Chelsea’s draw-goal celebrations incense Mourinho

MANCHESTER City have displayed familiar champions’ swagger and Mo Salah rediscovered his goalscoring touch for Liverpool as the two pace setters forged clear at the top of the Premier League.

City destroyed Burnley 5-0 before Salah broke his mini scoring drought in Liverpool’s laboured 1-0 win at Huddersfield Town, yet it all paled beside the drama that once again engulfed Manchester United and Jose Mourinho in the day’s marquee match.

Mourinho’s side had been poised to earn a comeback win at unbeaten Chelsea until a stoppage-time equaliser from substitute Ross Barkley earned the Blues a 2-2 draw and sparked a pitch-side pantomime.

The Portuguese was enraged by the provocative, inyour-face celebrations of Marco Ianni, one of Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri’s assistants, after the stoppage time goal and had to be restrained as he tried to pursue his tormentor down the tunnel. The charmless episode left Sarri accepting that the Chelsea bench was in the wrong and ordering his assistant to apologise to Mourinho.

The apology was accepted but the insult for him was cer- tainly not as bad as missing out on all three points that his under-pressure side would have deserved.

Mourinho called it an “awful” result after one of their better performances of a chequered season. When City destroyed Burnley, it meant United, now ninth, are nine points behind their neighbours.

City’s latest masterclass, with goals from Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez, brought manager Pep Guardiola as much delight as seeing Kevin De Bruyne back in action off the bench after his in- jury layoff.

On 23 points, City are ahead only on goal difference from similarly unbeaten Liverpool who were grateful for Salah’s sharp first-half winner in their unconvincing slog at Huddersfield.

Chelsea, who escaped with their unbeaten record intact, and Tottenham Hotspur, who earned a hard-fought 1-0 win at West Ham United courtesy of Erik Lamela’s deft header just before halftime are level on 21 points.

At Stamford Bridge, Mourinho’s side had gone one down when Antonio Rudiger headed home from a corner.

They rebounded with two second-half Anthony Martial goals and looked largely in control until Barkley’s strike.

Bournemouth were held to a goalless draw by south coast rivals Southampton while Watford checked Wolverhampton Wanderers’ impressive progress with a 2-0 away win.

Cardiff City leapt out of the relegation zone in some style, beating Fulham 4-2. Newcastle United’s woes under Rafa Benitez continued when they slumped to the bottom of the league on just two points after losing 1-0 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.