Chelsea 1 - 0 Sunderland - Barclays Aspiring Journalist Competition

An early Frank lampard goal gave Chelsea three points against a revitalised Sunderland team despite a spirited display under Martin O’Neil.

Since the win against Man City, Chelsea have experienced a damaging run of form, with only one win in their last five games; while Sunderland have almost become a new team under O’Neil. "The players don't feel that they can be beaten at the moment. I think they are enjoying winning football matches," he said after a crushing victory at Wigan at the beginning of January. It was unsurprising then, as the match kicked off, that the early emphasis was with the Northerners. With their crisp passing and willingness to advance into the Chelsea half typifying the improvement seen under the new management of Martin O’Neil, the first chance fell to young James McClean. Denied only by a flailing Jose Bosingwa , it was to be one of many clear openings for Sunderland.

 But it was a moment of pure brilliance from Fernando Torres that saw the first and only goal of the game. In what was their first sustained period of pressure on the Sunderland defence, a marauding Mata chipped a delightful ball to the back post, where Torres executed a perfect scissor kick which crashed off the underside of the bar – for the ever punctual Lampard to stab Chelsea into the lead. It was almost Torres at his very best, but it was not to be, and it summed up his incredible bad luck in a Chelsea shirt.

 Torres’ incomprehensible loss of form, to the delight or dismay of football fans, has not seen any real signs of abating; and he has been slowly falling further into the abyss under the weight of expectation and criticism. Indeed, his scissor kick was a thing of beauty, and with a little more luck it would have been the Spaniard wheeling away in celebration rather than the evergreen Lampard, but it was plain to see that ‘El Nino’ is feeling the weight of the pressure placed upon his shoulders. Torres’ afternoon was summed up by Phil Dowd’s decision to book the Spaniard for diving in the penalty area, whereas replays seem to suggest that he was indeed fouled.

 Chelsea failed to take advantage of this early goal, and it was an improved Sunderland that took the sword to Chelsea in the second half. Cutting the naïve Chelsea defensive to shreds, with Stephane Sessegnon the chief architect, it was a sorry sight to see O’Neil hold his head in his hands time after time on the touchline as each chance went begging.

And, with Bentner, McClean and Craig Gardner all guilty of missing chances, it was the toothless Chelsea side that limped to victory, cutting Tottenham’s lead to six points in third place. Chelsea fans must surely have looked on in envy at the attitude, work rate and commitment displayed by the Sunderland players at Stamford Bridge and wonder when, if ever, their own team will return to a state of normality.