Though he admits Sunderland didn't create much in the way of a scoring threat as Kenwyne Jones was once again deployed in a lone striking role.

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Andriy Shevchenko's fifth goal of the season and Frank Lampard's 10th made it a Blue day at Stamford Bridge.

Whitehead said: "We weren't disgraced, but we can't have any grumbles about the result, really. We did OK at United and Arsenal and felt we might have got a point, but Chelsea were fair value for their win.

"We had trouble in the first half getting used to their system and how we were going to deal with it. Shaun Wright-Phillips caused us a lot of problems in the first half drifting all over the pitch and he was difficult to pick up.

"We got on top of them a bit more in the second half and I think we rattled them for a while. We didn't get in behind them enough, but I don't think they were having it their own way.

"The penalty for their second goal made things more comfortable."
Referee Peter Walton pointed to the spot after Danny Higginbotham's tug on Brazilian defender Alex 15 minutes from time, with Lampard confidently despatching the penalty.

Whitehead said: "I think it was a fair decision by the ref for the penalty and it gave Chelsea the cushion they were looking for. Few teams get many chances at Chelsea and we had a mountain to climb.

"We have to take it on the chin and move on. We've played the top three teams away from home now and they are very hard games out of the way."