Chelsea overpowered West Ham United 2-0 and Manchester City outclassed West Bromwich Albion 3-1 as the Premier League title rivals flexed their muscles at the start of a hectic holiday programme yesterday.

With nine points available in less than a week the leading duo offered more proof that they appear to be in a mini-league of their own although third-placed Manchester United’s resurgence continued with a 3-1 defeat of Newcastle United.

Goals from John Terry and Diego Costa hardly illustrated leaders Chelsea’s superiority over a West Ham side that reached Christmas in the Champions League places.

The derby win briefly put them six points clear with 45 from 18 matches but City replied to close the gap to three with a seventh successive league win – Fernando, Yaya Toure (penalty) and David Silva on target before half-time at a snowy Hawthorns.

“Football is football, you never know and the only thing we can do to try to reduce the unpredictability of football is to do what we’re doing: playing very well,” said Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager.

United are 10 points off the pace but growing in confidence after Wayne Rooney scored twice and Robin van Persie once to see off Newcastle at Old Trafford.

Southampton’s return to form was underlined by a 3-1 win at Crystal Palace which lifted them back into the top four, Sadio Mane, Ryan Bertrand and Toby Alderweireld netting.

West Ham dropped to fifth, one point ahead of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur who both enjoyed narrow wins.

Arsenal had striker Olivier Giroud sent off but held on to beat Queens Park Rangers 2-1 with goals from Alexis Sanchez, who also missed a penalty, and Tomas Rosicky. Charlie Austin replied from the penalty spot for QPR.

Tottenham had goals from Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen to thank for a 2-1 win at bottom club Leicester City. Swansea City are eighth after beating Aston Villa 1-0.

Raheem Sterling’s goal gave Liverpool a 1-0 victory at Burnley but Everton’s troubles continued as they lost 1-0 at home to Stoke City.

Title scrap

While plenty of clubs will enter the New Year eyeing a top-four place, Chelsea and City are set to scrap for the title.

Chelsea produced a display full of power and pace against a West Ham side that managed a 0-0 draw in the corresponding fixture last season, prompting Mourinho to accuse their opponents of 19th Century football.

The first half hour was one-way traffic and the surprise was that Mourinho’s men did not score before Terry turned the ball over the line after Costa flicked on a Cesc Fabregas corner.

Costa showed his eye for goal when he received a pass from the excellent Eden Hazard just past the hour and lashed a left-footer past goalkeeper Adrian.

Chelsea had numerous other chances to score with West Ham’s only flurry coming near the end when substitute Morgan Amalfitano hit the post.

Manchester City responded emphatically and were out of sight before halftime at West Brom.

Keeper Ben Foster dropped the ball at the feet of Fernando after eight minutes to gift the visitors their opener and Toure’s spot-kick made it 2-0. Silva stroked in the third after 34 minutes to end the game as a contest.

Torrential snow slowed City’s slick passing after the break and Brown Ideye grabbed a consolation goal for WBA.

“I am very pleased with the performance. It was very difficult to play especially in the second half,” said City boss Manuel Pellegrini.

Elsewhere, Hull City ended a run of 10 league games without a win by beating Sunderland 3-1 to move out of the bottom three.

Results and standings

Premier League

Arsenal 2
Sanchez 37; Rosicky 65;
QPR 1
Austin 79 pen.;

HT: 1-0. Att: 59,947.
Missed penalty: Sanchez (A) 9.
Red card: Giroud (A) 53.

Burnley 0
Liverpool 1
Sterling 62;

HT: 0-0. Att: 21,335.

Chelsea 2
Terry 31; Costa 62;
West Ham 0

HT: 1-0. Att: 41,589.

C. Palace 1
Dann 86
Southampton 3
Mane 17; Bertrand 48; Alderweireld 53;

HT: 0-1. Att: 24,565.

Everton 0
Stoke 1
Bojan 38 pen.;

HT: 0-1. Att: 39,166.

Leicester 1
Ulloa 48;
Tottenham 2
Kane 2; Eriksen 71;

HT: 0-1. Att: 31,870.

Man. United 3
Rooney 23, 36; Van Persie 53;
Newcastle 1
Cisse 87 pen.;

HT: 2-0. Att: 75,318.

Sunderland 1
Johnson 1;
Hull City 3
Ramirez 32; Chester 51; Jelavic 90;

HT: 1-1. Att: 44,817.

Swansea 1
Sigurdsson 13;
Aston Villa 0

HT: 1-0. Att: 20,683

West Brom 1
Ideye 86;
Man. City 3
Fernando 8; Toure 13 pen; Silva 34;

HT: 0-3. Att: 26,040.

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Chelsea	18	14	3	1	40	13	45
Man. City	18	13	3	2	39	15	42
Man. United	18	10	5	3	33	19	35
S’thampton	18	10	2	6	31	14	32
West Ham	18	9	4	5	29	21	31
Arsenal	18	8	6	4	32	22	30
Tottenham	18	9	3	6	24	24	30
Swansea	18	8	4	6	23	19	28
Liverpool	17	7	4	7	22	24	25
Newcastle	18	6	5	7	19	26	23
Stoke City	18	6	4	8	19	23	22
Everton	18	5	6	7	27	28	21
Aston Villa	18	5	5	8	11	22	20
Sunderland	18	3	10	5	16	27	19
West Brom	18	4	5	9	18	26	17
QPR	18	5	2	11	21	34	17
Hull City	18	3	7	8	18	25	16
C. Palace	18	3	6	9	20	30	15
Burnley	18	3	6	9	12	27	15
Leicester	18	2	4	12	16	31	10

Next fixtures

Tomorrow: 13.00 Tottenham vs Man. United. 15.05 Southampton vs Chelsea. 16.00 Aston Villa vs Sunderland; Hull vs Leicester; Manchester City vs Burnley; QPR vs C. Palace; Stoke vs West Brom; West Ham vs Arsenal. 18.15 Newcastle vs Everton.

Top scorers
14 goals: Aguero (Man. City).
13 goals: Costa (Chelsea).
12 goals: Austin (QPR).
10 goals: Sanchez (Arsenal).
8 goals: Rooney (Man. United) Bony (Swansea), Pelle (Southampton), Van Persie (Man. United), Cisse (Newcastle).
7 goals: Berahino (West Brom), Sakho (West Ham), Ulloa (Leicester), Eriksen (Tottenham).
6 goals: Hazard (Chelsea), Lukaku (Everton), Toure (Man. City), Chadli (Tottenham).

The Championship
Birmingham 0 - Derby 4
Bournemouth 2 - Fulham 0
Bolton 2 - Blackburn 1
Brentford 2 - Ipswich 4
Brighton 2 - Reading 2
Charlton 1 - Cardiff 1
Leeds United 0 - Wigan 2
M’Boro 3 - Nottm Forest 0
Norwich 6 - Millwall 1
Rotherham 2 - Huddersfield 2
Sheffield Wed. 1 - Blackpool 0
Watford 0 - Wolves 1

Standings: Bournemouth 45; Ipswich 44; Derby County, Middlesbrough 42; Watford 41; Brentford 40; Norwich 37; Blackburn, Wolves 34; Nottm Forest, Cardiff, Charlton, Sheffield Wed.; Bolton Wanderers 29; Fulham, Birmingham City 28; Reading 26; Rotherham, Huddersfield 25; Leeds 25; Millwall 23; Wigan, Brighton 20; Blackpool 13.

League One
Bristol City 2 - Yeovil 1
Chesterfield 3 - Peterborough 2
Colchester 1 - Gillingham 2
Doncaster 2 - Coventry 0
Fleetwood 0 - Bradford 2
L. Orient 4 - Crawley 1
Notts County 0 - MK Dons 1
Oldham 1 - Crewe 2
Port Vale 2 - Sheffield Utd 1
Preston 1 - Barnsley 0
Scunthorpe 2 - Rochdale 1
Walsall 1 - Swindon 4

Standings: Bristol City 45; MK Dons, Swindon, Preston 44; Bradford, Sheffield Utd 33; Rochdale, N. County, Chesterfield 31; Peterborough, Oldham 30; Port Vale, Doncaster 29; Fleetwood, Walsall 27; Barnsley, Scunthorpe 26; Gillingham, Coventry 25; L. Orient, Crawley, Crewe 22; Colchester, Yeovil 20.

League Two
Dagenham 0 - Stevenage 2
Burton 2 - Tranmere 0
Cambridge 0 - Southend 1
Exeter 1 - Cheltenham 0
Mansfield 1 - Hartlepool 1
Morecambe 0 - Carlisle 1
Newport 2 - Plymouth 0
Northampton 2 - Bury 3
Oxford 0 - Shrewsbury 2
Portsmouth 0 - Wimbledon 2
Wycombe 1 - Luton 1
York 1 - Accrington 0

Standings: Shrewsbury, Wycombe Wanderers, Burton Albion 43; Luton 41; Southend 38; Plymouth, Newport, Exeter 37; Bury 34; Stevenage 31; Morecambe, Wimbledon, Accrin-gton 30; Cambridge 29; Portsmouth, Mansfield 27; Oxford, Cheltenham 25; Northampton, Carlisle United 24; York 23; Dagenham and Redbridge 21; Tranmere Rovers 19; Hartlepool United 14.