SOUTHAMPTON v CHELSEA

MANCHESTER City triumphed 4-0 at West Brom to make a swift return to the Premier League summit after Arsenal had briefly taken over top spot with a 4-1 romp at Sunderland.

Sergio Aguero opened the scoring from a tight angle on 19 minutes after being slipped in by Ilkay Gundogan, with the second a brilliant strike into the top corner nine minutes later.

The Argentina forward was involved in the third goal after the interval, too, teeing up Gundogan, and the German sealed the rout with his second goal in the final minute to emphatically end manager Pep Guardiola’s six-game winless run.

Olivier Giroud’s first goals of the season had earlier handed Arsenal victory in the lunchtime kick-off on Wearside.

The France forward struck twice within five minutes of being introduced as a 69th-minute substitute to kill off hopes of a Black Cats’ fightback after Jermain Defoe’s penalty had cancelled out Alexis Sanchez’s first-half opener.

With Wales star Aaron Ramsey making his return from injury as a substitute, Sanchez helped himself to a second – the last three goals came inside a chaotic seven-minute period – to leave Sunderland with only two points from their first 10 league games.

Tottenham and Leicester battled out a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane, Ahmed Musa securing a point for the champions with a close-range tap-in from Jamie Vardy’s pass soon after the restart.

Vincent Janssen’s penalty – awarded shortly before half-time after he was adjudged to have been fouled by Robert Huth – had opened the scoring for Spurs, who also hit the woodwork through Dele Alli and Jan Vertonghen.

Jose Mourinho was sent to the stands after complaining at half-time of Manchester United’s goalless draw against Burnley at Old Trafford.

United’s cause was not helped by the dismissal of midfielder Ander Herrera for a second bookable offence midway through the second half, or the fine form of Clarets goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

A goal in each half from Gaston Ramirez and Stewart Downing earned Middlesbrough a 2-0 success against Bournemouth at the Riverside.

Watford nicked a valuable 1-0 win with a late goal against Hull, Daryl Janmaat’s cross deflected in by Hull defender Michael Dawson seven minutes from time at Vicarage Road.

In the late game, there were firsthalf fireworks at Selhurst Park as Liverpool defeated Crystal Palace 4-2.

Emre Can put Liverpool ahead after 16 minutes, but the lead last barely 90 seconds before James McArthur levelled for the Eagles.

Three minutes later, Dejan Lovren restored the Reds’ advantage only for McArthur to equalise for a second time after 33 minutes.

A minute before the break Joel Matip put Liverpool ahead for the third time in the game and Roberto Firmino completed the scoring after 71 minutes.

4pm, St Mary’s

SOUTHAMPTON manager Claude Puel played in the same position as Oriol Romeu – but admits the Spaniard is a better player than he ever was.

Romeu has emerged as one of Saints’ key men this season, with the former Barcelona man excelling at the base of Puel’s midfield.

Puel was himself a tough-tackling defensive midfielder during a 19year career with Monaco, but he says the Spaniard is superior on the ball.

“He’s more technical,” Puel said at his pre-match press conference ahead of today’s game against Chelsea, another of Romeu’s former clubs. “I was a different generation. “I played in front of the defence and I had a good recovery of the ball, but now it’s important in modern football to have a player in this position who is very technical.

“To play in this position, it’s important the player can have a good ability to work the ball and to change and to switch it wide while anticipating the situation.

“It’s important because it’s a part of the team and all the opponents try to make a good pressing, because every ball recovery on this play is dangerous for the team.

“It is important for this player to be a good technical player, to not lose the ball and to start the action with quality.”