Arnautovic double lays Manchester City low and stokes top table heat

We didn’t defend well, but all the team must be involved in the defending.

In the late game, Chelsea hosted Bournemouth. “The two goals were very nice”, said the Switzerland winger.

Fortunately for the Citizens, it was just the two goals they trailed by at the interval, though this did not make it any more of a surprise when Manuel Pellegrini sent the same 11 players out in the second half that had been simply out-played in the first. This year the league is weird – every team can lose.

“We haven’t played Bojan right up front before but I have been close to doing it in the past”.

“Hopefully we can have a couple of good years together”.

Leicester displayed the attacking swagger sorely lacking in City’s performance at Stoke as Manuel Pellegrini’s side went a fourth away game without a win in the league.

“We dominated the game but one refereeing mistake cost us”, Mourinho said. “We haven’t played that formation (4-3-3) before but there was a feeling in the back of my mind about today”, he added.

Since Kompany established himself as an undroppable presence in City’s defence, shortly after signing from Hamburg for £6m in 2008, the cash-rich club has dropped £130m on other centre-backs yet none have been able to establish themselves as a long-term partner for the captain.

Stoke’s 2-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday saw them bounce back impressively after last weekend’s defeat at struggling Sunderland – just their second loss in their last nine Premier League outings. Conditions were tough, but that’s English football. We are playing with 13 players in all competitions. “We didn’t play well”.

Manager Pellegrini was less forthcoming after a dismal display.

That was Mark Hughes’ not unreasonable assessment after seeing two Marko Arnautovic goals bury the team starting the day as Premier League leaders.

The few chances they did create were met by the impressive Jack Butland, as the Stoke keeper kept out efforts from Kevin de Bruyne and Aleksandar Kolarov with sharp saves.

There was more brilliance from Shaqiri, whose superb turn outfoxed Fernando before his fabulous pass gave Arnautovic the chance to produce a cool, low finish for 2-0.

However, Man City remain the favourites to claim the cup, and they will travel to Goodison Park to take on Everton in the first leg of the semi final. The rebound fell to Arnautovic, who fired just wide.

“The most [concerning] thing is that we are playing in all the competitions with all the same players”, Pellegrini said, after his team ended the game with 10 men as midfielder Fernando sustained a hamstring injury.