Defiant, delusional Pep Guardiola puts head in the sand after Man City lose to Chelsea

Manchester City 1 Chelsea 3: Rampant, magnificent Chelsea may still face some disciplinary reprisals following the mass brawl that marred the closing seconds of their eighth consecutive victory, but this was still the sort of afternoon that will, surely, prove pivotal in the destiny of the Premier League title race.

City were handed two red cards and Chelsea a pair of yellows after Sergio Aguero launched two feet at the knees of David Luiz and the two teams, plus benches, squared up on the touchline.

Aguero, already sent off this season for a nasty elbow on West Ham’s Winston Reid, will serve a four-match ban and team-mate Fernandinho three for grabbing Cesc Fabregas around the throat and throwing him over an advertising hoarding into the stand.