Source: Northern_Echo
Sunderland battered at the Bridge
SUNDERLAND suffered their heaviest defeat under Steve Bruce as Chelsea ran riot to record a 7-2 victory at Stamford Bridge.[LNB] The Black Cats were outclassed from first minute to last as the lack of depth in their squad was clinically exposed by a Chelsea side producing their best attacking display of the season.[LNB] Sunderland were simply blown away as the Premier League leaders scored four goals inside the opening 34 minutes to effectively finish the game before half-time.[LNB] Nicolas Anelka scored the first, taking full advantage of Lorik Cana's ill-advised attempt to spring the offside trap and rounding goalkeeper Marton Fulop before slotting home.[LNB] Florent Malouda doubled Chelsea's advantage in the 18th minute, running unchallenged for fully 20 yards before drilling a low finish into the bottom left-hand corner.[LNB] Sunderland were all over the place at that stage, with David Meyler and Jordan Henderson struggling to win anything at the heart of midfield and Steed Malbranque failing to get anywhere near Chelsea's rampaging left-back Ashley Cole.[LNB] Cole was the star of the first half, and the England international scored the home side's third in the 22nd minute. He trapped John Terry's long ball perfectly, and slotted home from close range after turning inside a hesitant Cana.[LNB] Three became four 12 minutes later, as Cole turned provider, crossing from the left for Frank Lampard to volley home at the back post.[LNB] Sunderland's misery continued after the break, and Michael Ballack added his name to the scoresheet seven minutes after the interval, stealing between Sunderland's two centre-halves The visitors gained a consolation shortly after, though, with substitute Bolo Zenden drilling home from the edge of the area after a headed knock-down from Kenwyne Jones.[LNB] However, that proved a temporary respite. Normal service was resumed in the 65th minute, with Marton Fulop punching weakly from Yuri Zhirkov's cross and Anelka slotting home his second of the game from the edge of the area.[LNB] Lampard then completed the rout in stoppage time, heading home Anelka's right-wing cross from ten yards out.[LNB] That wasn't that, though, as Darren Bent made it 7-2 second later, stabbing home from close range following a corner.[LNB] CHELSEA (4-3-2-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry (Alex 46), A Cole (Zhirkov 46); Lampard, Ballack, Belletti; J Cole, Anelka, Malouda.[LNB] Subs (not used): Hilario (gk), Ferreira, Borini, Matic, Sturridge.[LNB] SUNDERLAND (4-4-2): Fulop; Bardsley, Cana, Da Silva, McCartney; Malbranque (Zenden 46), Meyler, Henderon, Murphy (Campbell 72); Bent, Jones.[LNB] Subs (not used): Carson (gk), L Noble, Liddle, Healy, R Noble.[LNB]
