Two goals apiece from Frank Lampard and Nicolas Anelka plus others from Michael Ballack, Florent Malouda and Ashley Cole set the seal on a fabulous afternoon for Chelsea.

The Blues remain top of the Barclays Premier League by a single point from Manchester United but have a game in hand on their rivals.

Chelsea's win came without African quartet Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Michael Essien and John Mikel Obi - all away on international duty.

But Ancelotti was not surprised by the display.

He said: "Without the African players, we maybe could have some problems. I always said I have a fantastic squad and other players played very well, especially Juliano Belletti in a new position for him, so it is a good moment for us.

"We played a lot of times without Drogba, and Nicolas Anelka did very well in the past."

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce admitted his side, missing eight first-team players through injury and suspension, were thoroughly outplayed.

Bruce said: "We simply could not cope, they were too good for us all over the pitch.

"Defensively we were inept and it's very difficult to come here when you have all your players fit and raring to go."

A relieved Sir Alex Ferguson admitted Burnley could have embarrassed his side despite a 3-0 win at Old Trafford for the champions.

Goals from Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney and a first in United colours for Mame Biram Diouf secured the win, but Ferguson acknowledged Burnley could have scored through Steven Fletcher and David Nugent.

He said: "We could have been embarrassed. 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."

New Burnley manager Brian Laws also felt Nugent's miss was the crucial point of the game, although that will not stop him trying to secure the services of the Portsmouth striker, who is currently on loan at Turf Moor.

"The club have been trying to keep David for some time and I know enough about him to want him to stay," said Laws.

"It is a simple equation really. He either stays with us or Portsmouth sell him. He cannot go on loan anywhere else."

Liverpool were held 1-1 at Stoke, with Robert Hurt equalising after Sotirios Kyrgiakos had given the visitors the lead.

Defiant Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, whose side were knocked out of the FA Cup by Reading in midweek, said: "You have to keep going when things are not going your way.

"The main thing for me was that the players were positive from start to finish, they produced a real performance for the club."

Hull manager Phil Brown compared goalkeeper Boaz Myhill's performance at White Hart Lane to that of Sunderland hero Jim Montgomery during the 1973 FA Cup final.

Montgomery famously pulled off a double save to deny Leeds - and there were hallmarks of that performance as Myhill earned the Tigers a point against Tottenham to lift them out of the relegation zone.

"There were 18 matches left and we asked the players to bring the best to the table, that is what Boaz Myhill did," said Brown, a childhood Sunderland fan.

"He responded Jimmy Montgomery-style. He didn't just do it on one occasion but two or three."

Wigan recorded an important 2-0 win away to Wolves with goals from James McCarthy and Charles N'Zogbia.

Steven Pienaar and Louis Saha were on target as Everton inflicted a first defeat on Manchester City since Roberto Mancini became manager.

Portsmouth's game against Birmingham was postponed because of a waterlogged Fratton Park pitch.