Chelsea Puts Seven Past Sunderland

Chelsea demonstrated their title credentials with an impressive display in dominating Sunderland.
Chelsea Puts Seven Past Sunderland
Chelsea's Florent Malouda indicates how many goals his team would score on Saturday. (Phil Cole/Getty Images)
1/17/2010
Updated:
10/1/2015

<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/malouda.jpg" alt="Chelsea's Florent Malouda indicates how many goals his team would score on Saturday. (Phil Cole/Getty Images)" title="Chelsea's Florent Malouda indicates how many goals his team would score on Saturday. (Phil Cole/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1823938"/></a>
Chelsea's Florent Malouda indicates how many goals his team would score on Saturday. (Phil Cole/Getty Images)
Chelsea demonstrated their title credentials with an impressive display in dominating a defensively frail Sunderland team 7–2 on Saturday.

Nicolas Anelka opened the scoring with only eight minutes gone.

Just eight minutes later, Florent Malouda weaved into the 18-yard box and blasted in Chelsea’s second goal.

Ashley Cole scored a stunning third goal when he deftly controlled a high pass, executed a nice fake to lose defender Lorik Cana, and then chipped the ball neatly over Sunderland keeper Marton Fulop with the outside of his boot.

Then, Frank Lampard scored an easy fourth goal when he volleyed in from seven yards out.

Chelsea had taken a four-goal lead after just over half an hour of play.

Sunderland’s weak defense was on display again when Michael Ballack scored off a point-blank header after Joe Cole picked him out with pinpoint accuracy to make it five.

This was a clear message from a Chelsea team missing players to the African Cup of Nations (Didier Drogba, John Obi Mikel, Michael Essien, and Salomon Kalou) that they are a team with strength and depth.

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti told the BBC, “We have just given maybe our best performance of the season. This is how we should continue to play from now until the end of the campaign.”

“As for Ashley’s goal, it was fantastic. Fantastic movement, and a fantastic pass from John Terry.”

“There’s no getting away from it, we have had our backsides well and truly kicked,” said Sunderland manager Steve Bruce.

Manchester United 3, Burnley 0

Three-second half goals from Man United saw them overcome an upbeat Burnley side.

Dimitar Berbatov broke the deadlock after 64 minutes with a deflected shot before Wayne Rooney found enough space in the box to fire a low drive to make it two only five minutes later.

Substitute Mame Diouf headed in the third. It was his first goal for Manchester United. He celebrated with some serious acrobatics.

The win means that United is one point behind the English Premier League leaders with Chelsea having a game in hand.

“We could have been embarrassed,” said Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to the BBC.

“We had a number of opportunities to punish them in the final third but there was a bit of nervousness and anxiety about our game.”

Arsenal kept pace with Chelsea and Manchester United on Sunday with a straightforward victory against struggling Bolton.

Captain Cesc Fabregas returned to score his 10th goal after missing 3 games with a hamstring injury.

Arsenal faces Bolton at the Emirates on Wednesday. With a win by more than two goals, Arsenal could be on top of the English Premier League.

Fourth and fifth place respectively, Tottenham and Manchester City both dropped points. Tottenham played out a scoreless draw with Hull City while Manchester City was beaten 2–0 by Everton. Roberto Mancini suffered his first loss as manager of Manchester City.

Both Tottenham and Manchester City are now seven points back of third place Arsenal.