Terry Connor and Mick McCarthy watch as Chelsea score. Again.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy told his players they may as well get used to being in a relegation dogfight after seeing his side sunk 4-0 at Chelsea.

Midfielder Michael Essien scored twice inside 10 minutes after Florent Malouda had put the Blues ahead in the fifth minute.

England midfielder Joe Cole completed the rout with his first goal for over a year .

“We were happy to get nil at the end,” said McCarthy. “Malouda’s was a wonderful strike and we should have done better when they scored from the corner for the second.

“I really hoped we would get something out of the game but reality was that we were expected to be in the bottom three still. We are in a relegation fight now, I’ve said that to the lads.”

Chelsea set a new club record for home wins and kept Wolves entrenched in the bottom three.

The victory over Wolves was their 12th in a row in all competitions at home – the previous record was 11 between February 25 and September 17, 2006.

The clean sheet also saw them equal their record of 10 consecutive games without conceding at home.

Chelsea’s performance had been even more admirable without the likes of injured quartet Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Deco and Michael Ballack.

Their quick, incisive passing game was too much for Wolves who spent much of the half chasing shadows.

But the Blues could have gone behind in the fourth minute when a fine Wolves move saw Matt Jarvis break free on the right.

However, his cross just eluded David Edwards as he arrived in the six-yard box.

Wolves paid a heavy price for the miss a minute later as Malouda collected a poor Wolves header inside the centre-circle and ran on unchallenged to unleash a 20-yard shot into the roof of the net.

Another sweet Chelsea move in the 11th minute almost brought them a second but Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey tipped Salomon Kalou’s 20-yard angled drive around the post.

However, the relief for Wolves was shortlived as from Malouda’s resultant flag-kick, Essien rose unmarked to head home from six yards.

Chelsea made it three in the 22nd minute when John Mikel Obi fed Essien with a short pass on the edge of the penalty area and the Ghanaian’s low drive went under Hennessey for his second.

Chelsea made it four in the 56th minute and it was a welcome strike for the fit again Cole.

The England midfielder, out for 10 months since January, side-footed home Anelka’s cross.

It was Cole’s first goal for the Blues since the win over Villa back in October 2008.

Gael Kakuta made his debut for Chelsea and looked completely at home in the top flight. He was originally suspended for four months when FIFA imposed their transfer ban on the club in September for inducing him to breach his contract with Lens two years ago.

By Adrian Curtis