Terry leads the charge as efficient Chelsea have top two in their sights

As Chelsea enter a critical week in the capital — it's Tottenham and Arsenal next — Avram Grant's efficient team have the top two firmly in their sights.

Captain John Terry's first goal for 65 games clinched Chelsea's 10th win in 12 matches, just as he and Frank Lampard start to hit peak form.

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Plucky Sunderland deserved a draw and Terry was rightly complimentary about struggling opponents who finally gave one of the top five a scare, earning a standing ovation from their supporters when the final effort from Dean Whitehead's boot just went past Carlo Cudicini's post.

Terry said Kenwyne Jones caught the eye of the entire Chelsea side, proclaiming the Trinidad striker the 'best in the air in the Premier League'.

Unfortunately for Sunderland, while he certainly proved a handful for the visiting centre back it was Jones's heading which let him down and decided his side's fate.

Just a minute after Terry had escaped a borderline penalty shout when accidentally-on-purpose falling on top of Roy O'Donovan in the area, the England defender lost Jones too easily at a Lampard corner in the 10th minute to plant the ball beyond Craig Gordon.

It was Chelsea's only effort on target.

Although Chelsea toyed with Sunderland for most of the first half, Keane's boys really gave it a go after the break and in the last 15 minutes substitute Dwight Yorke's two lovely-flighted passes found Jones's forehead, with Terry and Alex floundering.

One landed harmlessly in Cudicini's chest, the other whizzed over the bar.

"I was no striker," said Roy Keane. "But sometimes they have too much time."

Jones has just five goals this season but an immense presence which Sunderland intend to utilise in the remaining weeks.

However, he has gone 10 games without a goal, in a side who have not scored for 375 minutes.

That is a major concern for Keane, who heads to Aston Villa on Saturday still looking for his first away win as a top-flight manager.

Terry has very different concerns and a return to goalscoring form is welcome as Chelsea look to crank up the pressure on their rivals.

He said: "I scored regularly for four years and it was a big part of my game but I have hit a bit of a dry patch which is disappointing. I've been doubled up on and very tightly marked so it's been difficult but I'm aiming to score a few more this season.

"We are right in the mix and in a great position. A few months ago we were 13 points behind but we are quietly coming up the rails and playing very well.

"Sunderland are a very good side, very hard working, very honest and gave us a good battle. It's times like this when the experience comes through. We had to dig our heels in and make it difficult. When we won the league in 2005 we had a lot of 1-0 victories."

Keane made a point of shaking hands with every Sunderland player and for once in defeat could take solace from an encouraging display which has set the standard for a difficult run-in which includes back-to-back derby games and the final day visit of Arsenal.

The Sunderland boss left out Kieran Richardson, Daryl Murphy, Michael Chopra and Danny Higginbotham but denied rumours on Wearside that it was a disciplinary matter.

The real reason? The four had not matched Keane's standards in training during the week.

He said: "If they had been disciplined for something other than being left out for footballing reasons I'd be the first tell you. It's unfair on those players and their families. It's nonsense. Trust me.

"I try and judge and pick my team on what I see and not what I hear from people or agents or fathers or girlfriends."