Few expected Wolves to get a result at Chelsea with bookmakers offering odds of 23/1 that they beat the Blues, despite a lengthy injury list for Carlo Ancelotti's men. Perhaps Mick McCarthy expected more resistance from his team but after Malouda's fifth-minute opener, the die was cast and the league leaders strolled to an easy 4-0 victory. A Michael Essien double and a Joe Cole strike compounded the McCarthy misery but this game may be best remembered as the first appearance of Gael Kakuta, the young Frenchman at the heart of Chelsea's currently suspended transfer ban.The Red Devil Manchester United moved up to second as they beat Everton 3-0 at Old Trafford. Darren Fletcher opened the scoring with a stunning strike from just outside the box and United never looked like losing once the Scot had fired home.
Michael Carrick crashed in a second after Michael Owen had spurned a good chance and Antonio Valencia kept up his recent good form with a deflected shot that sealed all three points for United. The Red Devils now move into second, but Everton remain in the bottom half after yet another dismal performance.
The Reds Liverpool and Manchester City shared a 2-2 draw that was little use to either of their managers. Mark Hughes' City have now drawn six games in a row while Rafael Benitez's Liverpool have now won one game in ten outings. After a drab first half in which the talking points were Daniel Agger (suspected concussion) and Ryan Babel (ankle) adding to Liverpool's lengthy injury list, the second 45 minutes served up goals, if not quality defending.
Emmanuel Adebayor seemed to be the last player the ball came off for Liverpool's opener though Martin Skrtel claimed it but then the Slovak defender left the Togolese striker to nod in City's equaliser on 69 minutes. Stephen Ireland put City ahead (76) before Yossi Benayoun, on as a sub for Babel by virtue of recovering from injury via that infamous horse placenta treatment, equalised just sixty seconds later. Liverpool held the momentum but could not get the goal they needed to end their sorry run of results.
Darren Bent did not need a beach-ball this time but Sunderland claimed another big scalp with a 1-0 defeat of Arsenal at the Stadium of Light. That said, Bent's goal again owed something to good fortune.
When a missed header rebounded off a Sunderland team-mate Fraizer Campbell's shins, Bent poked home from six yards. Arsene Wenger, with one fit striker in Eduardo, must be rueing his long list of injuries, especially the ankle injury sustained by Robin van Persie during international week.
Bent has now scored against all of the "big four" clubs this season and continues to push for an England place.
