Chelsea, Man City win without strikers

Chelsea and Manchester City didn’t field a recognized striker between them for their Premier League games on Saturday. It didn’t stop them combining for 11 goals in ominous displays by the two title contenders. Missing injured strikers Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner, Chelsea still powered to its biggest win of the season — 7-0 against Norwich — with playmaker Mason Mount, pictured above, scoring a hat trick. City doesn’t have an out-and-out striker in its squad after failing to sign a like-for-like replacement for Sergio Aguero in the offseason but that isn’t stopping the champions scoring freely this season. A 4-1 victory at Brighton, secured mainly thanks to two goals by Phil Foden, followed a 5-1 win at Club Brugge midweek in the Champions League. It was the sixth time in 14 games in all competitions that City has scored three or more goals. Chelsea will spend another week leading the league — it is two points ahead of City and four clear of Liverpool — and the strength in depth in the squad should ensure Thomas Tuchel’s team maintains a title challenge this season.