Chelsea smash Sunderland to maintain lead

Leaders Chelsea thrashed Sunderland 7-2 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday to maintain their one point lead at the top of the English Premier League, dpa reported.

Two goals each from Nicolas Anelka and Frank Lampard, and one each for Ashley Cole, Florent Malouda and Michael Ballack gave the league leaders their biggest ever win in the Premier League.

The win maintains Chelsea's one point lead over champions Manchester United, who defeated Burnley 3-0 at Old Trafford. Chelsea now have 48 points from 21 matches, with United on 47 having played a game more.

Chelsea dominated immediately against a poor Sunderland team at with Anelka opening the scoring from Ballack's pass after just eight minutes.

French midfielder Malouda then added to the away side's misery ten minutes later with a low shot from just inside the penalty area. The goal of the game came on the half hour as Ashley Cole delightfully lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Martin Fulop.

4-0 down at the interval after a goal from Lampard, Sunderland were no better in the early stages of the second half, as Ballack claimed the fifth and Anelka added to his earlier goal before Sunderland claimed a consolation through Bolo Zenden.

But Lampard added the seventh goal before Darren Bent claimed a further consolation in the dying seconds of the match.

At Old Trafford, Manchester United were made to work hard for their 3-0 victory in manager Brian Laws' first match in charge of Burnley.

The hosts could not find a breakthrough until midway through the second half before goals from Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney and a late goal from young substitute Mame Diouf gave the scoreline a convincing look.

In the day's early kick-off, a last minute Robert Huth goal denied Liverpool the chance to ease beleaguered manager Rafael Benitez's troubles as Stoke claimed a 1-1 draw at the Britannia Stadium.

Huth converted a simple chance from one yard in the 90th minute after Danny Higginbotham's header back across goal. Earlier Sotirios Kyrgiakos claimed his first goal for Liverpool after goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen failed to deal with Fabio Aurelio's free kick.

Huth's late goal heaped further misery on Benitez after his side were dumped out of the FA Cup by Championship side Reading in midweek.

The Liverpool manager will also feel his side were unlucky not to get all three points after referee Lee Mason failed to award a penalty in the first half for a clear foul on Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva by Higginbotham.

At White Hart Lane, Tottenham failed to advance their hopes of a Champions League position this season as they could only draw 0-0 with Hull City.

Elsewhere, there was a win for Wigan, 2-0 away at Wolverhampton Wanderers as both sides finished with 10 men, while Portsmouth's home match with Birmingham was postponed earlier in the day because of bad weather.

Later on Saturday, in-form Manchester City have the chance to move back ahead of Tottenham and into fourth position as they travel to take on Everton at Goodison Park.