Chelsea re-asserted themselves as Premier League leaders with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday as champions Manchester City were held to a draw at Everton.
Jose Mourinho’s team have watched a nine-point advantage over City vanish and began the day with an identical record but edged two points clear with goals from Oscar and Diego Costa sealing a 10th home league win out of 10.
City took the lead late on at Goodison Park through Fernandinho but Steven Naismith earned the hosts a point.
Chelsea have 49 points from 21 games with City on 47.
Eight-placed Liverpool edged nearer the top four with a 1-0 victory at Sunderland, Lazar Markovic’s first Premier League goal deciding the contest at a blustery Stadium of Light.
They are now four points behind fourth-placed Southampton who play third-placed Manchester United on Sunday.
“It was an outstanding team performance today. We had great control of the game but I suppose the only disappointment is we did not have more goals,” manager Brendan Rodgers, who was without the rested Raheem Sterling, told BT Sport.
Queens Park Rangers fell into the relegation zone after a 2-1 loss at Burnley, becoming the first Premier League side to lose their first 10 away games of the season.
Both sides ended with 10 men at Leicester City where the hosts stayed bottom despite beating Aston Villa 1-0 while Tony Pulis enjoyed a winning reign as West Bromwich Albion’s manager thanks to 1-0 defeat of Hull City.
Swansea City and West Ham United drew 1-1.
Later on Saturday in London Tottenham Hotspur can move into fourth position with victory at Crystal Palace who find themselves joint bottom in Alan Pardew’s first league game in charge.
