Chelsea are assured of progress in Champions League

The game was goalless at the break but a smart finish from a tight angle by Nicolas Anelka put the Blues in front and Didier Drogba added a second from the penalty spot after he was fouled in the box.

Branislav Ivanovic added a brace for Chelsea, who need just a point to assure themselves of top spot in Group F, but Cole insists performance-wise the team can get even better.

The England international said: "We're not playing as well as we were at the start of the season but we're grinding out results and we just keep going. We're winning games which is the most important thing."

Cole sees retaining the Premier League title as the main target for the season but added: "There is a hunger and a desire that we want to win it (the Champions League), but there is some way to go."

After a lacklustre opening half, Chelsea made it four straight wins in Group F and substitute Nikita Bazhenov's 86th-minute goal provided little consolation for the Russians.

The victory leaves Chelsea six points in front of both Marseille and Spartak.

The Blues would have to lose to MSK Zilina at Stamford Bridge in the fifth round of matches to stop them finishing top.

Chelsea had accounted for the Russians 2-0 in the Luzhniki Stadium a fortnight earlier but they were slow to get into their stride last night.

They broke the deadlock in the 48th minute when Salomon Kalou put Anelka in the clear and the Frenchman made no mistake from an acute angle.

Chelsea made it two in the 61st minute after Evgeni Makeev brought down Drogba.

The home side sealed the victory in the 66th minute after Andrei Ivanov hauled down Kalou on the right-hand edge of the penalty area. Drogba sent over the free-kick and Ivanovic got ahead of his marker to plant a firm header beyond Dykan.

Bazhenov scored his consolation effort for the Russians but Chelsea had the last word when Ivanovic scored his second in stoppage time.