Two of the Premier League's out-of-form sides, Sunderland and Chelsea, faced off at the Stadium of Light this afternoon.
The game turned out to be one full-of-incident, with plenty of chances at both ends but it was Chelsea who came out on top.
It was a breakthrough game for Fernando Torres who netted a brace and set up the other as Chelsea ran out 3-1 winners, with Adam Johnson lashing home Sunderland's goal.
Read how an action-packed 90 minutes unfolded with our minute-by-minute live updates below.
Thanks for joining Sports Mole for coverage this afternoon. Keep checking back on site throughout the evening for plenty of reaction to the afternoon's football. Until next time, goodbye.
A first win in the league for Benitez puts Chelsea within four points of Manchester City in second while Sunderland plunge into the bottom three. The Black Cats are now two points from safety and in real trouble.
Here are the other Premier League full-time scores:
Arsenal 2-0 West Brom
Aston Villa 0-0 Stoke
Southampton 1-0 Reading
Swansea 3-4 Norwich
Wigan 2-2 QPR
If you've just joined us, click here to read our match report if you don't fancy reading all the updates!
OFF THE BAR! Sunderland win another free kick in a similar position to the one that Johnson almost scored from but this time it's Gardner who has a go. The midfielder has developed this Ronado-esque technique and he slaps it against the crossbar.
SHOT! Wickham has a pop on-the-turn and Cech gets down low to his right to just about keep it away from the net.
McClean fizzes a cross through the 'corridor of uncertainty' and Cole just takes it off the toes of Johnson at the back post.
SHOT! Lampard shows that he can still hit them, calling Mignolet into a flying save at his near post.
Swansea's hope of a comeback has been extinguished by Robert Snodgrass, who puts Norwich 4-2 up at the Liberty.
Sunderland are ending this game in the ascendency but they can't take advantage of a number of set pieces. Up the other end Hazard almost finds Torres as Chelsea break.
Sunderland have a free kick right of centre and Johnson curls it over the wall, forcing a great save out of Cech.
QPR weren't ahead for long as James McCarthy scores his second of the game to level it up for Wigan.
Are QPR about to pick up their first win of the season? Djibril Cisse comes off the bench to put Harry Redknapp's men ahead at Wigan.
Some goal this, if he meant it. The England winger collects on the left of the box and simply lashes across goal and into the far side netting. I've only gone and captained him this week in fantasy!
Johnson nutmegs Cole but the England left-back gets back to make a slide challenge and put it out for a corner. From the set piece Cech misses the ball and it hits Luiz's back to go out for another corner.
Goal for Arsenal and Arteta has netted his second from the spot to put the Gunners two up on West Brom.
Another goal for Swansea! Are the Swans going to complete a miraculous comeback? Jonathan de Guzman has cut Norwich's lead to just one.
Goal for Southampton! Jason Puncheon has put Nigel Adkins's men ahead. Great news for the Saints and great news for my fantasy team!
Chelsea break forward and Oscar feints on the edge of the box before attempting to pick out Torres with a scooped pass but it doesn't quite come off.
Rose finds McClean with space on the left and the Irishman whips over a dangerous cross that doesn't quite reach a red-and-white shirt.
Swansea have pulled one back early on in the second half against Norwich and it's that man Michu again.
CHANCE! It's almost four as Moses is picked out with plenty of time to line up a shot on the right side of the area but the winger drags across it a tad and it fizzes wide.
Game over. Bardsley takes an awfully-heavy touch from Moses's deep cross and Torres smacks a left-foot effort against the underside of the bar, with Mata volleying home on the follow-up.
Gardner looks to feed Wickham down the inside-right channel but Cech comes out quickly to stop the danger.
What can Martin O'Neill do here? When on song this Chelsea front four play some scintillating football. Wickham has looked so isolated up front.
If Chelsea can hold out here then it will end a run of seven league matches without a win. Talk about stopping the rot.
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What a cracking half of football that was. Chelsea have done their best to silence a rousing Sunderland crowd by scoring twice in the opening 45 minutes. Both goals have come from the right boot of Fernando Torres, one a clever poked finish on the volley, the other a calmly-taken penalty.
GOAL! Torres takes the ball off Luiz and calmly strokes the ball into the right-hand corner of the net. Is El Nino back?
Larsson's deep delivery is headed back across goal but eventually cleared as Chelsea look to get to the break still ahead.
Goodness me, look at Norwich go! The Canaries are now three up at Swansea thanks to Grant Holt. Looks as if the East Anglia side will be making it nine unbeaten.
Gardner, who does have a decent shot on him, takes it on from distance but slices across it and that's clearly wide. Moments later the Sunderland number eight is booked for a high foot on Oscar.
Goal for Norwich! The Canaries are two up at Swansea as Sebastian Bassong converts. The former Spurs centre-back is a real goal machine at the moment.
Mata goes for something different by clipping towards Ivanovic at the back post. Rose heads away but straight to Oscar who goes for the first-time left-foot volley but that floats wide.
Another free kick for Chelsea 30 yards out as Bardsley comes in very late on Mata's ankle. Will Luiz have another go?
Mata has far too much time and space to run at the Sunderland defence but his attempted slide-rule pass has too much on it for Torres.
McClean's cross is punched well away by Cech but Rose wins it back and decides to have a go. However, the left-back's effort is a long way over the crossbar.
Chelsea look to break from a Sunderland corner as Moses shows off his quick feet to escape a pair of challenges before feeding Torres who looks up to find Hazard streaking away down the left. The Belgian squares up Bardsley and manages to get a cross in but it's well defended by the home side.
The Black Cats are suddenly all over Chelsea! This time it's Johnson who turns inside-and-out to beat Cole and almost pick out Sessegnon in the middle with a cutback. Great game!
This is much better from Sunderland as Sessegnon collects a flick-on and works a yard of space before lashing at goal, with Cech beating it away on the dive.
Almost a chance for Sunderland as Adam Johnson superbly keeps the ball in in the corner and sends over a cross that is cleared to Bardsley. The right-back lets fly and it deflects off David Luiz and almost reaches Sessegnon.
Suggestions are that Santi Cazorla dived to earn the penalty and as I type this Ryan Nelsen has brought QPR level against Wigan.
Goal at Arsenal and the Gunners have taken the lead against West Brom as Mikel Arteta converts from the spot.
Larsson whips over a corner from the left and it causes problems for Chelsea. Oscar gets in a crucial block as Cuellar looked to slam home the loose ball, which eventually goes out for a Blue throw-in.
Wickham really hasn't had a sniff up front for Sunderland and you'd have to say it's a tough task against that mean Chelsea backline.
Chelsea finally make that change as Oscar takes the place of Romeu. Lampard looked like he was getting ready but apparently wasn't quite ready to take to the field.
Goals elsewhere! Norwich have taken the lead at Swansea through Steven Whittaker while Wigan lead at home to QPR thanks to James McCarthy.
The Brazilian approaches it Didier Drogba-style but that was always rising and Mignolet watches it over his crossbar.
Chelsea have a free kick, 30 yards out and central as Ramires is brought down. David Luiz likes it...
I was just about to write that there was yet to be a goal in the Premier League! Hazard cuts onto his right foot and swings over a cross that Torres prods home on the volley with his studs. Wonderful finish.
CHANCE! How are the Blues not ahead?! Romeu fizzes a sublime pass out to Ivanovic and the Serbian delivers a cross that O'Shea heads out but it hits Cuellar and goes straight to Torres. The Spaniard is just six yards out but Mignolet is out quickly to thwart the number nine.
CHANCE! This is a really bright start from Chelsea. This time Hazard exchanges passes with Mata and the Spaniard decides to square for Torres instead of going for goal himself. The ball slips all the way across goal and to safety.
CHANCE! Opening for Chelsea as Mata finds Hazard with a stunning through ball. The Belgian takes it into the area and seems to be pulled back by Larsson before Mignolet slides in to clear. Referee Mark Halsey isn't interested though.
We're just moments away from the off at the Stadium of Light and that can only mean one thing - prediction time! I'm going to plump for a 3-1 Chelsea win. The visitors' back four looks strong and I see goals from the front four. Adam Johnson to bag Sunderland's goal as he's my fantasy football captain this week!
Here's a stat that will boost Chelsea fans: The Blues have won 14 out of the last 15 meetings against Sunderland.
On a related note to this game, here's some BREAKING NEWS:
Former Sunderland midfielder Kevin Kilbane has today announced his retirement from football. The 35-year-old had been playing at Coventry.
The other four matches are Aston Villa vs. Stoke, Southampton vs. Reading, Swansea vs. Norwich and Wigan vs. QPR. I'll be sure to keep you up-to-date with all the goals as they go in.
This afternoon there are five other 3pm kickoffs in the Premier League and, strangely, no early or late games. Our other live commentary this afternoon is of Arsenal vs. West Brom and you can follow that one with Jack Prescott by clicking here.
Torres's opposite number Wickham has a daunting task today coming up against the defence of Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill and Cole. I have personally followed the England under-21 international's progress since he left the club I support, Ipswich Town. Wickham began life at Sunderland confidently but suffered a serious injury that kept him out for much of last season and he's only just finding his feet again. Although he is yet to impact on the Premier League, his record at international level for England's youth is very impressive.
The interim Chelsea boss seems to favour Victor Moses over Oscar in the playmaking three that includes the majestic duo of Juan Mata and Eden Hazard. Up front, Torres scored twice against Nordsjaelland on Wednesday. Can he bag a league goal today?
Benitez may have won his first game at the fourth attempt against Nordsjaelland on Wednesday but the Spaniard is still in search of his first league win.
Rafael Benitez has made two changes to his Chelsea XI, with Oriol Romeu coming in for the suspended John Obi Mikel while David Luiz replaces Cesar Azpilicueta at the back, meaning Branislav Ivanovic will slide across to right-back.
Wickham came on for Fletcher in the last game at Norwich and the prolific Scot is obviously still struggling with injury. At the back for the home side, John O'Shea returns alongside Carlos Cuellar in place of Matthew Kilgallon, who drops to the bench.
Sunderland: Westwood, Campbell, Kilgallon, Colback, Vaughan, Bramble, Saha
Chelsea: Turnbull, Lampard, Oscar, Ferreira, Marin, Azpilicueta, Bertrand
BREAKING TEAM NEWS! Steven Fletcher misses out for Sunderland. Connor Wickham leads the Black Cats' line.
If you take a look at our form guide by clicking here, you can see that both sides have accumulated just four points from their last six matches. Stale.
