Chelsea 7 Sunderland 2

Jan 17 2010 by James Hunter, Sunday Sun

And things got worse for the Black Cats on 24 minutes when another long ball over the top of the Sunderland defence, this time from John Terry, caught out Phil Bardsley and put Ashley Cole in on goal. Cana tried to anticipate the shot but Cole checked back inside him and stabbed the ball past Fulop with his left foot from five yards out.

Sunderland looked shell-shocked and it was no surprise when Frank Lampard made it 4-0 in the 34th minute. Ashley Cole crossed from the left and Lampard got to the ball ahead of David Meyler to prod home from close range.

Chelsea started the second half as they did the first, with Ballack adding number five in the 52nd minute. Joe Cole had space to cross from the right and the German international met the ball at the far post and headed down and in.

Zenden netted a consolation four minutes later when Jones headed down McCartney’s long ball forward into the path of the Dutchman and he steered his shot low into the bottom corner.

Normal service was resumed in the 65th minute, though, when Zhirkov crossed into the box and Fulo palmed the ball into Anelka’s path and he applied the finish.

Fulop made a good save in the 76th minute to deny Anelka a hat-trick, parrying his volley to safety.

Joe Cole hit the post with a header five minutes from time but in the last minute Anelka set up Lampard for number seven, picking out the midfielder with a right-wing cross and Lampard directed his header down and beyond Fulop from 10 yards out.

Bent had the last word in injury-time, with a close-range tap-in after a goalmouth scramble, but there were only half-hearted celebrations from the Sunderland fans behind the goal.