Blues down Norwich 4-1 to extend lead on top of EPL table; Mancini's men beat Sunderland 3-0
Chelsea extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points with a 4-1 win against Norwich, while champions Manchester City got back on track by crushing Sunderland 3-0 on Saturday.
Chelsea’s Spanish striker Fernando Torres scores past Norwich City goalkeeper John Ruddy during their English Premier League match at Stamford Bridge in London on Saturday. Pic/AFP.
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Roberto Di Matteo’s unbeaten Chelsea recovered from the shock of Norwich striker Grant Holt’s 11th minute opener at Stamford Bridge to take complete control before half-time.
Fernando Torres equalised with his fifth goal of the season, heading home off a Branislav Ivanovic cross in the 14th minute.
Frank Lampard put Chelsea in front in the 22nd minute with a drive from the edge of the area and Belgian playmaker Eden Hazard, netting a cool 31st minute strike from Juan Mata’s pass, shattered Norwich’s resistance.
Ivanovic rubbed salt into Norwich’s wounds when he bagged the fourth goal with 14 minutes left.u00a0“Norwich scored a good goal and it was important to equalise quickly. From there on it was a lot of Chelsea pressure. We can be happy about the performance. We are slowly evolving and don’t concede too many goals,” Di Matteo said.
Meanwhile, Roberto Mancini’s City secured a second victory in their last seven fixtures in all competitions and their first cleansheet of the season at the 10th attempt.
The hosts were ahead after five minutes when Serbian defender Aleksandar Kolarov curled a free-kick past Sunderland ’keeper Simon Mignolet. Substitute Sergio Aguero then steered in a Kolarov cross from close-range after which England midfielder James Milner ensured City would move into second place with an 89th minute free-kick that glanced in off Sunderland’s Craig Gardner.
“In the first half we missed two or three chances, but we’ve had a good performance,” Mancini said.
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