Luiz Felipe Scolari has warned Chelsea’s title rivals that his side are not at full power yet despite their convincing 3-1 win at Manchester City.
Scolari has had to cope with injuries to key players and the Blues boss knows his side will get much stronger when he can finally choose a settled team. Despite that, Chelsea are top of the table and six points ahead of Manchester United, who lost 2-1 at Liverpool.
Even when Robinho put City into the lead at a buoyant Eastlands on Saturday, Scolari’s side never looked flustered.
PHOTO: AFP
They gave big-spending City a reality check thanks to goals from Ricardo Carvalho, Frank Lampard and Nicolas Anelka.
“We have improved because we have had many problems from when we started until now,” Scolari said. “We will keep getting better.”
Robinho, making his debut, took only 13 minutes to show why City paid £32.5 million to persuade the Brazilian to snub Chelsea as he whipped a free-kick over the wall and past Petr Cech.
But City’s lead was short-lived. Just three minutes later, John Terry’s header deflected to Carvalho and the Portugal defender smashed home.
Chelsea pushed City back after that and Lampard scored on 53 minutes when he finished an incisive move with a fine low strike.
Anelka’s 69th minute goal put the result beyond doubt despite Terry’s late red card for a professional foul on Jo.
The hangover from Kevin Keegan’s departure took its toll on Newcastle United as the Magpies crashed to a 2-1 defeat against Hull City at St James’ Park.
Marlon King struck from the penalty spot after Nicky Butt’s 34th minute foul on Peter Halmosi. Newcastle conceded a second in the 55th minute when King drove home.
Xisco pulled one back on his debut, but it was too late to save Newcastle, who had Danny Guthrie sent off in the last minute.
Arsenal, inspired by Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor’s hat-trick, thrashed Blackburn Rovers 4-0 at Ewood Park.
Robin van Persie slotted him in the eighth minute and Adebayor put Arsenal in control on the stroke of halftime.
He claimed the second from the penalty spot in the 81st minute and completed his treble in stoppage time.
West Ham United’s new manager Gianfranco Zola watched from the stands as his side crashed to a 3-2 defeat at West Bromwich Albion.
James Morrison gave Albion the perfect start in the third minute. But Zola, who won’t officially take charge until next week, saw Mark Noble equalize in the 29th minute.
Lucas Neill put West Ham ahead in the 35th minute, but Roman Bednar leveled with a penalty two minutes later, before Chris Brunt grabbed an 83rd minute winner for Albion.
Jermain Defoe’s second-half double gave Portsmouth a 2-1 victory against Middlesbrough at Fratton Park.
Mido struck for Middlesbrough in the 24th minute, but Defoe finished off Peter Crouch’s pass to level after 59 minutes and snatched the winner four minutes from the final whistle.
Fulham’s new boys combined to set up a 2-1 win over Bolton Wanderers at Craven Cottage.
Zoltan Gera put Fulham in front in the 15th minute and Bobby Zamora doubled their lead just before halftime.
Amr Zaki’s blistering start to life with Wigan Athletic continued as the Eygpt striker’s fifth goal of the season rescued a 1-1 draw against Sunderland.
Titus Bramble’s early own goal gave Sunderland the lead at the JJB Stadium. But Zaki, a pre-season loan signing from El Zamalek, equalized in the 78th minute, before Sunderland’s Lee Cattermole was sent off in the closing minutes.
Yesterday’s English Premier League result:
• Stoke City 2, Everton 3
English Premier League
Team P GD PTS
1 Chelsea 4 7 10
2 Liverpool 4 3 10
3 Arsenal 4 7 9
4 Hull 4 -3 7
5 Man City 4 2 6
6 Fulham 3 1 6
7 West Ham 4 0 6
8 Middlesbrough 4 0 6
9 Portsmouth 4 -1 6
10 Everton 4 -2 6
11 Wigan 4 3 4
12 Aston Villa 3 1 4
13 Bolton 4 0 4
14 Man Utd 3 0 4
15 West Brom 4 -1 4
16 Newcastle 4 -3 4
17 Sunderland 4 -3 4
18 Blackburn 4 -6 4
19 Stoke 4 -3 3
20 Tottenham 3 -2 1
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