Another vital three points on the road to keep the pressure up at the top, but not before the Blues survived a strong second-half test from Sunderland, the home team reacting well after going behind to a John Terry header.
That was the captain's first of the season, scored early in the first-half, but Roy Keane's side are solid on their own patch, as Chelsea found in a second-half when all the best chances fell the home team's way.
Avram Grant made three changes from Derby, one in defence, one in midfield and one attack with Alex, Mikel and Drogba all returning; Carvalho, Makelele and Anelka dropping out.
Alex's height at the back should have been useful to combat the powerful Kenwyne Jones, playing as one of the front two along with Roy O'Donovan.
However, the Trindad striker won the first three aerial battles between the two and from the first knock down on six minutes, the Sunderland support erupted into a storm.
The ball dropped, O'Donovan nipped goal side of John Terry and as the two tangled, the Sunderland forward tumbled on the edge of the area. Referee Mike Dean waved play on.
Within 90 seconds, Chelsea had our first shot on target, Kalou's dart through the middle stopped by an excellent sliding tackle by Evans, only for the ball to fall for Joe Cole. His first-time effort was blocked by Bardsley.
It didn't take long to find the net though - just another two minutes to be precise. Chelsea had already won three previous corners when Lampard sent over fourth and Terry converted with a near post header. Remarkably, it was the skipper's first Chelsea goal since the first game of last season.
On 17 minutes, a swift attack down the left was only inches away from paying dividends, Joe Cole's slide just failing to connect with Ashley Cole's lay-back.
There was a brief flare up between the first of those Coles and Sunderland captain Whitehead midway through the half after Joe had fallen in a challenge and been caught a glance by a boot - but the ref calmed it all down without recourse to cards.
Seconds later, Sunderland were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area from which Cudicini, back on the scene of one of his finest games back in 2001, tipped the ball away from the top right corner. The rotund Andy Reid had been the taker.
On 39 minutes came the second face-to-face of the game, this time between an angry Cudicini and O'Donovan after the forward had left his leg in after losing out in a race for a through ball. Again, it thankfully settled down quickly.
Chelsea reached the break with the early-won lead intact and nothing too much to concern Grant, just the need to find another goal as insurance.
There had been a failed kick-out at Mikel just before the half-time whistle and a game with a spiky side saw its first booking six minutes after the restart - Whitehead cautioned for a foul on Lampard.
Leadbitter forced a Cudicini save with a 25-yard strike just two minutes later and from the corner that followed, Collins had a good chance at the far post but headed wide.
Leadbitter became the game's second caution for a trip on Drogba on 58 minutes but that could not disguise what was a good spell for the home team. Mikel entered the book for a foul a minute later.
In what was proving a rare second-half Chelsea attack, Joe Cole took Drogba's knock on, returned the ball but Drogba's cross had too much pace for Lampard.
On 71 minutes, Sunderland escaped down the left and Mikel was well-placed to slide the cross out at the near post. After the corner had been defended, Grant made his first substitution - Essien replacing Ballack.
Three minutes further on and Chelsea survived a big scare, Jones free near the penalty spot, not getting enough on a cross from deep to find a way past Cudicini.
The game entered its final 10 minutes and still Sunderland were on top. It was a measure of how the game had turned round that the corner count first half had been 8 to 2 in Chelsea's favour. In the second half it was 4 to 0 to Sunderland.
Gordon smothered from Wright-Phillips when Chelsea did break out before at the other end, Jones headed over when he was found in the box by another ball from deep. There was a minute of normal time on the clock.
With very final kick of the game, Whitehead flashed a shot just a couple of yards wide after Jones once again triumphed in the air.
There were a few sighs of Chelsea relief when the final whistle blew to make it seven straight wins against Sunderland and more importantly, a third straight victory in the current Premier League campaign.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cudicini, Ferreira, Alex, Terry (c), A Cole; Ballack (Essien 72), Mikel, Lampard; J Cole (Wright-Phillips 81), Drogba, Kalou.
Scorer Terry 9,
Booked Mikel 59.
Sunderland (4-4-2): Gordon; Bardsley, Nosworthy, Evans, Collins (Prica 61); Edwards, Leadbitter (Harte 85), Whitehead (c), Reid; O'Donovan (Yorke 72), Jones.
Booked Whitehead 51, Leadbitter 58.
That was the captain's first of the season, scored early in the first-half, but Roy Keane's side are solid on their own patch, as Chelsea found in a second-half when all the best chances fell the home team's way.
Avram Grant made three changes from Derby, one in defence, one in midfield and one attack with Alex, Mikel and Drogba all returning; Carvalho, Makelele and Anelka dropping out.
Alex's height at the back should have been useful to combat the powerful Kenwyne Jones, playing as one of the front two along with Roy O'Donovan.
However, the Trindad striker won the first three aerial battles between the two and from the first knock down on six minutes, the Sunderland support erupted into a storm.
The ball dropped, O'Donovan nipped goal side of John Terry and as the two tangled, the Sunderland forward tumbled on the edge of the area. Referee Mike Dean waved play on.
Within 90 seconds, Chelsea had our first shot on target, Kalou's dart through the middle stopped by an excellent sliding tackle by Evans, only for the ball to fall for Joe Cole. His first-time effort was blocked by Bardsley.
It didn't take long to find the net though - just another two minutes to be precise. Chelsea had already won three previous corners when Lampard sent over fourth and Terry converted with a near post header. Remarkably, it was the skipper's first Chelsea goal since the first game of last season.
On 17 minutes, a swift attack down the left was only inches away from paying dividends, Joe Cole's slide just failing to connect with Ashley Cole's lay-back.
There was a brief flare up between the first of those Coles and Sunderland captain Whitehead midway through the half after Joe had fallen in a challenge and been caught a glance by a boot - but the ref calmed it all down without recourse to cards.
Seconds later, Sunderland were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area from which Cudicini, back on the scene of one of his finest games back in 2001, tipped the ball away from the top right corner. The rotund Andy Reid had been the taker.
On 39 minutes came the second face-to-face of the game, this time between an angry Cudicini and O'Donovan after the forward had left his leg in after losing out in a race for a through ball. Again, it thankfully settled down quickly.
Chelsea reached the break with the early-won lead intact and nothing too much to concern Grant, just the need to find another goal as insurance.
There had been a failed kick-out at Mikel just before the half-time whistle and a game with a spiky side saw its first booking six minutes after the restart - Whitehead cautioned for a foul on Lampard.
Leadbitter forced a Cudicini save with a 25-yard strike just two minutes later and from the corner that followed, Collins had a good chance at the far post but headed wide.
Leadbitter became the game's second caution for a trip on Drogba on 58 minutes but that could not disguise what was a good spell for the home team. Mikel entered the book for a foul a minute later.
In what was proving a rare second-half Chelsea attack, Joe Cole took Drogba's knock on, returned the ball but Drogba's cross had too much pace for Lampard.
On 71 minutes, Sunderland escaped down the left and Mikel was well-placed to slide the cross out at the near post. After the corner had been defended, Grant made his first substitution - Essien replacing Ballack.
Three minutes further on and Chelsea survived a big scare, Jones free near the penalty spot, not getting enough on a cross from deep to find a way past Cudicini.
The game entered its final 10 minutes and still Sunderland were on top. It was a measure of how the game had turned round that the corner count first half had been 8 to 2 in Chelsea's favour. In the second half it was 4 to 0 to Sunderland.
Gordon smothered from Wright-Phillips when Chelsea did break out before at the other end, Jones headed over when he was found in the box by another ball from deep. There was a minute of normal time on the clock.
With very final kick of the game, Whitehead flashed a shot just a couple of yards wide after Jones once again triumphed in the air.
There were a few sighs of Chelsea relief when the final whistle blew to make it seven straight wins against Sunderland and more importantly, a third straight victory in the current Premier League campaign.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cudicini, Ferreira, Alex, Terry (c), A Cole; Ballack (Essien 72), Mikel, Lampard; J Cole (Wright-Phillips 81), Drogba, Kalou.
Scorer Terry 9,
Booked Mikel 59.
Sunderland (4-4-2): Gordon; Bardsley, Nosworthy, Evans, Collins (Prica 61); Edwards, Leadbitter (Harte 85), Whitehead (c), Reid; O'Donovan (Yorke 72), Jones.
Booked Whitehead 51, Leadbitter 58.
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