Chelsea rock title rivals City, rampant Arsenal up to second

Aguero, 28, will receive a four-match ban for his wild two-footed lunge at Chelsea‘s David Luiz at the end of injury-time in City’s 3-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium.

No Chelsea players were sent off, though, and Conte was happy with his players’ behaviour.

But City, for whom Kevin De Bruyne missed an open goal moments before Chelsea’s equaliser, undoubtedly lost their composure at the end of the game, and their failure to control their emotions could ultimately prove as damaging to their title hopes as their ongoing inability to defend properly.

“I give this victory to the people who died”, said Luiz whose former Vitoria team mate Arthur Maia was one of the victims.

“I saw lots of character from my team and that’s very important to grow. We must continue to work and improve”.

Chelsea picked up a massive result on the road in the opening match of the day. I don’t like that. “I apologise for what happened”, said Guardiola.

Diego Costa, the league’s leading marksman, scored his 11th of the season on the hour to equalise, substitute Willian notched on the counter-attack 10 minutes later and Eden Hazard sealed Chelsea’s eighth straight win in the 90th minute.

Chelsea were level on the hour when Diego Costa outmuscled Nicolas Otamendi to score and they were ahead 10 minutes later when substitute Willian raced clear to beat City keeper Claudio Bravo easily.

Arsenal was leading 1-0 through Mesut Ozil’s 24th-minute goal, which was set up by Sanchez, when the Chile worldwide began his spree.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was Arsenal’s other scorer. A brilliant individual effort in the 72nd minute was followed by a low strike from outside the area in the 80th, before he ran through and chipped the goalkeeper to complete his hat trick in the 86th. He’s a fighter and a classy player.

For the first 45 minutes, City played football that was very un-Guardiola-like, choosing to launch long balls and crosses into the box, especially from the right, specifically targeting Marcos Alonso and Gary Cahill.

– Manchester City have only won three of their seven Premier League home games this season (W3 D3 L1) – they have won double this number away from the Etihad this term (W6 D0 L1).

– Antonio Conte is the first Chelsea manager to win eight consecutive Premier League games within a single season since Jose Mourinho (nine wins in a row in 2006-2007).

Struggling champions Leicester remain just two points above the relegation zone after a fifth successive league game without a win. “I am just here to understand and I need time to understand the decisions”.

Tottenham responded well from losing their unbeaten league record the previous week by thumping hapless Swansea with Harry Kane celebrating the signing of his new contract with two goals and Christian Eriksen also scoring twice.