MAN CITY 1, CHELSEA 3
Manchester City lost their discipline as well as their top-of-the-table clash against Chelsea on a dramatic afternoon at the Etihad.
It was a massive statement from leaders Chelsea who made it eight straight wins to move four points clear of City after their biggest win to date.
City lost their cool deep into stoppage time when Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho were sent off as what had been the day’s big match ended in fight night.
In a gripping game, City had taken the lead through a Gary Cahill own goal and had chances to have been out of sight.
However, they lacked a cutting edge as Chelsea rode their luck and snatched victory with three goals in the last half hour with classic counter-attack strikes from Diego Costa, Willian and Edin Hazard.
But the game exploded in stoppage time when Aguero went through on David Luiz following a tackle, an incident that sparked a mass melee involving players and officials from both sides, and even fans.
Aguero was dismissed by referee Anthony Taylor as was Fernandinho for grabbing Cesc Fabregas by the throat near the advertising hoardings as spectators also became involved in the ugly scenes in what turned out to be a highly charged additional nine minutes.
City manager Pep Guardiola was magnanimous in defeat saying: “We didn’t win because of the referee, but because we missed chances.
“We were not strong enough in both boxes. We have found it difficult to score all seasons and conceded them too easily.”
Guardiola added that he accepts the sendings off.
“It was a pity it (the game) finished that way. I didn’t like that, and I apologise for that,” he said.
Guardiola added he was more satisfied with the way his side played against Chelsea than against Crystal Palace and Burnley when they won both games.
He continued: “Congratulations to Chelsea. When we lose, I don’t make excuses. I am proud of my team for the way it played.
“We created more chances than we did against Palace and Burnley. May be we didn’t deserve to win at Palace, but we fight to improve.”
It was all change for City as Guardiola made six alterations from the side that kicked off at Burnley last Saturday.
There were recalls for David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Jesus Navas, John Stones, Ilkay Gundogan and Leroy Sane.
The players to make way were the injured Raheem Sterling, Nolito, Yaya Toure, Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy and Fernando Reges.
That ought to be of no surprise as Guardiola has made 46 changes in the Premier League, the most of any club.
Chelsea, with seven changes all season, have made lowest number. And there was only one for their side as Fabregas came in for Nemanja Matic.
City claimed an early penalty after Cahilll slid in to clear as Silva burst into the box. The ball struck his arm, but it was deemed unintentional according to referee Mr Taylor.
Chelsea had a great chance to take the lead after 15 minutes when Pedro and Costa linked to set up Hazard who curled a shot agonisingly wide from outside the box.
City had the first goal attempt on target after 21 minutes when Aguero’s shot from 20 yards forced keeper Thibaut Courtois to turn it over the bar as it looked to be dipping in.
Fernandinho found the net with a diving header from a De Bruyne free kick, but he was one of three players to have strayed offside.
Chelsea broke immediately and Hazard rounded keeper Claudio Bravo but, driven wide, his shot was cleared by Aleksandar Kolarov.
There was controversy when Aguero burst clear and appeared to be taken out by a body check from last-man David Luiz, but Mr Taylor waved play on. Replays suggested minimal contact and the City striker went down theatrically.
Aguero had a great chance to break the deadlock late in the half failing to find the target with a diving header from six yards after a cross from De Bruyne.
City had another penalty appeal rejected when Gundogan went down in the box before they finally made the breakthrough on the stroke of half time.
Cahill, trying to cut out a cross from Navas, sliced the ball that looped over Courtois into the far corner.
City made a bright start to the second period and could have doubled their lead when Sane raced half the length of the field before releasing De Bruyne whose angled shot was kept out by the outstretched right leg of Courtois.
Aguero had a chance to make it 2-0 after Courtois was drawn from his goal, but his shot was cleared by Cahill.
City were well on top and carved out another glorious chance to go further ahead when Silva broke on the right and De Bruyne, stretching to meet his cross at the far post, struck the bar from six yards when he looked certain to score.
How City were made to pay for not taking those chances as Chelsea drew level on the hour with their first on-target goal attempt of the game.
Costa chested down a long through ball from Fabregas, rounded Nicolas Otemendi and fired low last keeper Bravo for his 11th goal of the season.
City had an immediate chance to regian the lead when Aguero forced another important save from Courtois.
Sane was replaced by Clichy with 21 minutes left, City’s first substitution.
Chelsea snatched the lead after 71 minutes, again completely against the run of play.
Costa broke from midfield and released substitute Willian who raced clear on the right after breezing past Otamendi before slotting a shot low past Bravo.
City made a second change as Toure replaced Gondogan with 14 minutes remaining as they needed to find a way back into the game. That was soon followed by defender John Stones replaced by Kelechi Iheanacho as City’s manager went all-out attack.
City had another shout for a penalty rejected after Navas went down after a challenge by Marcos Alonso. Relays again suggest Navas’ fall was theatrical.
Chelsea added a third goal in the 90th minute when Alonso’s long ball out of defence released Hazard who breezed past Kolarov before firing home his eighth goal of the season.
Willian might have made it 4-1 in stoppage time when his strike was well kept out by Bravo.
That was before the challenge by Aguero on Luiz that sparked the flashpoint that saw Aguero and Fernandinho sent off.