Bradford City 1

Sunderland 4

Bradford City were booked into Heartbreak Hotel long before Elvis appeared.

The Bantams were left feeling lonesome tonight after a Boxing Day bashing by super-slick Sunderland at Valley Parade.

Just like last season, the Mackems dealt out a four-goal spanking to leave City six points behind the rest of the pack in their most precarious position of the season.

Three of Sunderland's goals came from the blistering boots of Kevin Phillips - and even the King was impressed.

As he saluted his hat-trick strike four minutes from time, Phillips found an Elvis look-a-like hopping out of the Symphony Stand to worship at his feet.

The phony Presley was escorted off and missed the finale to this canter, as did a large chunk of the dismayed home support.

It was a miserable afternoon to be following the Claret and Amber, and many had seen more than enough by the time Phillips got his unexpected visitor.

The home fans were quiet throughout as their team were outplayed from first minute to last.

Not that you could hear any mobile phones ringing though because of the din coming from both ends of the ground supplied by the Sunderland away support.

A capacity 4,000 had made the trip from the north-east to fill the new north-west corner as well as the traditional away end, swelling the gate to 20,370 - City's best since an FA Cup third-round tie against Tottenham in January, 1970.

And they certainly had a ball to such an extent that midway through the second half as they tired of "shushing" the home fans, the mass Sunderland ranks broke into a mickey-taking high-pitched rendition of "City, City".

The Bantams were being humiliated off the pitch as well as on it.

City boss Jim Jefferies had no argument with the final outcome. "Sunderland were always sharper to the ball and never gave us a chance," he said. "They played some great football."

Even Peter Reid cheered up as his side swept into third spot. "Bradford caught us on a really hot day. We've been digging out results without playing that well, but out there all our cylinders were firing."

None more than England striker Phillips, who returned from a one-match suspension to knock down the doubters who had dismissed him as a Premiership one-season wonder.

There was nothing flash in the pan about the three strikes which took his campaign tally to double figures - and that was despite missing an early sitter and a last-minute penalty!

Reid said: "Kevin is a quality player, and although people will doubt him the boy is a superb finisher. He was playing against one of the best young players in Andrew O'Brien and was absolutely outstanding."

Phillips aside, City did themselves no favours with their frequent blundering moments. And when you're at the bottom, every mistake is guaranteed to be punished.

Thanks to the agility of Gary Walsh, City had somehow edged towards half-time on level terms when they shot themselves in the foot for the first time.

The error was something of a team effort as O'Brien chose to backpass to Walsh on his wrong foot rather than clear the danger. Walsh sliced his clearance for a Sunderland throw and as Billy McKinlay berated O'Brien, Julio Varga and Gavin McCann combined to whip in a cross.

Walsh slipped as he back-pedalled, Wayne Jacobs and Robert Molenaar failed to pick up Niall Quinn at the far post, and despite the keeper saving his first shot the Irish beanpole rammed in the rebound.

Three minutes after the break Phillips was off the mark with an exquisite finish from McCann's through ball before galloping on to an even better pass from the marvellous Don Hutchison to slide home number three.

Walsh, head and shoulders City's best man, kept out his first hat-trick attempt and after McKinlay had driven straight at Thomas Sorensen the home side at last got one back.

Peter Beagrie's corner was headed goalwards by Jacobs, a surprisingly potent attacking threat, and substitute Robbie Blake whipped home his first goal since the opening stages of the Intertoto Cup.

Suddenly there was another comeback on and a couple of scrambles in the Sunderland box ensued.

But there was to be no fairytale finale for the third time and Stefan Schwarz teed up Phillips to drive beyond Walsh from 25 yards.

Cue a cameo from Elvis before a late act of defiance from Walsh to tip away Phillips' firmly-struck penalty after Beagrie had brought down Alex Rae.

"He's only scored three goals" sung the taunting Wearside voices and the City fans were in no mood to argue. Neither was Jefferies who muttered: "If only he'd been banned for one more game."