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On a day in which three different teams led the Premier League standings, it was champions Manchester City that remained there for first time this season.
While Chelsea faltered, City displayed total dominance in a 3-1 win at Watford that was their 31st in the calendar year, surpassing their previous club record.
Bernardo Silva scored twice after Raheem Sterling’s early opener as City proved once again they can do perfectly fine without a recognised striker in the line-up.
“It was a really good performance… It was disappointing because the game should be over quicker, but we are in a routine of being consistent in the way we play. So you can never be frustrated,” City boss Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports.
It was a fifth straight league win for City, who are one point ahead of Liverpool and two in front of Chelsea after 15 rounds.
West Ham shook up the title race by beating the Blues 3-2 at home in the early game, and Liverpool then needed an injury-time goal from Divock Origi to earn a 1-0 victory at Wolverhampton that put Jurgen Klopp’s team on top for a few hours.
City, though, were in front from the start in the late kickoff.
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Sterling scored the opener in the fourth minute before Silva netted in the 31st and 63rd as the victors dominated possession and on the scoreboard.
Bernardo Silva's left foot is pure magic ✨ ????
Seven goals in 14 games this season in the Premier League.
Watford pulled one back through Cucho Hernandez in the 74th to deny City a ninth clean sheet of the season.
West Ham’s defeat of Chelsea underlined their own top-four credentials, even though they required a fluke late goal to complete the comeback.
Arthur Masuaku swung a speculative 87th-minute cross in from the left wing, which veered toward goal and caught Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy by surprise. The Frenchman was only able to push the ball into the goal.
West Ham unlock Chelsea with a cross-cum-shot! ????
Chelsea led twice through Thiago Silva’s header and a sublime volley from Mason Mount, but the Hammers replied via a penalty from Manuel Lanzini and Jarrod Bowen’s low shot from the edge of the area.
“We are not good enough in the details at the moment. We do too many big mistakes,” Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel told reporters.
Liverpool – who had scored four goals in each of their past three games – needed a strike from substitute Origi in the fourth minute of stoppage time to get the job done at stubborn Wolves.
Newcastle United finally won, 15 games into the season, with Callum Wilson on target late in the first half against fellow relegation strugglers Burnley.
The 1-0 result lifted the Magpies above Norwich City to 19th, while Burnley are 18th with all three side on ten points.
Meanwhile, Neal Maupay’s goal in the eighth minute of time added on rescued a 1-1 draw for Brighton at Southampton, who led through Armando Broja’s smart finish in the 29th.
