You expect a lash of that machete tongue from arguably the most demanding midfielder the game has ever seen.

Instead, Sunderland boss Keane chose the day Chelsea went to the top of the Barclays Premier League, playing the type of passing football which Luiz Felipe Scolari probably last witnessed when he was boss of Brazil, to join the Frank Lampard fan club.

Lampard scored his 100th Premier League goal with a routine header and was at the heart of a Chelsea performance which demonstrated how they have progressed in their ambition to be more entertaining under Scolari.

Keane, who was banished to the stands by referee Martin Atkinson at half-time for remonstrating with the official, said: "If you'd asked me seven or eight years ago I would have said I wasn't Frank Lampard's biggest fan.

"But his all-round game has improved massively.

"He's had to work at his game. I don't think he's been naturally the most gifted player in the world.

"From what I hear he's a good one to practise and he's improved to be one of the best midfielders in the world. Credit to him for that.

"He's more of an all-round package now than he was at West Ham when he was probably carrying too much weight, not that he was fat. His goals record is unbelievable, just like Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes.

"We see a lot of players who come on the scene and just fade away. But he seems as hungry as ever and plays lots of games.

"He looks after his body. He's a fit lad and when you've got a midfielder who can put the ball in the back of the net it's bloody priceless.

"When you look at him and Gerrard, by God, Fabio Capello's a lucky man to have two such outstanding players. The hallmark of a top player is not to do it over two years but over eight or nine."

Keane's altercation with Atkinson came in the tunnel at half-time, the Sunderland manager believing Pascal Chimbonda had been fouled in the lead up to the second goal of a Nicolas Anelka hat-trick.

He probably had a point, just as Anelka's first, when he scrambled home a stab from Alex which was about to cross the line anyway, was probably offside.

Not that it mattered. Chelsea, for whom Alex's opener recorded their 1,000th Premier League goal, could easily have hit double figures against a Sunderland side whose starting XI included 18-year-old Martyn Waghorn after Keane had made a point of dropping Djibril Cisse and El-Hadji Diouf following a dismal midweek defeat at Stoke.

The sight of Didier Drogba returning in the second half after a month out injured only highlighted the strength of Chelsea, who face Roma on Tuesday in the Champions League without Ashley Cole who damaged a calf in the first half on Saturday.

One man who will start is Anelka, whose three goals were all tap-ins but which drew praise from Scolari.

"Anelka has played more than in other seasons. He is in the best condition and he has more confidence now," said Scolari. "He tries his best in every game."

But while Keane is prepared to predict that Chelsea will win the title this season he is a long way from admitting they come close to the 1999 United side he captained to the treble.

Keane said: "Chelsea are a top, top team in their own right. Are they a great team? Not yet. They need a few more titles and to win in Europe, then they'll be a great team."

On his own little brush with officialdom, Keane was equally sanguine.

"I don't think I was sent off," he said. "With the respect campaign I think every manager has the right to ask the official about certain decisions.

"I wasn't swearing at him. I don't think I was too aggressive to him. His advice to me was 'Don't come in the dugout in the second half.'

"And you know me, I always listen to referees."