Frank Lampard scored four goals as a rampant Chelsea sent out a warning at the top of the Premier League with an emphatic 7-1 win over Aston Villa.

UEFA Champions League hopefuls Villa travelled to Stamford Bridge in optimistic mood, but they were ripped apart as the Blues put in a clinical performance in front of goal.

Lampard put Chelsea ahead as he tapped in a Florent Malouda cross at the far post after 15 minutes, but a carbon copy at the other end saw John Carew latch onto an Ashley Young ball to knock home an equaliser.

Before half-time Lampard tucked away a penalty after Yuri Zhirkov was fouled in the area and Malouda scored from close range 12 minutes after the break.

Things went from bad to worse for the away side as Lampard added a further penalty, Malouda and substitute Salomon Kalou both found the net, before Lampard completed the rout in injury time.

Chelsea, who left 30-goal top scorer Didier Drogba on the bench, started brightly enough with Deco finding Nicolas Anelka inside the Villa penalty area in the third minute.

But the France international, given the task of leading the attack in place of

Drogba, shot into the arms of Brad Friedel at his near post.

Rested

Drogba, who scored twice in the 5-0 midweek demolition of Portsmouth, was rested according to the club's assistant coach Ray Wilkins.

Lampard tried to surprise Friedel in the 14th minute with a low drive from 30 yards but the American goalkeeper was untroubled by the bounce.

But Chelsea went ahead a minute later when Malouda's low cross was turned home at the far post by Lampard.

It was the England midfielder's 18th goal of the season in all competitions. Villa's Stephen Warnock required treatment to a head injury after a collision with Joe Cole in the 23rd minute.

Controversy erupted in the 27th minute when John Mikel Obi appeared to elbow James Milner.

But referee Peter Walton booked Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov for protesting about Mikel's challenge and took no action against the Chelsea midfielder.

However, Villa were jubilant in the 29th minute when they equalised through

Carew.

He converted a superb curling cross from Ashley Young at the far post to score his ninth goal in eight games.

Moments later Yury Zhirkov, who was clearly at fault for allowing Carew to ghost into space at the far post for Villa's goal, was booked for a foul on Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Deco followed his Chelsea team-mate in the book moments later for a foul on Milner in the 40th minute.

But Chelsea restored their lead in the 44th minute through a Lampard penalty.

Referee Walton adjudged Zhirkov had been fouled by Villa defender James Collins as he burst into the penalty area and Lampard converted the spot-kick with ease.

Lead extended

Chelsea went 3-1 up in the 57th minute when Malouda finished off a sweeping move by the hosts.

Deco's clever ball inside the full-back found Zhirkov in space and his cross was met perfectly by Malouda for the France international to score his 12th of the season.

Chelsea gave away a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the penalty area seconds later when Paulo Ferreira fouled Agbonlahor.

But Milner's effort was straight into the defensive wall to the dismay of the Villa fans.

Chelsea made Villa pay in the 62nd minute when Lampard grabbed his hat-trick, and his 20th of the season, with his second penalty of the game.

Zhirkov was again fouled, this time by Richard Dunne, and Lampard beat Friedel to become the joint third-highest scorer in the club's history.

It was a game of landmarks for the Blues with John Terry becoming the club's all-time record captain. His 325th appearance eclipsed former great Ron Harris and it was also Terry's 450th outing for the club.

In the 68th minute, rampant Chelsea made it 5-1 when Ferreira and Lampard combined to set-up Malouda for his second of the game and his 13th of the season.

In the 82nd minute substitute Kalou sent a curling shot around Friedel's right-hand post but he found the target a minute later when he drilled the ball past Friedel from 18 yards.

Lampard then made it 7-1 with his fourth of the game in added time as Villa's

10-match unbeaten run came to a crashing halt.

It also made the midfielder the third-highest scorer in the club's history with

151 goals - only Kerry Dixon and Bobby Tambling are now ahead of him.

Teams

Chelsea  Cech, Zhirkov (van Aanholt 76), Alex, Terry, Ferreira, Lampard, Deco, Mikel, J. Cole (Kalou 76), Malouda, Anelka
Subs Not Used  Turnbull, Bruma, Sturridge, Drogba
Booked  Zhirkov, Deco (Ballack 72) Ferreira
Goals  Lampard 15, 44 (pen), 62 (pen), 90, Malouda 57,68, Kalou 83

Aston Villa  Friedel, L. Young, Warnock, Collins, Dunne, Milner, Petrov (Downing 63), Sidwell, A. Young, Carew (Delfouneso 63), Agbonlahor (Beye 71)
Subs Not Used Guzan, Cuellar, Davies, Salifou
Booked  Petrov, Dunne
Goals  Carew 29

Attendance 41,825

Referee  P. Walton