EPL: An easy start for Mourinho

ENGLAND - Chelsea 2 Hull City 0

This was a happy homecoming for one of management's most successful wanderers.

Jose Mourinho's record is excellent everywhere but it is exceptional at Stamford Bridge and his second spell as Chelsea manager began predictably but encouragingly.

In 61 Premier League games on Chelsea's home turf, he has never lost. Victory against Hull was both a formality and a statement of intent, sealed with 25 minutes of impressive efficiency.

Chelsea started at a canter, blew their promoted opponents away and then cruised through the second half.

In many respects, it was just like old days, with the Chelsea crowd serenading Mourinho while his team made light work of limited opponents.

The nostalgia trip even extended to the identity of one of the scorers. Frank Lampard was one of three survivors of Mourinho's original Chelsea debut to start.

Though he squandered the chance to score the first goal of the manager's second coming by missing a penalty, the midfielder was on the scoresheet.

Instead, the honour of netting the opener fell to Oscar, part of a younger generation the Portuguese will have to nurture. His strike came from a combination of the three flair players.

Eden Hazard found the debutant Kevin de Bruyne, who slid an inch-perfect pass into Oscar's path.

The Brazilian prodded his shot past goalkeeper Allan McGregor.

Indeed, while Mourinho is sometimes seen as a pragmatist, he had so many creative talents that he could afford to leave Juan Mata, who has missed much of pre-season and is not fully fit, on the bench.

De Bruyne deputised, finally appearing for Chelsea 19 months after signing from Racing Genk and slotting in seamlessly. Yet another winger, Germany international Andre Schurrle, came on for his bow and almost marked it with a goal, chipping just over.

In comparison, Lampard was playing his 609th game for the club. It brought his 204th goal, though 20 minutes later than expected.

When McGregor came off his line rashly and hauled Fernando Torres down, the goalkeeper redeemed himself with a superb penalty save.

Having failed with a set-piece from 12 yards, Lampard succeeded with one from 30, a swerving, spectacular free kick that brought revenge in his duel with McGregor.

The overworked goalkeeper made an outstanding point-blank block to keep out Branislav Ivanovic's header.

The Premier League has introduced goal-line technology this season but, thanks to the Scot's reflexes, the whole of the ball did not cross the line.

McGregor was one of five summer signings in Hull's starting 11. Two more were then introduced, including club record buy Tom Huddlestone.

The former Tottenham player added composure to the Hull midfield but, by then, the damage had been done. Mourinho, who has rebranded himself "the happy one", was smiling again.