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DANIEL STURRIDGE again eclipsed Chelsea's big-name strikers to leave the Blues menacing the Manchester clubs in the title race. Sturridge's 31st minute opener transformed Chelsea's pedestrian display into a stroll as John Terry bundled their second goal and Ramires slid home a perfect team strike on 61 minutes. Greek hitman Apostolos Vellios prodded Everton's late consolation with his first touch. But Andre Villas-Boas finally saw his side end their Everton hoodoo, as well as keeping their 100 home record and closing to a point behind United, three off City. Juan Mata was the main inspiration behind Chelsea killing off the Toffees' five-game unbeaten Premier League run at Stamford Bridge. This was Chelsea's first match since they announced their bid to buy back the freehold of Stamford Bridge, which they sold to a supporter-led group - Chelsea Pitch Owners - in the 1990s. Opponents of their proposal, which has been seen as a precursor to a move to a new stadium, distributed leaflets before the game in the hope of rallying support. The visitors might have been tempted to back the 'Say No CPO' campaign themselves so impressive was their record at Stamford Bridge. And they looked set to extend it in the opening half hour as Chelsea toiled. Didier Drogba almost played Ramires clean through but Sylvain Distin intervened, while Everton showed their threat on the break when Louis Saha fired straight at Petr Cech. Marouane Fellaini was booked for catching Ramires but he might have given the otherwise well-drilled visitors the lead but a heavy touch allowed John Obi Mikel to intercept. Chelsea were crying out for a spark, and when it finally arrived the source was no surprise. Mata brilliantly picked out Ashley Cole's surge into the box and the left-back stood up a first-time cross which Sturridge simply could not fail to nod into the net. Everton continued to look more than capable of scoring themselves, but were undone again in first-half stoppage-time when Seamus Coleman fouled Cole and Terry beat Tim Howard to nod home Frank Lampard's free-kick. Leon Osman almost pulled a goal back straight after the restart with a shot that shaved the outside of the post, but with the comfort of a two-goal lead, Chelsea soon began putting together some lovely passages of play. Drogba inexplicably stopped running when Jose Bosingwa looked set to put the ball on a plate for the striker and although Osman drilled over, Everton boss David Moyes decided to act, withdrawing Coleman for Royston Drenthe just past the hour mark. No sooner had he done so and it was game over, a sweeping Chelsea move seeing Mata exchange passes with Drogba before sending in a low cross which was inch-perfect for Ramires to slide home. Ramires appeared to hurt himself beating two defenders to the ball and had to be helped from the field after the restart, with Florent Malouda coming on. Sturridge was then controversially booked for diving when challenged by Drenthe, the striker open-mouthed in disbelief at the verdict. Everton brought on club captain Phil Neville for Cahill and Chelsea responded soon after by withdrawing Mikel and the outstanding Mata for Oriol Romeu and Nicolas Anelka. The Blues were in cruise control but were denied their first clean sheet since the opening day of the league season when Moyes threw on Vellios for Saha and saw the substitute immediately slide home Drenthe's cross. It was merely a consolation and Lampard might have made it 4-1 in stoppage-time when he volleyed Drogba's chest down straight at Howard. Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Mikel (Romeu 76), Lampard, Ramires (Malouda 65), Sturridge, Drogba, Mata (Anelka 76). Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Meireles, Lukaku, Alex. Booked: Cole, Sturridge. Goals: Sturridge 31, Terry 45, Ramires 61. Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman (Drenthe 61), Fellaini, Rodwell, Osman, Cahill (Neville 72), Saha (Vellios 80). Subs Not Used: Mucha, Heitinga, Bilyaletdinov, Stracqualursi. Booked: Fellaini, Baines. Goals: Vellios 81. Att: 41,789 Ref: Mike Jones (Cheshire).