Whatever George Burley wished for at Christmas, even he could not have envisaged such a turnaround in Ipswich's fortunes over the festive season.

Going into Christmas week, the tractor boys were adrift at the foot of the Barclaycard Premiership table and staring relegation in the face.

But after this resounding 5-0 win over Sunderland, Ipswich's third win in a row, there may be, just a chink of light at the end of what is still going to be a long, hard tunnel to survival.

Nevertheless, if the men from Suffolk continue to play like this for the remainder of the campaign, they will have every chance of staying up.

A brace from Alun Armstrong and a first by Thomas Gaardsoe for his new club added to a wonderful effort from Finidi George in a first-half goal-blitz, with the afternoon's work finished off five minutes from time when substitute Jamie Clapham blasted home from close range.

Referee Graham Poll did not take long to infuriate the Town faithful when he waved away appeals for a foul on George inside the opening five minutes after the Nigerian dispossessed Julio Arca and then appeared to be held back by the Argentinian as he tried to work his way into the box.

Most of Sunderland's early attacking play went through Kevin Phillips, who was let down by some poor crossing after holding the ball up well.

Then when skipper Michael Gray did provide a good, low centre after 13 minutes, Phillips scuffed his close-range effort well wide - and it proved to be a costly miss.

Again it was George who found space down the right and although his low cross was behind Armstrong, the former Newcastle trainee enjoyed a huge slice of good fortune as the ball hit his trailing leg and trickled inside the near post.

Emerson Thome went in the book for holding back Marcus Bent before Ipswich took a strangle-hold on the match with a three-goal blitz inside five minutes.

Danish under-21 international Gaardsoe was called into the starting line-up in place of Titus Bramble, who suffered a recurrence of an Achilles injury while training.

And the big defender grabbed his first goal for the club he joined in the summer on 26 minutes when he climbed highest in a crowded box to power Mark Venus' flag-kick into the far corner.

Then before the visitors had a chance to regroup, they found themselves 3-0 down.

Darren Williams could only nod a long punt up field high into the air under pressure from Armstrong on the edge of his own box.

As Sorensen came out to try and punch clear, Armstrong beat him to the loose ball and nodded it into an empty net.

It may have seemed like Lady Luck was finally smiling on Ipswich, but their fourth goal was one of pure quality.

George intercepted a stray pass in his own half, before laying the ball to Bent.

The Ipswich striker then back-heeled it to Holland, who laid a perfectly-weighted pass forward into the path of the on-rushing George.

With Sorensen out to the edge of his box, the Nigerian then coolly clipped the ball over the Dane and into the far corner.

Armstrong then had a hat-trick chance cleared off the line and put an even easier one wide as Sunderland, who had not conceded a goal for 203 minutes before this game, struggled to contain Burley's rampant Blues.

With the sort of day Sunderland were having, it was no surprise when Phillips' 25-yard rasper was punched down by Matteo Sereni, only to bounce up and hit the bar before being cleared.

The half-time whistle welcome relief to the beleaguered Wearsiders and Reid made several changes at the break.

Kevin Kyle went up front in place of Niall Quinn and Jason McAteer made way for Kevin Kilbane.

Gray was also replaced at half-time by George McCartney.

With the game already over, Sunderland did still play some neat football and Kyle got up well to flash a header just wide on 50 minutes.

Ipswich, though, still looked to get forward. Martijn Reuser's hard work set up a chance for Bent just after the hour.

The former Blackburn man collected the ball on the edge of box and made space for a drive which was just wide of Sorensen's left-hand post.

Phillips then did well to skip into the box and set up Kyle for a low shot which Sereni blocked with his legs.

With 20 minutes left, Burley gave Reuser and Armstrong a well-earned rest, bringing on Clapham and Richard Naylor.

Magilton got a stern talking to from Poll when he went over in the box rather theatrically under a challenge from Thome before Clapham then completed the rout on 85 minutes, combining well with Naylor to smash home from close range and give Ipswich all to play for in 2002.

Teams

Ipswich: Sereni, Makin, Gaardsoe, Hreidarsson, Venus, George, Magilton, Holland, Reuser (Naylor 72), Armstrong (Clapham 72), Marcus Bent (Wright 80).

Subs Not Used: Branagan, Tommy Miller.

Booked: Makin, Marcus Bent.

Goals: Armstrong 15, Gaardsoe 26, Armstrong 27, George 31, Clapham 86.

Sunderland: Sorensen, Haas, Thome, Williams, Gray (McCartney 48), McAteer (Kilbane 49), Reyna, McCann, Arca, Quinn (Kyle 45), Phillips.

Subs Not Used: Thirlwell, Macho.

Booked: Thome.

Att: 24,517

Ref: G Poll (Tring).