Chelsea make title statement amid chaos, emotion at Man City
By Ian Chadband
LONDON - Chelsea made the most emphatic statement yet about their Premier League title credentials as they forged clear at the top of the table with a dramatic, chaotic and emotional 3-1 win at fellow contenders Manchester City on Saturday.
The drama in the day's big match came with Antonio Conte's men coming from one down at halftime to score after the break through Diego Costa, Willian and Eden Hazard for a remarkable eighth straight league win.
The chaos came deep into stoppage time with two City players, Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho, sent off amid ugly scenes as all 22 players and staff got involved in a melee following Aguero's knee-high lunge on David Luiz.
The emotion had been there for everyone to see even before the game at the Etihad Stadium when the crowd immaculately observed a minute's silence for the victims of the air crash involving Brazilian team Chapecoense, a tribute which was mirrored at matches throughout the league.
Chelsea's two Brazilian players, Willian and David Luiz, also paid their own tribute, holding their black armbands aloft after Willian's goal.
The victory in the top-of-the table clash put Chelsea onto 34 points, four clear of second-placed Liverpool, who visit Bournemouth on Sunday, and third-placed City.
Arsenal, who were playing at West Ham United in the day's late game, remain fourth on 28 points, while Tottenham Hotspur remain fifth place after their 5-0 thrashing of Swansea City.
Manchester City were left reeling after seemingly dominating for most of the first hour, going ahead just before halftime through a Gary Cahill own goal, and then almost putting the game to bed when Kevin De Bruyne was presented with an open goal but crashed the ball against the crossbar.
The Belgian's failure to slot home the cross from three metres out proved costly as Chelsea, showing what manager Conte called "good character", exposed City's defensive deficiencies on the break with three goals in the last half-hour.
City's frustration was evident from Aguero's shocking challenge deep into stoppage time, which saw him sent off and sparked a pitchside brawl culminating in a second red card for Fernandinho for pushing Cesc Fabregas over the advertising hoardings.
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.
The plight of champions Leicester City worsened with a 2-1 defeat at Sunderland, which means they remain just two points above a bunching relegation zone in what is turning out to be one of the worst title defences witnessed in the top flight.
A Robert Huth own goal and a clinical finish by Jermain Defoe saw Sunderland win 2-1 to climb to 11 points, within two points of Claudio Ranieri's men and two clear of bottom club Swansea.
(Reporting by Ian Chadband. editing by neil Robinson)