Chelsea 7 Sunderland 2:Blues in seventh heaven Chelsea maintained their slender lead at the top of the Barclays Premier league by hitting sorry Sunderland for seven at Stamford Bridge. Carlo Ancelotti's side proved they can prosper without their quartet of African stars with a devastating display.
Goals from Nicolas Anelka (two), Florent Malouda, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard (two) and Michael Ballack set the seal on a fine afternoon for the Blues.
It kept them one point ahead of Manchester United at the summit of the Premier League with a game in hand on their rivals.
Sunderland managed two consolation goals through substitute Bolo Zenden and Darren Bent but Steve Bruce’s side have now failed to win in their last eight league games.
Chelsea dominated from the start and Joe Cole could have put them in front in the first minute. But the England international failed to beat goalkeeper Marton Fulop after Malouda’s header had put him clear of the Sunderland defence.
But the returning Anelka put Carlo Ancelotti’s side ahead in the seventh minute. The France striker pounced on a clever through-ball from Ballack, rounded Fulop and placed the ball into the net.
Malouda added a second for Chelsea in the 17th minute when he collected the ball just inside the Sunderland half, shrugged off two challenges and sent an angled right-foot drive into the bottom corner of the net from 18 yards.
Sunderland had not won in the league since beating Arsenal in November and they were not in the same class as the Blues. The gulf was underlined in the 22nd minute when the league leaders went 3-0 in front with another simple move.
John Terry’s lofted ball from the back found Ashley Cole sprinting into the penalty area and the England left-back dummied Lorik Cana before dinking the ball over Fulop.
Chelsea made it 4-0 in the 24th minute. Anelka fed Ashley Cole on the left wing and his cross was volleyed home from six yards by Lampard.
Chelsea made two changes at half-time. Captain Terry was replaced by Alex while Yury Zhirkov came on in place of Ashley Cole, who collected a knock scoring his goal.
But Chelsea still dominated and in the 50th minute, Fulop had to tip a shot from Anelka onto the crossbar and post to prevent the home side scoring a fifth. But the goal came in the 52nd minute and it was pure simplicity for Chelsea.
A cross from Joe Cole on the right flank was headed home from six yards by the unmarked Ballack.
Sunderland hit back in the 56th minute when substitute Bolo Zenden fired home from the edge of the penalty area.
But Chelsea’s sixth duly arrived in the 64th minute when Zhirkov’s cross was punched straight to Anelka by Fulop and the Chelsea striker slotted into an empty net from the edge of the area.
Chelsea made it 7-1 in the 89th minute when Lampard headed home a cross from Anelka. Moments later Bent scored from close range for Sunderland before Chris Foy brought proceedings to a close.