Luiz Felipe Scolari’s reign as Chelsea boss started in style with an impressive win against Portsmouth.

Joe Cole slid home Michael Ballack’s pass after 12 minutes and Nicolas Anelka headed in Deco’s cross from close range in the 26th minute.

Frank Lampard added the third from the spot on the stroke of half-time after Sylvain Distin handled.

And Deco crowned a superb Chelsea debut with a swerving shot from 25 yards a minute from the end.

Scolari hopes to bring a more attractive brand of football to Stamford Bridge - and his new charges certainly delivered in their first Premier League game.

But the display should also be placed in the context of a truly wretched performance from Harry Redknapp’s side, who looked a shadow of the unit that had an impressive campaign last season.

Chelsea took only 12 minutes to score the first goal of the Scolari era, and it was perfectly fashioned as Ballack’s pass with the outside of his foot found Joe Cole, who slid a finish beyond James.

Anelka almost added a second when he was denied by James after racing clear - but it was only a temporary reprieve for Portsmouth as the striker was on target after 26 minutes.

Jose Bosingwa’s cross was retrieved by Deco, who was having an outstanding first half, and Anelka headed home with James stranded out of position.

Anelka’s pace was proving too much for Portsmouth, and he shot narrowly wide after racing clear.

Chelsea lost Ballack to injury after 37 minutes, but his replacement Florent Malouda almost had an instant impact with a driven cross that flashed across the face of goal.

Portsmouth had a half-chance when Petr Cech was forced into a block from Niko Kranjcar, the Chelsea keeper recovering to block another effort from Peter Crouch.

Portsmouth were being totally outclassed, and the scoreline was given a more realistic appearance when Chelsea took a three-goal lead in the dying seconds of the opening period.

Distin handled Joe Cole’s cross and Lampard beat James with ease form the spot.

Chelsea continued to press after the break, with both Anelka and Joe Cole only inches away from adding to Portsmouth’s misery.

Little had been seen of Portsmouth’s new strike force of Crouch and Jermain Defoe, but it finally showed glimpses of promise with 13 minutes left.

Crouch headed a long ball into Defoe’s path, but he was stretching and steered his finish wide.

Chelsea deserved a fourth goal, and it was fitting that Deco got it with two minutes to go, firing in from 25 yards via the hands of James, who should have done better.

Owner Roman Abramovich was all smiles at the final whistle as he revelled in the first impressions created by his new manager.

Ref From BBC SPORT By Phil McNulty

Everton striker Andrew Johnson is having a medical at Fulham as he closes in on a move to Craven Cottage.

BBC Sport understands 27-year-old Johnson will break the Fulham transfer record by moving for a fee that could eventually rise to £13m.

Johnson pulled out of a friendly when he heard of Fulham’s interest and has not gone on Everton’s tour to the US.

The money would enable Everton boss David Moyes to up his bid for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Joao Moutinho, 21.

Moyes had an £11.8m offer rejected by the Portuguese club on Sunday, with Sporting not keen on selling their man for less than £20m.

As for Johnson, the former Birmingham and Crystal Palace hitman is thought to be keen on a move back to London for family reasons.

He joined Everton from Palace for £8.6m in May 2006 and has scored 22 goals in 74 appearances for the Goodison Park outfit.

Everton have yet to make a signing this summer and Moyes has conceded he may need as many as five or six new players.

Moyes has been linked with Moutinho, plus Tottenham striker Darren Bent and Real Zaragoza’s Argentine forward Diego Milito.

In sharp contract to Everton, Fulham have gone on a spending spree since securing their Premier League status at the end of last season.

They have already swooped to sign Mark Schwarzer, Andranik Teymourian, Zoltan Gera, David Stockdale, Toni Kallio, Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil and are poised to snap up Swedish defender Fredrik Stoor too.

Ref From bbc.co.uk

Aston Villa supporters turned on unsettled Gareth Barry during the friendly victory at Walsall.

Barry was disciplined for criticising manager Martin O’Neill after the 27-year-old revealed he wanted to quit Villa and join Liverpool.

But the proposed move has stalled amid ill-feeling as Liverpool have failed to meet Villa’s £18m asking price.

Barry has returned to training but was a target for Villa fans as he played for an hour in their 3-2 victory.

Walsall took the lead through Alex Nicholls in the 42nd minute, but Shaun Maloney equalised with a 62nd-minute free-kick.

Trialist Patrick Suffo, the former Sheffield United striker, made it 2-1 to the home side with a low drive.

Maloney levelled again from close range with 10 minutes remaining before Wayne Routledge volleyed home the winner four minutes from time.

Ref From BBC SPORT