Premier League notebook

More to come from Chelsea, says Drogba, while Sunderland manager Bruce tells Cattermole to use his head.

A 6-0 victory is a pretty impressive way to start the season, but Didier Drogba, the scorer of a hat-trick for Chelsea against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, said his team have set themselves a standard to aspire to for the rest of the season. Chelsea won successive home games 7-0 and 8-0 in their title run-in last season and Drogba said: "It is important for us to keep playing the way we did last year, but also trying to improve because it is going to be harder. This season is going to be really difficult. All of the other teams are improving." Drogba added: "It is too early to send a message - the only message it has sent out is to ourselves because it shows that although we are not yet fit, we can still play football."

Steve Bruce has told Lee Cattermole to learn from his disciplinary problems after the midfielder marked his debut as Sunderland captain by picking up the first red card of the new season. The 22-year-old was named as the club captain on Thursday, but lasted only 43 minutes of Saturday's 2-2 draw with Birmingham City. Cattermole picked up a debatable first yellow card early on before going through the back of Lee Bowyer when the whistle had already been blown for offside. "Lee's reputation has gone before him and he has to have a little bit more common sense. I think it's his fourth red card and he's only 22," said Bruce.

Sam Allardyce, the Blackburn Rovers manager, is hoping David Dunn will be back in action sooner rather than later. Dunn, 30, lasted only nine minutes off the 1-0 win against Everton at Ewood Park on Saturday, before limping off with a groin strain. Dunn looked to be over the injury problems that have blighted a promising career by scoring 10 goals from midfield last season. But Allardyce believes the medical report will be positive. He said: "We have never seen him as fit as he is now. Then, lo and behold, he feels his groin. We are so disappointed for him."

Jimmy Armfield, the Blackpool club legend, is struggling to come to terms with the club's jaw-dropping start to Premier League life which saw them beat Wigan Athletic 4-0 away. Armfield spent his entire career at Bloomfield Road and was at Saturday's match. He remembers the Seasiders' glory days, including the famous 1953 Matthews FA Cup final. "If someone had asked me 10 years ago, I would have said it was impossible for Blackpool to enjoy those times again," he said. "We were in the bottom division for half a century, getting crowds of 2,000."

Chris Kirkland has admitted Wigan let their fans down with their shambolic 4-0 home loss against Blackpool, a side who are relegation favourites. "To a man we let the fans down," said Kirkland. "They are entitled to say what they want. That is part of football. The way we played in the first half, we deserved it. Now everyone has to stand up because we are going to take a lot of criticism, and rightly so. We weren't good enough."

Karl Henry, the Wolves captain, believes the club are now considerably stronger than when they returned to the top flight last year. The Molineux side, who finished 15th last season, began their campaign with a hard-fought but deserved 2-1 home win over Stoke City on Saturday. Henry, 27, said: "Twelve months' experience is a long time in this league. Some of the games we played, and some of the hidings we got, I think we have all learned from." * Agencies