Bardsley 4        Lampard (pen) 15    

                                                                                                                               Terry 60

                                                                                                                               Anelka 90 + 2

Chelsea ran out convincing winners of a pulsating clash at the Stadium of Light.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men won convincingly, with Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon making a string of saves, most notably in a personal duel with Blues midfielder Frank Lampard, whom he denied five times.

The Black Cats took a fourth-minute lead when left-back Phil Bardsley ran unchallenged down Chelsea’s right flank before cutting inside and curling a fine right-foot drive past a deceived Petr Cech from the edge of the box.

Chelsea levelled on the quarter-hour mark with Lampard’s penalty, awarded for Ahmed Elmohamady’s clumsy aerial challenge on Ashley Cole.

And they took a deserved lead eight minutes later when Nicolas Anelka sent Salomon Kalou clear and the striker slipped the ball neatly past the on-rushing Gordon, who came too far out of his area too fast.

Within three more minutes, though, the sides were again level, Kieran Richardson cleverly driving a 20-yard free-kick left-footed under Chelsea’s leaping defensive wall.

John Terry fired Chelsea ahead on the hour, mishitting the rebound after another Gordon save from Lampard. And Anelka got the goal he deserved, two minutes into stoppage time, when he converted substitute Florent Malouda’s cutback from the left.