Chelsea 4 Wolves 0:THE SENSE of anticipation was palpable. The Chelsea support had bellowed their approval before kick-off when his name was called out, and they did so again, only louder, on 59 minutes when he prepared to make his professional debut as a substitute.

Even Nicolas Anelka, the player to give way, smiled broadly. It was an afternoon of firsts.

Gael Kakuta has battled intense frustration since September, when Fifa ruled that Chelsea had illegally induced him to sever his ties with Lens in 2007 and, together with punishing the London club with a transfer embargo, it banned the 18-year-old for four months.

The sentence was suspended earlier in the month, pending Chelsea’s appeal and, on Saturday, at long last, Kakuta could find release in doing what he has always loved best.

If the feeling of liberation was striking, then so too was the forward’s nervelessness. Not for him the safe early touches and simple lay-offs. Within two minutes he had accepted a pass inside the penalty area and, with a quicksilver feint, had tricked around Wolves defender Richard Stearman to shoot into the side-netting.

Kakuta showed the same glorious inhibition reminiscent of a young Wayne Rooney.

Despite fashioning a handful of presentable chances, Wolves were beaten long before Kakuta’s introduction and that of another debutant, Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic.

Florent Malouda opened the scoring with an early stunning strike and Michael Essien scored twice in a match for Chelsea for the first time and he spent the second half threatening a hat-trick. Joe Cole added a fourth.

Wolves were dismal at the back. “We look like at team that can get relegated,” said their despondent manager, Mick McCarthy.