Man. City’s Vincent Kompany reacts after being shown the red card at Hull.Man. City’s Vincent Kompany reacts after being shown the red card at Hull.

The race for the Barclays Premier League swung back in Manchester City’s favour after indisciplined leaders Chelsea suffered a shock defeat at Aston Villa yesterday.

Fabian Delph scored a goal that could prove decisive in the final destination of the league trophy come May as Villa grabbed a 1-0 victory over the nine-man Blues with eight minutes remaining at Villa Park.

Midfielders Willian and Ramires – and manager Jose Mourinho – were all sent off as tempers flared in Birmingham.

It was a first defeat since early December for Chelsea, who must now look over their shoulders at City given the 2012 champions are only six points behind with three games in hand.

Villa, meanwhile, move into 10th place after recording back-to-back wins.

Earlier in the day, Manuel Pellegrini’s City shrugged off the 10th-minute dismissal of captain Vincent Kompany to dredge up a 2-0 win at Hull.

David Silva struck a superb long-range opener just four minutes after Kompany was shown a straight red card for hauling down Nikica Jelavic who was through on goal.

City then sealed their return to second place when Silva sent through Edin Dzeko to make it two in the final minute.

Basement boys Fulham secured a vital win – the first of Felix Magath’s tenure – at the expense of Newcastle.

With Magpies boss Alan Pardew watching via video link from the team hotel due to his three-match stadium ban for headbutting Hull’s David Meyler, Fulham substitute Ashkan Dejagah hit the only goal of a 1-0 victory on 68 minutes.

Another manager under scrutiny of late has been West Brom’s Pepe Mel, who had failed to deliver a win since taking the job in January.

That changed in dramatic fashion yesterday as Youssouf Mulumbu’s late strike earned the Baggies a 2-1 victory at Swansea.

Roland Lamah scored for the Swans after two minutes, only for Stephane Sessegnon to equalise in the 52nd minute. Mel then punched the air in celebration as Mulumbu bent the ball past Michael Vorm with five minutes remaining.

The victory lifts West Brom three points clear of the relegation zone after 18th-placed Cardiff lost 2-1 at the death in their meeting with Europa League-chasing Everton.

On-loan Barcelona forward Gerard Deulofeu (59) and Juan Cala (68) exchanged goals in the second half and it looked like the points would be shared until Seamus Coleman fired a winner for the Toffees three minutes into stoppage time.

Southampton managed to climb to eighth after surviving a spirited fightback from Norwich to win 4-2 at St Mary’s.

Morgan Schneiderlin opened the scoring inside five minutes and second-half goals from substitute Rickie Lambert (57) and Jay Rodriguez (72) looked like putting the Saints out of sight.

But, shortly after sub Johan Elmander spoiled the hosts’ clean sheet five minutes from time, Robert Snodgrass narrowed the deficit to a single goal.

However, Sam Gallagher killed off any hopes of a comeback by hitting his first Premier League goal six minutes into time added on.

Peter Odemwingie’s brace inspired Stoke to come from behind and beat West Ham 3-1 at the Britannia Stadium.

It took the Hammers only five minutes to take the lead through Andy Carroll but Odemwingie levelled in the 32nd minute before adding a second goal 10 minutes after Marko Arnautovic notched on 69 minutes.

Premier League

Aston Villa 1
Delph 82;
Chelsea 0

HT: 0-0. Att: 40,084.
Red cards: Willian (C) 70; Ramires (C) 90.

Everton 2
Deulofeu 59; Coleman 90;
Cardiff 1
Cala 68;

HT: 0-0. Att: 38,018.

Fulham 1
Dejagah 68;
Newcastle 0

HT: 0-0. Att: 25,664.

Hull City 0
Man. City 2
Silva 14; Dzeko 90;

HT: 0-1. Att: 24,895.
Red card: Kompany (MC) 10.

Southampton 4
Schneiderlin 5; Lambert 57; Rodriguez 72; Gallagher 90;
Norwich 2
Elmander 85; Snodgrass 86;

HT: 1-0. Att: 29,828.

Stoke City 3
Odemwingie 32,79; Arnautovic 69;
West Ham 1
Carroll 5;

HT: 1-1. Att: 27,015.

Sunderland 0
Crystal Palace 0

Att: 43,636.

Swansea 1
Lamah 2;
West Brom 2
Sessegnon 52; Mulumbu 85;

HT: 1-0. Att: 20,703.

  P W D L F A Pts
Chelsea 30 20 6 4 56 23 66
Man. City 27 19 3 5 71 27 60
Liverpool 28 18 5 5 73 35 59
Arsenal 28 18 5 5 52 28 59
Tottenham 29 16 5 8 37 37 53
Everton 28 14 9 5 40 28 51
Man. United 28 14 6 8 46 31 48
Southampton 30 12 9 9 43 37 45
Newcastle 29 13 4 12 37 40 43
Aston Villa 29 9 7 13 32 38 34
Stoke City 30 8 10 12 32 44 34
West Ham 29 8 7 14 32 38 31
Hull City 29 8 6 15 30 37 30
Swansea 29 7 8 14 38 43 29
Norwich City 30 7 8 15 24 48 29
West Brom 29 5 13 11 33 43 28
C. Palace 29 8 4 17 19 38 28
Sunderland 27 6 7 14 26 42 25
Cardiff City 30 6 7 17 23 52 25
Fulham 30 7 3 20 30 65 24

Top scorers
24 goals: Suarez (Liverpool).
18 goals: Sturridge (Liverpool).
15 goals: Aguero (Man. City).
13 goals: Toure (Man. City), Remy (Newcastle), Hazard (Chelsea).

Playing today
Man. United-Liverpool - 14.30
Tottenham-Arsenal - 17.00

Next fixtures
Saturday: 13.45 Chelsea vs Arsenal. 16.00 Cardiff vs Liverpool; Everton vs Swansea; Hull vs West Brom; Man. City vs Fulham; Newcastle vs C. Palace; Norwich vs Sunderland. 18.30 West Ham vs Man. United.
Sunday: 14.30 Tottenham vs Southampton. 17.00 Aston Villa vs Stoke City.

James McClean scored twice as Wigan Athletic made it eight straight wins in all competitions to beat Ipswich Town 3-1 at Portman Road, yesterday.

The FA Cup semi-finalists kept their dream of an instant return to the Premier League well and truly alive. Tommy Smith had given the home side the lead, but it lasted little over two minutes as McClean equalised before Leon Barnett put Wigan ahead.

McClean made the points safe in the 76th minute, finishing off a well-worked move, to round off a great week for Uwe Rosler’s men.

The Championship
Bolton 0 - Brighton 2
Bournemouth 0 - M’boro 0
Burnley 2 - Leeds United 1
Huddersfield 2 - Blackburn 4
Ipswich 1 - Wigan 3
Leicester City 3 - Blackpool 1
Millwall 0 - Charlton 0
Nottm Forest 0 - Doncaster 0
QPR 3 - Yeovil 0
Reading 0 - Derby 0
Sheffield Wed. 4 - Birmingham 1
Watford 3 - Barnsley 0

Standings: Leicester 80; Burnley 73; Derby, QPR 63; Wigan 58; N. Forest 57; Reading, Brighton 56; Ipswich 51; Blackburn 49; Watford 48; Bour-nemouth 46; Middlesbrough 45; Leeds, Huddersfield 44; Sheffield Wed. 42; Bolton 40; Blackpool 38; Birmingham, Doncaster 37; Millwall 32; Charlton, Yeovil, Barnsley 29.

League One
Bradford 1 - Gillingham 1
Bristol City 0 - Swindon 0
Carlisle 0 - Stevenage 0
Crawley 1 - Colchester 0
Crewe 1 - Oldham 1
L. Orient 0 - Brentford 1
MK Dons 0 - Peterborough 2
Rotherham 1 - Walsall 1
Tranmere 3 - Notts County 2
Wolves 0 - Shrewsbury 0

Playing today
Coventry vs Port Vale - 16.00

Tomorrow
Preston vs Sheffield Utd - 20.45

Standings: Wolves 77; Brentford 76; Leyton Orient 74; Preston 69; Rotherham 66; Peterborough 58; MK Dons 52; Walsall 49; Swindon 48; Sheffield United 47; Port Vale 46; Bradford, Gillingham 45; Crawley 43; Bristol City 42; Coventry City 41; Colchester United, Oldham Athletic, Tranmere Rovers 39; Carlisle 38; Stevenage, Crewe 37; Shrewsbury Town 34; Notts County 31.

League Two
Burton1 - Wimbledon1
Cheltenham 1 - Torquay 0
Chesterfield 3 - Oxford 0
Dagenham 1 - Morecambe 1
Fleetwood 3 - Portsmouth 1
Hartlepool 4 - Bristol Rovers 0
Northampton 1 - Mansfield 1
Plymouth 0 - Scunthorpe 2
Rochdale 2 - Accrington 1
Southend 0 - Bury 0
York 2 - Wycombe 0

Playing today
Newport vs Exeter - 16.00

Standings: Chesterfield 66; Scunthorpe 65; Rochdale 64; Fleetwood, Burton 61; Oxford United 56; Southend, York City 52; Plymouth 51; Hartlepool 49; Cheltenham, Morecambe 47; Dagenham 46; Newport, Wimbledon 44; Mansfield 43; Bury, Bristol Rovers, Portsmouth 42; Wycombe, Accrington 41; Exeter 40; Northampton 38; Torquay 33.

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