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Chelsea's Joe Cole celebrates - Source: Reuters -
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Chelsea trounced struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 to surge eight points clear in the English Premier League on Sunday after closest rivals Arsenal slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.
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.
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 were 3-0 up after 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 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.
Sunderland had Darren Bent to thank for the 71st minute 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.
