Chelsea thrash Wolves 4-0; Arsenal go down at Sunderland

LONDON – Chelsea hammered struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 to surge eight points clear in the English Premier League on Saturday, while their closest rivals Arsenal went down 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.

Chelsea surged to 3-0 lead after just 22 minutes at Stamford Bridge, with Florent Malouda opening the scoring with a left-footed shot in the fifth. Michael Essien made it 2-0 with a 12th minute header and grabbed another 10 minutes later.

Joe Cole, returning to form after being sidelined for months, made it 4-0 in the 56th, unleashing a low right-footed shot off a pass from Salomon Kalou for his first league goal in more than a year.

In the shock of the round, inform striker Darren Bent gave Sunderland a 71st minute goal goal that stunned Arsene Wenger’s high-scoring Arsenal.

There was also plenty of action at the other end of the table, with Hull City scoring three first half goals to come back from 2-0 down against relegation-threatened West Ham at the KC Stadium. Hull were then reduced to 10 men in the 54th minute and the match ended 3-3.

Birmingham City moved further away from the drop zone by beating Fulham 1-0.

Aston Villa came from behind to draw 1-1 at Burnley and leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur, playing at home to Wigan Athletic on Sunday, in fourth place on goal difference.

Injury-depleted Liverpool and big-spending Manchester City had earlier squandered their own chances to go fourth after battling to a 2-2 draw at Anfield.

Chelsea have 33 points from 13 matches to Arsenal’s 25 from 12, with Manchester United also on 25 and playing Everton in a late kickoff at Old Trafford likely to lift the champions to second place.