Chelsea 3-0 AC Milan: Fofana, Aubameyang & James secure Blues vital Champions League win in Group E

Chelsea claimed a huge 3-0 win over AC Milan in the Champions League to boost their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages on Wednesday night.

Graham Potter's side needed to deliver a win and they did so in convincing fashion to cruise past the Rossoneri to enjoy European delight in the capital.

Wesley Fofana put Chelsea ahead after 24 minutes after slotting home from close range from a corner.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang doubled the lead in the 56th minute to extend the hosts' advantage. Reece James added a third six minutes later after firing into the roof of the net.

Kalidou Koulibaly was given the nod for his first minutes under Graham Potter and made a shaky start to the game. A couple of early fouls luckily went unpunished early on.

Mason Mount had the first chance of the game for the hosts after five minutes. He curled a first time effort towards the bottom corner, but AC Milan step in goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu matched it with an excellent save to tip round the post.

Rafael Leao made his presence known early on with a step-over to get past Wesley Fofana, but he could only trip over himself to end an attack for the visitors.

The visitors picked up two bookings in the first 15 minutes, with Rade Krunic and Fode Ballo-Toure getting yellow cards for fouls on Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Reece James.

Chelsea had header after header saved by Tatarusanu and started to dominate the visitors. Finally in the 24th minute, Chelsea took the lead. The ball fell to Wesley Fofana in the box and he coolly slotted past Tatarusanu to score his first goal for the club to put Chelsea ahead.

Chelsea thought they doubled their lead in the 33rd minute after Mount dinked Tatarusanu, but the flag was raised for an offside in the build-up.

13 minutes after scoring his first for the club, Fofana was forced off with a knee injury after landing awkwardly in a tussle with Rafael Leao, and was subsequently replaced by Trevoh Chalobah.

Raheem Sterling was played in during first-half stoppage time by Mount but he couldn't get an effort away as AC Milan managed to get back to make a vital block through Pierre Kalulu.

Kepa Arrizabalaga made a big save on the stroke of half-time to deny Charles De Ketelaere after Leao beat three players, before Ben Chilwell made a vital block to deny Krunic from close range.

Chalobah tried an audacious overhead kick early in the second half, but it sailed over the bar.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then doubled Chelsea's lead 11 minutes into the second half after meeting Reece James' cross in the box, which caught former Blue Fikayo Tomori napping at the front post.

Six minutes later, James turned provider to goalscorer. Sterling laid it off to him and he drove into the box to fire into the roof of the net to cruise Chelsea to victory.

Graham Potter made his first changes in the 65th minute. Jorginho and Conor Gallagher replaced Mateo Kovacic and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The weight came off of Potter's shoulders and he made two more changes with Armando Broja and Kai Havertz coming on for Raheem Sterling and Mason Mount with 16 minutes left at Stamford Bridge.

It was an evening to remember for Chelsea, who won their first game of Group E on a must-win night for Potter and Co.

Back-to-back wins for the first time this season also, giving Chelsea much-needed confidence and momentum heading into their final 11 games before the World Cup break.

Now they focus on Wolves before a huge trip to the San Siro next Tuesday to face AC Milan in the reverse fixture.