Chelsea 3 Sheffield Utd 0: Spectacular Sheva cuts down Blades

Their fans may have been banned from their ritual of throwing celery - following a Football Association threat earlier last week - but Chelsea easily tossed aside Sheffield United yesterday. Never mind flying vegetables, the visitors' lack of ambition was enough of a stick to beat them with.

Two early goals killed the contest. It was only then that United decided to compete. But the Blades had already been blunted while Chelsea had a little sharpener before the more taxing tasks ahead starting with tomorrow's FA Cup quarter-final replay against Tottenham Hotspur.

Jose Mourinho was able to rest and rotate. Neither Didier Drogba nor Michael Ballack started; neither Frank Lampard nor Andrei Shevchenko completed the match. When the latter, who had scored a sublime opening goal, was withdrawn there was another half-hearted little handshake from Mourinho and, afterwards, a sprinkling of praise. "He is a happy boy," he said of the 30-year-old former winner of the Ballon D'Or, "and still improving".

For United it was a dispiriting day compounded by a suspected double fracture of the left leg for their top scorer Rob Hulse who fell awkwardly over Petr Cech after the Chelsea goalkeeper had saved his point-blank shot. "It was one of those where you look the other way," said manager Neil Warnock.

There was further damage. Although they still have a seven-point cushion United have slipped to fourth from bottom. They have also lost their last seven away matches. "I thought we did fantastic to lose 3-0," Warnock added. "I'm not trying to pull the wool over anyone's eyes."

The evidence was clear enough and was collated as early as the fourth minute. As well as Ricardo Carvalho did to surge from his own half towards his opponents' goal, it was shocking that none of the three players he ran past challenged him. Equally poor was the marking on Shevchenko who was allowed to pull away to the left of the penalty area, cushion Carvalho's lofted pass with his thigh and then strike an unerring left-footed shot beyond the despairing grasp of goalkeeper Paddy Kenny. It was Shevchenko's 12th goal of the season - "he is scoring not an amazing but a good number of goals," Mourinho said.

Soon Chelsea scored again. Once more Shevchenko was involved as he reached Shaun Wright-Phillips' dangerous low cross, helping the ball on for Salomon Kalou to sidefoot his volley into the empty net. Shevchenko was clattered for his efforts and was afforded an ovation when he returned to the play. "Two-nil after 20 minutes and after that the game was under control," Mourinho said.

United, temporarily, roused themselves. First Colin Kazim-Richards sent in a stinging shot from distance that Cech pushed away and then Hulse beat John Terry to the ball only to send his scissors kick narrowly wide with the goalkeeper scrambling. Then a swift counter-attack led Keith Gillespie to sweep the ball forward to the edge of the six-yard box. Hulse reached it but Cech, once more, spread himself to block the shot. The striker stumbled, twisted and fell and it was immediate from Cech's reaction that he was badly hurt.

For Warnock, on his first return to Stamford Bridge since he earned a 2-2 draw when in charge of Notts County in 1991, it was a terrible blow. He then raged against the decision that allowed Chelsea their third goal - a free-kick earned by Arjen Robben.

From that award, just before the hour, Wright-Phillips bent the ball in and Michael Ballack, who had replaced Frank Lampard at half-time, easily headed past a bemused Kenny.

Mourinho responded by introducing Drogba. His fierce free-kick was goal-bound but Phil Jagielka headed away before United tried to press on themselves. It was to little effect. Chelsea weaved their patterns, but didn't truly try to raise the score while, for England, there was the boon of all their players coming through unscathed, with Ashley Cole substituted as well.

With the deficit they have to make up on Manchester United back to six points, but also 15 goals, Chelsea move on to White Hart Lane and to another competition. What does Mourinho expect? "I expect to be in the final," he said before departing.