Chelsea romp to a 4-0 victory over Wolves

Chelsea 4 Wolves 0

Michael Essien scored twice as Chelsea romped to a 4-0 victory over Wolves to stay well clear at the top of the Premier League today, while Arsenal tumbled 1-0 at Sunderland.

Liverpool and Manchester City fell further out of contention with a 2-2 draw.

Goals by Florent Malouda and Essien put injury-hit Chelsea 3-0 up inside the first 22 minutes before Joe Cole scored his first goal in 13 months in the second half.

The result meant that Chelsea has won all seven home games and hasn't conceded a goal at Stamford Bridge since the opening game of the season against Hull. Chelsea has 33 points from 13 points and also has a club record 12 home wins in a row in all competitions.

Darren Bent scored Sunderland's 71st-minute winner in a surprise victory over Arsenal, which had won six of its previous seven league games but was left on 25 points from 12 games. Third-place Manchester United hosted Everton later Saturday.

While Liverpool and Manchester shared a point each at Anfield, the result did not help either team's chances of catching Chelsea in the title race. Man City has 21 points and Liverpool 20.

Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel, who had a header acrobatically saved by goalkeeper Shay Given in the first half, turned home a free kick by Steven Gerrard in the 50th minute for his first goal at the club.

Beaten to the ball by Skrtel for the Liverpool goal, Adebayor was left unmarked by the Slovakia defender and was allowed a free header to turn home the 69th-minute equalizer from a corner.

Stephen Ireland was also left unmarked to prod home Shaun Wright-Phillips' pass to put City ahead in the 76th. But Yossi Benayoun made it 2-2 seconds later from close range after good work by David Ngog.

Aston Villa came from a goal down to draw 1-1 at Burnley where it has not won in 24 visits dating back to 1936.

Steven Caldwell gave Burnley a ninth-minute lead at Turf Moor only for Emile Heskey to equalize in the 86th.

Lee Bowyer scored Birmingham's 16th-minute winner in a 1-0 victory over Fulham at St. Andrews, and there was a six-goal thriller between Hull and West Ham.

Visitor West Ham went two goals up in the first 11 minutes through Guillermo Franco and Jack Collison, only for Hull to hit back three times to lead at halftime.

Jimmy Bullard's free kick was deflected in, Kamil Zayatte made it 2-2 and Bullard scored his first goal for Hull from the penalty spot after Julien Faubert had fouled Craig Fagan.

Hull's Brendan Mendy was sent off in the 54th minute for a professional foul and Manuel Da Costa scored West Ham's equalizer in the 69th.

West Bromwich Albion, which has five players going to the World Cup for five different nations, regained top spot in the League Championship with a 4-1 victory over Bristol City. The Baggies, who are one point clear, replaced Newcastle which does not play until Monday at Preston.