Ruthless Chelsea put seven past hapless Norwich
The absence of injured strikers Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner was no problem for Chelsea as they highlighted the gulf between the top and bottom of England’s Premier League.
The leaders racked up seven goals, including a hat-trick from Mason Mount, three of the seven coming after Norwich City had Ben Gibson sent off.
Callum Hudson-Odoi, Reece James and Ben Chilwell were also on target while Max Aarons conceded an own goal.
Chelsea’s lead was cut to two points later yesterday by Manchester City who won 4-1 at Brighton. Phil Foden scored twice, his goals sandwiched by one apiece from Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez. Alexis MacAllister scored from the spot to prevent City keeping a clean sheet.
In between those fixtures Watford achieved the stand-out result, bouncing back from last week’s 5-0 home defeat to Liverpool by winning 5-2 at Everton.
Josh King, who endured a miserable goalless loan spell at Everton last season, scored a hattrick as the Hornets won at Goodison Park for the first time.
Everton led twice, with Tom Davies scoring their first goal in the third minute, and their second from ex-Watford striker Richarlison in the 63rd. But the visitors scored four times in the last 13 minutes to stun their hosts.
‘‘It was a crazy game because we conceded a lot of chances to score goals but Everton also conceded five goals and other great chances,’’ said Claudio Ranieri, whose first match as Watford manager had been last week’s thrashing.
‘‘I’m very satisfied because after the Liverpool defeat we wanted to react and we reacted very well.’’
Elsewhere Southampton and Burnley shared four goals while Leeds scored a late penalty to salvage a draw at home to Wolves. At Crystal Palace, Callum Wilson’s acrobatic strike cancelled out Christian Benteke’s opener and grabbed a point for managerless Newcastle United.
That series of results meant the bottom three – Burnley, Newcastle and Norwich – are still without a win after nine matches, and three points adrift.
Summer signing Maxwel Cornet scored twice for Burnley either side of goals for Tino Livramento and Armando Broja.
‘‘It was another positive display with a couple of mistakes,’’ said Burnley manager Sean Dyche. ‘‘Eradicate them and we are in good shape with what we are trying to achieve.’’