Premier League Weekend Review
Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal all won their games, while Liverpool, Aston Villa and Tottenham dropped two points each.
On Saturday leaders Chelsea swept injury-plagued Sunderland aside, racing into a 4-0 lead inside 34 minutes despite the absence of African Nations Cup quartet Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, John Obi Mikel and Salomon Kalou.
Anelka set the ball rolling with just eight minutes gone, rounding keeper Marton Fulop to make it 1-0, and Florent Malouda doubled his side's advantage with a superb solo effort nine minutes later.
Full-back Ashley Cole had the Stamford Bridge crowd on their feet once again with 22 minutes gone when he controlled John Terry's pass and dummied the covering Daryl Murphy before beating Fulop. That was the Premier League's 18,000th goal.
Cole then set up Lampard to volley home a fourth 11 minutes before the break.
Michael Ballack added a fifth seven minutes after the restart, and although substitute Bolo Zenden pulled one back against his former club four minutes later, Anelka helped himself to his second when he made the most of Fulop's misdirected 65th-minute punch.
Lampard wrapped up the rout at the death and Darren Bent's injury-time strike proved scant consolation.
Premier League Saturday Gallery
Premier League Sunday Gallery
Under-pressure Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez was left to reflect upon what might have been as his side threw away a precious victory at Stoke.
The Reds were leading 1-0 with just seconds of normal time remaining when Germany international Robert Huth stabbed home an equaliser amid a late assault.
Benitez saw defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos fire the visitors in front with his first goal for the club with 57 minutes gone.
But after Huth struck, he could only look on helplessly as Dirk Kuyt headed against a post when he really should have scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time at the end of the game.
Stoke vs Liverpool Player Ratings
Everton vs Manchester City Player Ratings
Bolton vs Arsenal Player Ratings
New Burnley boss Brian Laws saw his side hold Manchester United at Old Trafford for 64 minutes before they finally succumbed to Dimitar Berbatov.
The Bulgaria international linked with Wayne Rooney before his shot was deflected past keeper Brian Jensen by defender Michael Duff, and further goals from Rooney and substitute Mame Biram Diouf - his first for the club - made sure of the points.
Wolves were forced to play the entire second half with 10 men after having Richard Stearman sent off for a second bookable offence in injury-time at the end of the first when he pulled back Wigan's James McCarthy.
Keeper Marcus Hahnemann saved Hugo Rodallega's resulting penalty and Paul Scharner blasted the rebound wide, but McCarthy finally beat the American on the hour, pouncing on Rodallega's parried shot.
Wigan midfielder Hendry Thomas was later sent off for a second yellow card offence after a foul on Steven Ward, but his side doubled their lead through Charles N'Zogbia with 17 minutes remaining.
Fifth-placed Tottenham could not find a way past lowly Hull as Harry Redknapp's 500th Premier League game ended in stalemate with Tigers keeper Boaz Myhill turning in a fine individual display.
Goals from Steven Pienaar and Louis Saha (penalty) gave Everton a deserved victory and reason to be optimistic for the remainder of the campaign as they best Roberto Mancini's Manchester City 2-0.
Meanwhile, bottom of the table Portsmouth's home clash with Birmingham was called off because of a waterlogged pitch at Fratton Park.
On Sunday, Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas produced an impressive display against Bolton on his return from a hamstring injury. The midfielder scored his 10th league goal of the season in the 28th minute after a neat one-two with Eduardo.
His surging run then led to substitute Fran Merida scoring the second 12 minutes from time as former Wanderers player Coyle's reign at the Reebok Stadium got off to a losing 2-0 start.
With these two teams due to meet in the return fixture at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, Arsene Wenger's side could well take over at the top of the table in the next few days.
Bolton remain second from bottom, with Coyle having swapped one relegation battle with Burnley for another.
Earlier in the day, Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen put the seal on his side's long-awaited return to winning ways as they overcame Fulham 2-0 at Ewood Park.
Nelsen applied the finish to Benni McCarthy's 54th-minute free-kick to put Rovers within touching distance of their first three-point haul since November.
Defender Chris Samba had earlier settled the home side's nerves with a fortuitous 24th-minute opener after he ricocheted home an attempted clearance by former Blackburn midfielder Damien Duff.
Also on Sunday, Aston Villa failed to cash in on slip-ups by their Champions League-chasing rivals after being held 0-0 at home by West Ham.
Villa could have closed the gap on the top four after Manchester City, beaten at Everton, and Tottenham, held at home by Hull, both dropped points yesterday.
But a combination of a below-par performance and some fine saves by Robert Green meant they had to settle for their first goalless draw of the league campaign.
Match Reports
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