Red-hot Chelsea scored four goals for the third consecutive game as they kept alive their hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League.

William Gallas scored his first Barclaycard Premiership goal. Eidur Gudjohnsen then grabbed his 22nd of the season; Mikael Forssell kept up his supersub act with the third, and Sam Dalla Bona completed the rout of Sunderland in injury time.

Chelsea have now scored 15 goals in their last four matches and have one eye of finishing fourth in the table.

In contrast, Sunderland sorely missed leading scorer Kevin Phillips. They battled hard before caving in during the second half and still face a fight to secure their place in the top flight next season.

It was a scrappy opening, and when Mario Melchiot played a stray pass across the edge of his own box after eight minutes Sunderland captain Michael Gray sent a first-time shot a few feet wide.

After 12 minutes, Cameroon international striker Patrick Mboma turned smartly in the Blues box - but his shot was comfortably saved by Carlo Cudicini, diving low to his right.

Sunderland won a free-kick on the right edge of the Chelsea box after 17 minutes. Gray curled in a teasing, waist-high cross which narrowly evaded Mboma and Gavin McCann before rolling out for a goal-kick.

Gallas opened the scoring after 23 minutes with his second tap-in in the space of a week.

Graeme Le Saux floated in a dangerous corner from the right which Marcel Desailly nodded down, and the French defender turned in the ball from close range.

Sunderland were still in it and went close again after 40 minutes when Gray delivered a far-post corner from the right. McCann beat Cudicini in the air only to see his header bounce wide.

The visitors made a bright start to the second half and forced a smart save from Cudicini after 47 minutes.

Kevin Kilbane hit a fierce, low drive from 25 yards - and the Blues goalkeeper dived to his left to push it round the post.

Chelsea tried to impose themselves again, and after 52 minutes Gudjohnsen burst forward and hit a shot straight at goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen from 25 yards.

Simonsen spilled a low, right-wing cross from Jesper Gronkjaer on the hour - and it was lucky for Sunderland that Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was having a quiet day at the office and slipped over as he tried to pounce on the loose ball.

After 64 minutes Sorensen had to make an important save to keep Peter Reid's men in the game.

Gronkjaer raced down the right and pulled the ball back nicely for Hasselbaink who did not strike it cleanly, allowing the goalkeeper turn round the far post.

Chelsea put the game beyond the visitors' reach with a well-taken goal after 72 minutes by Gudjohnsen.

The bustling striker was released by Gronkjaer and, as Sorensen came off his line, Gudjohnsen delicately chipped the ball over his body and into the far corner for his 22nd goal of the season.

Gudjohnsen was replaced by Forssell after 82 minutes, and within a minute the flying Finn played a one-two with Le Saux on the edge of the box and buried the ball in the back of the net for Chelsea's third.

Chelsea's joy was completed in injury time when Dalla Bona crashed home the fourth from the edge of the box.

Teams:

Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot, Desailly, Gallas, Babayaro, Gronkjaer (Stanic 79), Dalla Bona, Lampard, Le Saux (Zola 86), Hasselbaink, Gudjohnsen (Forssell 82).

Subs Not Used: de Goey, Jokanovic.

Booked: Dalla Bona, Babayaro.

Goals: Gallas 24, Gudjohnsen 73, Forssell 84, Dalla Bona 90.

Sunderland: Sorensen, Haas, Craddock, McCartney, Gray, Williams, Schwarz (Bellion 66), Thirlwell (Quinn 79), McCann, Kilbane, Mboma.

Subs Not Used: Macho, Kyle, Clark.

Booked: Williams, McCartney.

Att: 40,218

Ref: B Knight (Orpington).