It was hoped Rafael Benitez's appointment would help Torres get back to his best and the Spain striker looked sharp in Saturday's 3-0 win at the Stadium of Light, bagging a brace to add to the two he scored against Nordsjaelland in midweek.
Torres got on the end of a clever cross from Eden Hazard to volley Chelsea ahead and he then converted a penalty in first-half injury time after Sebastian Larsson fouled Ramires.
The former Liverpool man almost claimed a hat-trick when he rattled the bar after the break, although the rebound fell to Juan Mata who tapped home his third in three games.
Adam Johnson pulled one back for the hosts who drop in to the relegation zone.
Mikel Arteta scored two penalties as Arsenal returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory against West Brom.
Arteta stroked home from 12 yards in the first half, burying the demons that have been resting on his shoulders since his spot-kick miss against Fulham, but replays showed Santi Cazorla fooled referee Mike Jones with a dive to earn the penalty.
Jones made the right call in the second half when he ruled Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had been fouled in the area and Arteta beat Boaz Myhill to wrap up the points.
A second-half strike from James McCarthy denied QPR their first win of the season as Wigan fought back to draw 2-2 at the DW Stadium.
Ryan Nelsen equalised McCarthy's first-half opener to make it 1-1 at half-time, but Djibril Cisse raised away hopes when he put the visitors ahead after 71 minutes.
The lead lasted barely two minutes, though, as McCarthy converted Jean Beausejour's pass.
The draw keeps Harry Redknapp's Rangers rooted to the foot of the table and they are now the only team in Premier League history to not win a game in their opening 16 contests.
Norwich extended their unbeaten streak in all competitions to 10 matches after beating Swansea 4-3 at the Liberty Stadium.
Steven Whittaker, Sebastien Bassong and Grant Holt gave Norwich a 3-0 half-time lead, but Swansea hit back through Michu and Jonathan de Guzman after the break.
Robert Snodgrass calmed the nerves of the away support with the Canaries' fourth before Michu scored the hosts' third at the death.
Southampton climbed out of the relegation zone after edging past Reading 1-0 at St Mary's Stadium.
A tight contest was decided just after the hour when Nathaniel Clyne found Jason Puncheon and he beat Adam Federici to earn a win that pulls Saints up to 15th.
Aston Villa are now two points above the relegation zone after they could only register a 0-0 home draw against Stoke, who lost Ryan Shotton to a second yellow card late on.
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