Yuri Zhirkov marked his return to Russia by setting Chelsea on course for a 2-0 win over Spartak Moscow at the Luzhniki Stadium.

The Blues returned to the scene of their 2008 Champions League final defeat by Manchester United while Zhirkov was back in the city where he spent five years with CSKA before joining Chelsea in 2009.

And the 27-year-old midfielder made his mark in the 23rd minute, producing a stunning left-footed volley to open the scoring and claim his first Chelsea goal in his 36th appearance for the club.

Nicolas Anelka then doubled the Blues' lead just before the break and although the hosts posed plenty of problems, Carlo Ancelotti's men stood firm to maintain their 100% record in Group F and remain on course for the knock-out stage.

Penalty heartbreak

Chelsea, who lost on penalties to United in a heartbreaking final two years ago, are now three points clear of Spartak at the top of the group.

The Russians also came into the match with a 100% record but if the Blues win the return game at Stamford Bridge in two weeks' time then they will secure a first-place finish and guarantee their place in the last 16.

The English champions had plenty of possession in the opening stages but it was Spartak who engineered the first opportunity of the match in the 11th minute.

Sergei Parshivlyuk ran at the heart of the Chelsea defence and Ashley Cole's tackle went into the path of winger Dmitri Kombarov, who had time and space to pick his spot but sent his left-foot shot high over the bar from just inside the area.

Petr Cech had to be alert in the 14th minute to kept out Welliton's shot on the turn at his near post.

But Chelsea replied with fit-again Salomon Kalou finding Florent Malouda on the edge of the Spartak box and the France captain fired just wide.

The Blues then claimed the lead and Zhirkov had clearly read the script. John Obi Mikel's long ball was knocked down towards Zhirkov, who charged onto the ball from the left and smashed a 25-yard volley beyond Andriy Dykan on the run.

Michael Essien had the chance to make it two for the Blues in the 31st minute but he elected to cross instead of shooting from an acute angle.

Anelka squandered another chance in the 37th minute when he latched onto a poor pass and ran clear of the Spartak defence.

But the France international, usually so clinical in one-on-one situations with the goalkeeper, lost control and Dykan rushed out to prevent him getting a shot away.

Anelka made amends

However, Anelka made amends in the 43rd minute as he collected the ball in the left channel after a driving run by Essien and turned inside before steering a low shot beyond Dykan and inside the far post for his 50th Chelsea goal.

Spartak started the second half strongly and Ari fired over from the edge of the box before Republic of Ireland international Aiden McGeady saw a deflected strike tipped over by Cech.

The Russian onslaught continued with Kombarov firing too close to Cech before the Czech keeper produced two fine saves within a minute, denying Ibson on each occasion.

Essien should have made it 3-0 in the 73rd minute but the Ghana midfielder turned Kalou's cut-back narrowly wide from just 10 yards.

But like Cech, Branislav Ivanovic and captain John Terry were also in fine form in the centre of defence, and Cech dived low to stop Ari's long-range strike and make sure they kept a clean sheet.

Teams 

Spartak Moscow  Dikan, Suchy, Pareja, Makeyev, Parshivlyuk, Sheshukov, Ibson, Kombarov, McGeady, Welliton, Ari (Ananidze 85)
Subs Not Used  Stranzi, Sabitov, Maidana, Pasjakov, Ivanov, Kozlov
Booked  Suchy
Goals 

Chelsea  Cech, Ferreira, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole (Van Aanholt 87), Zhirkov, Essien, Mikel, Kalou (McEachran 74), Anelka, Malouda (Kakuta 82)
Subs Not Used  Turnbull, Mellis, Bruma, Clifford
Booked  Zhirkov
Goals  Zhirkov 23, Anelka 43

Attendance  75,000

Referee  C. Carballo