chelsea thumped Aston Villa 8-0 at Stamford Bridge to record their biggest win of the season and the best for two years To move back to third in the league.
Before the start, the Blues had slumped to seventh, but goals from Fernando Torres, David Luiz, Branislav Ivanovic, Frank Lampard, Oscar, Eden Hazard and a brace from substitute Ramires restored the Londoners' outside title credentials.
The win equalled the score going back two years when they put Wigan Athletic to the sward on the penultimate game of the 2010 season, on way to their second Premier League title.
The Blues are 11 points behind leaders Manchester United with a game in hand but the title charge might just be on now.
The Villas kids never looked like they had any fight in them and it took the Blues just three minutes to breach the Villa rearguard.
The move was started by Frank Lampard who clipped the ball wide of the right to Juan Mata. The Spain midfielder tapped the ball onto Cesar Azpilicueta. The right-back sent in the perfect cross which was met full on the forehead of Fernando Torres and the ball zipped past the hapless Brad Guzan.
Predictability on the 16th minute, the Chelsea fans rose as one to shout out the name of their fallen ex-boss Roberto Di Matteo. he act signalling their disgust at the appointment of Rafa Benitez.
With the Blues in total control, the inevitable second goal was always just a kick away.
After 29 minutes, Eden Hazard was upended in the edge of the Villa penalty area.
Up stepped David Luiz who blasted the ball over the wall and wide of Guzan I to the back of the net.
Number three was just five minutes behind. A fine turn and shot by Gary Cahill was brilliantly stopped by Guzan. But unfortunately for the goalkeeper the ball looped into the air.
In-running Branislav Ivanovic was on hand to nod the ball home from close range.
Villa had their first shot, albeit off target with five minutes of the first half remaining -Barry Bannan's wayward 20-yard strike sailing into row Z f the Matthew Harding Stand.
The second half saw the Blues on the front foot and within four minutes they could have extended their lead when Mata thumped a shot from 12 yards forcing Guzan into a fine instinctive save, tipping the fierce effort over his crossbar.
A Torres turn and shot followed by a trademark long-range effort by Lampard kept Volla on their toes.
However on 52 minutes Villa ventured forward on a quick counterattack, and only a cultured interception by Cahill prevented Christian Benteke from slotting home from six yards out.
The majority of the 31, 363 thought that Torres had scored his second on 56 minutes but the striker was adjusted to be office before heading home.
But the fourth was seconds away and it came from the right foot of Frank Lampard who smacked home from fully 25-yards to nestle the ball low into Guzan's right- hand corner.
The midfielder, 34, was then immediately replaced by Bemitez with Ramires taking the England star's place.
Lampard, whose contract is up in the summer, and with no sign from the club suggesting they want to give him a new one, soaked up the generous applause from the Chelsea faithful.
Azpilicueta forced Guzan into another save on 67 minutes. Seconds later Torres was taken off, presumably to save his legs for the hectic Christmas and New Year schedule - Brazil midfielder Oscar entered the fray.
He should have scored with his first touch on 69 minutes but screwed his right-footer wide from just inside the Villa penalty area.
With 18 minutes to go, striker Lucas Piazon came on, replacing Mata.
Piazon's first touch was an exquisite defence-splitting pass to Ramires, who raced clear and slammed a right-footed drive under Guzan's body for number five.
The poor Villa, who two years ago had six of these players in the youth team suffered the indignity of conceding a sixth with 11minutes remaining.
Oscar raced into the penalty and was tugged by defender Chris Herd. Referee Phil Dowd pointed to the spot and Oscar picked himself up and smashed the spot kick high and wide of Guzan.
The Blues were in seventh heaven on 83 minutes when shell shocked Villa lost another goal - this time to the venomous left boot of Hazard who rammed the ball from just inside the Villa six-yard box across Guzan and into the top left-hand corner of his net.
It should have been eight on 8 minutes when Ciaran Clark upended Piazon.
However the youngster, just 18, fluffed his audition from the spot kick allowing Guzan to get to the ball and clear.
But the humiliation was complete on 90 minutes when Ramires, free inside the area had the simplest of chances to pick his spot and plant the ball wide of Guzan.
The Blues face Norwich City at Carrow Road on Boxing Day.
Anything close to a repeat of this annihilation and maybe, just maybe, the fans might chant Benitez's name.
Teams
Chelsea , Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole, Lampard, Moses, Mata, Hazard,
Torres,
Subs, Turnbull, Ferreira, Ake, Ramires, Oscar, Marin, Piazon
Aston Villa, Guzan, Herd, Clark, Baker, Lowton, Westwood, Holman, Bannan, Lichaj, Weimann, Benteke,
Subs, Given, Bennett, El Ahmadinejad, Ireland, Albrighton, Delphi, Bowery,
Referee: Phil Dowd.