Sergio Aguero was Manchester City’s go-to guy once again as they gained an important victory at Chelsea.
Former Chelsea player Kevin De Bruyne also played his part, setting up two of the goals.
City were looking to climb back into the top three, for a day at least, with Arsenal not in action until tomorrow.
David Silva was rested for City, with Samir Nasri and Yaya Toure reinstated into the starting lineup.
For Chelsea, Gary Cahill returned from a hip injury. However, he was given the runaround all game by the imperious Aguero.
The England defender was forced into action in only the fourth minute, blocking an Aguero effort.
At the other end, Diego Costa set up Pedro, whose shot was cleared off the line by Nicolas Otamendi.
City turned up the pressure, Thibault Courtois saving from Nasri and De Bruyne. But he was powerless to stop City taking the lead on 33 minutes.
De Bruyne passed inside from the right to Aguero, who shot home from twenty yards, with the aid of a deflection off Cahill.
The lead was doubled nine minutes into the second half. De Bruyne found Nasri, he in turn threaded through to Aguero who finished clinically.
The visitors suffered a blow when Nasri was forced off with an injury, replaced by Fabian Delph.
But it was Chelsea who next suffered a blow when Courtois fouled Fernandinho in the area, earning a red card for his trouble. Aguero dispatched the penalty for his hat-trick past substitute keeper Asmir Begovic.
It is now just one win in seven for Chelsea.
By Steve Osborne                     @BlizzardSteve75
