Chelsea have up to nine matches left this season and, with so much at stake, it is unlikely that any will be played out as peacefully as the last 25 minutes at Upton Park last night.

Didier Drogba could have sparked a mini-riot with his celebrations of his side’s third goal and a brick was hurled at the Chelsea bus on its way into Upton Park, but a victory that moved the champions back to within three points of Manchester United at the top of the Barclays Premiership almost constituted a well-earned rest.

There was such a gulf between these two teams by the end that Frank Lampard could even afford to be magnanimous about fans who had smashed a window on the coach and hurled abuse at him throughout because of his claret-and-blue past.

“I don’t think there’s any point in dwelling on that as long as no one got hurt,” he said. “There are emotions in football and the reception doesn’t bother me at all. Some fans who are facing relegation would not be singing at the end but they were brilliant.”

West Ham United’s challenge was blown away early in the second half and time is running out for the East End club to do anything about their likely departure from the top flight. An opera singer was meant to lift the occasion, but unless West Ham win three consecutive matches before the final-day trip to Old Trafford they will soon require a requiem.

The revelation that Jörgen Klinsmann has been sounded out as a possible replacement for José Mourinho might be read as the strongest sign that time is running out, too, for the Portuguese but the former Germany manager is said to be unpersuaded about going on to Roman Abramovich’s payroll. And Mourinho always has the slim chance of a reprieve as long as his team keeps winning. This was their twentieth game without defeat, a run that includes 17 victories.

Mourinho rested a few players last night before a hectic run-in and Shaun Wright-Phillips, the principal beneficiary, produced two superb goals in the first half to more than justify his promotion. The winger had the chance to leap aboard West Ham’s sinking ship in January, but his first league goals of the campaign helped to vindicate his decision to stay.

Salomon Kalou and Drogba also scored and, while they were feisty opponents in the first half, West Ham had only the consolation of a fine goal from Carlos Tévez.

Abject in losing away to Shef-field United in their previous fixture, West Ham raised their game against more daunting opponents. It says something about the talent in the squad that they have beaten Manchester United and Arsenal this season but, as Alan Curbishley hinted afterwards, it also says little for their character that such defiance has been absent in less high-profile games.

When George McCartney accused Luis Boa Morte of failing to track back and the pair raised their hands, there was even a danger that West Ham would start to fight among each other. Fisticuffs were averted but spirit alone was never going to be enough.

Solid defending, and unwavering concentration, were also going to be required, so Curbishley was furious when, having clawed their way back into the game with a first-half equaliser, his team fell behind again in less than a minute.

Tévez had just hit a superb riposte to Wright-Phillips’s brilliant opening goal when Chelsea broke down the left wing almost from the restart. Wayne Bridge crossed from the left and there was Wright-Phillips to volley in at the near post.

There were echoes of West Ham’s chaotic 4-3 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur, when they had never looked more vulnerable than after taking the lead. “When we equalise or get our noses in front there is so much celebrating going on,” Curbishley lamented.

Wright-Phillips had given Chelsea the lead in the 31st minute. It appeared that he was meandering nowhere in particular when, with a wonderful change of speed and direction that left Jonathan Spector on his backside, the winger cut into the penalty area and hit a crisp, accurate shot with his weaker left foot.

West Ham were level within four minutes when the bustling Tévez cut in from the left flank and hit a superb arrowing shot into the far corner of the net from outside the area. Hope of a close contest lasted all of the 31 seconds it took for Wright-Phillips to claim his second.

A bright start by West Ham to the second half was to prove as beguiling as Tévez’s goal. It was not long before they were 4-1 down, Lampard setting up the third when he whipped a free kick into a crowded box. Drogba’s prod was well saved by Robert Green but Kalou was on hand to poke it in. Drogba’s overexuberance provoked a hail of missiles and venom.

Ten minutes later Drogba added the fourth when he ran on to Lampard’s through-ball and took advantage of Lucas Neill’s failure to make the interception. The forward was taken off soon afterwards. There are greater tests ahead.

West Ham United (4-2-2-2): R Green — J Spector, L Neill, J Collins, G McCartney — N Reo-Coker (sub: H Mullins, 76min), M Noble — Y Benayoun, L Boa Morte — C Tévez (sub: K Blanco, 83), R Zamora (sub: C Cole, 72). Substitutes not used: R Carroll, C Davenport. Booked: Neill, Reo-Coker, Mullins, McCartney, Boa Morte.

Chelsea (4-4-2): P Cech — L Diarra (sub: P Ferreira, 46), R Carvalho, J Terry, W Bridge — S Wright-Phillips, M Essien, F Lampard (sub: M Ballack, 78), J O Mikel — D Drogba (sub: J Cole, 67), S Kalou. Substitutes not used: C Cudicini, C Makelele. Booked: Diarra, Drogba. Referee: M Dean. West Ham United’s run-in Saturday: Everton (h). Apr 28: Wigan Athletic (a). May 5: Bolton Wanderers (h). May 13: Manchester United (a).