- Anelka (8), Malouda (17), Cole (22), Lampard (34), Ballack (52), Anelka (65), Lampard (90)
- Zenden (56), Bent (90)
- Date:2010-01-16
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:Stamford Bridge
- Attendance:41776
- Referee:Foy, C
Live Commentary
90mins
The whistle blows for full time
90mins
Bent scores with practically the last kick of the game to grab another consolation goal for Sunderland
90mins
Lampard heads the ball into the back of the net to grab his second goal of the game after good play from Anelka
84mins
Joe Cole heads the ball against the post from a free kick. He should have scored from that position
84mins
Chelsea are keeping the ball well now as the end of the game approaches and it has been a fine performance from them
81mins
Lampard's shot is deflected for another Chelsea corner. Ballack heads the ball across the box from the corner but Sunderland manage to clear
79mins
Lampard's header up in the air is caught by Fulop
78mins
Chelsea are knocking the ball around with ease at the moment
75mins
Anelka has a great chance to score but he hits the ball straight at Fulop from six yards out
73mins
The ball bounces around dangerously in the Sunderland box. Malouda makes a mess of his attempt and the ball deflects off Ballack for a goal kick
72mins
Murphy is replaced by Fraizer Campbell
71mins
Cech comes out a long way to claim the ball and is nearly made to pay for that poor decision. Bad play from Cech
69mins
Ballack crosses the ball into the box but Paulo Da Silva clears well
66mins
Zhirkov shoots but his effort is high and wide
65mins
Bardsley is booked for unsporting behaviour
64mins
Fulop pushes the ball out from a Chelsea cross straight to the feet of Anelka, who scores his second goal of the game
63mins
Joe Cole swings a cross in but Fulop does well to come and claim the ball
61mins
Malouda's ball across the box is brought down by Ballack but the challenge comes in and the ball goes out for a corner
58mins
Sunderland have had their best spell of the game so far. Zenden is making a difference
55mins
Zenden scores a very good goal out of nowhere for Sunderland after great work from Jones. Muted celebrations for that one
54mins
The home fans are loving the tricks on display from their team right now as Chelsea continue to surge forward
51mins
Belletti does very well to win the ball back in midfield and Ballack fires a header past Fulop after a simple ball in from Joe Cole
51mins
Malouda breaks into the box but McCartney does very well to stand strong and clear the ball
49mins
Anelka's shot hits both the post and the bar from 25 yards out. Fulop got a fingertip to that and made a great save
47mins
Zhirkov bombs into the box but waits a little too long to play the ball and it's cleared for a corner
45mins
The second half is underway
45mins
John Terry and Ashley Cole have come off for Rodrigo da Costa Alex and Yuri Zhirkov, whilst for Sunderland, Boudewijn Zenden is on for Steed Malbranque
45mins
It is half time at Stamford Bridge
43mins
Joe Cole's shot from a difficult angle is saved comfortably by Fulop
41mins
Jones heads the ball into the penalty area and Cech denies Murphy from reaching the ball
40mins
Anelka drives the ball across goal after neat play with Lampard. The striker should have done better there
39mins
Lorik Cana clears the ball from a Belletti cross but this is exhibition football now from Chelsea
36mins
Belletti tries his luck from 35 yards out but his effort is wide
35mins
Anelka has another chance to score and moments after, Ballack's shot comes to nothing, but Chelsea are continuing to press forward
33mins
Lampard slides the ball in from six yards out from Ashley Cole's cross. Brilliant from Chelsea
32mins
Fulop saves well from Anelka after he latched onto the end of a long ball
30mins
Jones runs between two Chelsea players but Juliano Belletti comes across to win the ball
28mins
Sunderland are, understandably, looking dejected at the moment, with disappointing body language from Jones especially
25mins
Ashley Cole shoots, looking for another goal, but the ball rebounds off Phil Bardsley
24mins
Malouda gets involved once again for Chelsea. He has been everywhere for the home team today
21mins
Another fantastic goal. Ashley Cole drags the ball around the Sunderland defender and clips the ball past Fulop. What a stunning finish that was
21mins
George McCartney shoots from 30 yards and the ball doesn't go too far over Cech's crossbar
20mins
Joe Cole plays the ball towards Anelka, who is unlucky not to pick out Lampard with a cushioned header
18mins
Chelsea could be four goals up already. They really are playing very well
16mins
Brilliant individual goal from Malouda as he runs through the Sunderland defence and finishes emphatically
15mins
Malouda takes a corner for Chelsea but Daryl Murphy heads the ball away for Sunderland
13mins
Jones seems to have picked up a knock but he should be OK to continue
13mins
Sunderland have a good chance through Darren Bent on the edge of the box but he hits the ball straight at Petr Cech
10mins
Chelsea are playing very well in front of their home fans. Their fluid, attacking style has been impressive so far
7mins
Nicolas Anelka opens the scoring for Chelsea after great work from Michael Ballack. A very simple goal for Chelsea
5mins
Another good chance for Chelsea to score from a Frank Lampard corner. Sunderland look very shaky at the back
3mins
Joe Cole chips the ball towards the back post. Ashley Cole heads across the box rather than towards goal and wastes a great chance to score
3mins
Kenwyne Jones battles his way through on the edge of the box but Ricardo Carvalho does well to block his path
1mins
Branislav Ivanovic clears the ball from a free kick and Chelsea break through Florent Malouda and Joe Cole. The ball gets caught up under Cole's feet and Marton Fulop collects comfortably
0mins
The game is underway at Stamford Bridge
0mins
Sunderland have an awful record against Chelsea but they might fancy their chances today against a depleted Chelsea team
Match Preview
Chelsea have the chance to take a stranglehold on this season's title race this weekend when a Sunderland side that has struggled away from home this season visits Stamford Bridge.
After their game against Hull City fell victim to the freezing conditions last Saturday, the Blues were then able to relax and watch third-placed Arsenal struggle to draw with Everton, while nearest challengers Manchester United needed an own goal to rescue a point at Birmingham City.
Those results left Chelsea at the top of the table even though they have been inconsistent recently, particularly in December, when they lost at Manchester City and were also held to draws by Everton, West Ham United and Birmingham City.
They were impressive in their 5-0 demolition of Watford in an FA Cup third round tie earlier this month but will be without Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel, who are all on Africa Cup of Nations duty this month.
In addition, Deco (groin) and Jose Bosingwa (knee) are both expected to miss Saturday's game as Carlo Ancelotti's team look to build on nine wins and one draw in their ten home Premier League fixtures so far this term.
Sunderland's form away from the Stadium of Light has been the main reason for their recent slide into the bottom half of the table.
They have secured only five points from a possible 30 on their travels, with their only away victory coming on the opening weekend of the campaign when Steve Bruce's side claimed a 1-0 victory at Bolton Wanderers.
Since then they have failed to win any of their nine away clashes and last month's 2-2 draw at Blackburn Rovers extended their winless league run to seven matches since they beat Arsenal 1-0 in November.
Match Report
Chelsea blitzed hapless Sunderland 7-2 at Stamford Bridge to retain top spot in the Premier League.
Goals from Nicolas Anelka (2), Frank Lampard (2) and singles from Florent Malouda, Ashley Cole and Michael Ballack sealed the rout. Sunderland's replies came from Bolo Zenden and Darren Bent.
Chelsea last hit seven in a top-flight game against West Bromwich Albion in 1960 when Jimmy Greaves hit five.
The goal glut started on eight minutes when Juliano Belletti passed to Ballack who responded with a deft through pass to Anelka who ran into the area, rounded Marton Fulop and slotted home a cool right-footer.
Ten minutes later and after a classy build-up, Florent Malouda raced unchallenged to the edge of the Sunderland penalty area and drove home from 20 yards out.
Another four minutes passed before Ashley Cole latched on to a long ball by John Terry. The left-back controlled the ball superbly, checked back and lifted the ball sublimely over hapless Fulop.
Two minutes later, up popped Lampard to volley home number four after precise set-up play by Anelka to Ashley Cole.
Anelka smacked in a shot from 25 yards after 49 minutes which saw Fulop tip the ball on to the crossbar and post before it was cleared.
But a rout was on the cards on 52 minutes when Joe Cole sent a deep right-wing cross into the Sunderland six-yard area and Ballack nodded home with ease past Fulop.
Within three minutes Sunderland pulled a goal back. Kenwyne Jones nodded the ball to substitute Zenden and the former Chelsea winger rifled home a left-footer from the edge of the penalty area.
With 25 minutes still to go, Anelka got hold of the ball punched out by Fulop following Yuri Zhirkov's deep cross and tucked home from 12 yards out into an empty net for number six.
On 90 minutes Lampard powerfully headed home an Anelka byline cross from eight yards out.
Leading Black Cats scorer Darren Bent breached the Chelsea defence with the last kick of the game with a half-volleyed left footer from three yards out, but it made no difference at all to the final outcome.
Chelsea Team
Sunderland Team
Chelsea | Sunderland |
Corners
| 15 | 1 |
Fouls
| 4 | 10 |
Goal attempts
| 23 | 6 |
Shots off target
| 12 | 3 |
Offsides
| 1 | 1 |
advertisement

87mins
Joe Cole plays the ball into the box and Zenden very nearly scores an own goal with a header which scrapes the post