LONDON: Unbeaten Chelsea put their off-field concerns aside to beat Norwich City 4-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday and open up a four-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
The European champions made headlines for all the wrong reasons on Saturday after the publication of the findings of an FA hearing that questioned the accounts given by skipper John Terry and defender Ashley Cole in the notorious racism case involving Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.
Terry, facing a four match ban and a fine handed out by the FA for his racial slur against Ferdinand last year, and Cole, whose evidence was doubted in the 63-page written document, both played against Norwich, who took an early lead through Grant Holt after 11 minutes.
But Chelsea playing with true style and panache, replied with four from Fernando Torres, Frank Lampard, Eden Hazard and a superb volley from Branislav Ivanovic.
Lampard’s strike was his 129th Chelsea goal in the English Premier League, putting him level with Bobby Tambling as the club’s joint-highest top-flight scorer.
Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo said he was pleased to put the events of the last few days behind him.
“I like to talk about football and watch football, but obviously sometimes you have to talk about other stuff,” he told a TV channel.
“But my job is to keep the team focused on what our targets are and we wanted to win this game and be top going into the international break.”
Chelsea, who have won six and drawn one of their seven games, moved to 19 points while Norwich remain winless and second from bottom with three.
In the last match of the day, Arsenal overpowered West Ham 3-1 away, but it wasn’t all plain sailing for the Gunners.
Mohamed Diame put the hosts in front with a goal in the 21st minute before Olivier Giroud scored his first goal for Arsenal in the 41st.
Arsenal seemed the better team almsot throughout, but their further efforts on goal were stymied by West Ham. That is, until the 77th minute, when Theo Walcott made it 2-1. Santi Cazorla then sealed the victory in the 83rd minute.
Champions Manchester City climbed to second on 15 points after beating Sunderland 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium where Aleksandar Kolarov, Sergio Aguero and James Milner were on target.
Like Chelsea, Manchester City remain undefeated and ended Sunderland’s unbeaten league record in the process.
City, with seven changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday, took an early lead with a blistering free-kick from Kolarov after five minutes.
Substitute Aguero doubled the lead after an hour, smashing home a Kolarov cross and James Milner completed the scoring after 89 minutes with a freekick which he curled in with ferocious spin from the left of the area.
City manager Roberto Mancini said: “I think in the first half, we missed two or three chances like other games but we had a good performance.
“I am happy because we got a clean sheet, scored three but also because of our performance.”
Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill had no complaints about the outcome.
“Man City deserved to win,” he said. “When it was 1-0 we had a chance and just after the break we had an attacking threat, but overall they were much better and deserved to win the game.
“They were electric. They are fine players, champions of this country and playing big Champions League games.”
Everton slipped from second to third but salvaged a point in a 2-2 draw after trailing twice at Wigan Athletic.
West Bromwich Albion maintained their excellent start with a 3-2 home win over Queens Park Rangers, to climb up to fourth, while QPR remain at the bottom without a win and with only two points from seven matches.
Reading appeared to be heading for their first league win of the season after going 2-0 up at Swansea City, but the home side fought back late to grab a 2-2 draw and avoid a fourth successive loss. (Reuters)