Sergio Aguero scored five times in 20 minutes, including an eight-minute hat-trick, as Manchester City came from behind to thrash Newcastle United 6-1 and go back to the top of the table yesterday.
City, beaten by West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur in their last two league games, appeared to be in danger of another defeat after Aleksandar Mitrovic headed Newcastle ahead at the Etihad Stadium.
The visitors, without a win so far, looked the better team for much of the first half but imploded as Aguero burst into life with goals in quick succession. With Kevin De Bruyne also on target, five of City’s six goals came in a dazzling 13-minute spell.
Victory lifted City on to 18 points, two ahead of Manchester United who play at Arsenal today.
Crystal Palace, who beat West Bromwich Albion 2-0 in the early kick-off, are third on 15 points, level with Leicester City who won 2-1 at Norwich City.
Aguero becomes only the fifth player in the Premier League era to score five in a game following Andy Cole, Alan Shearer, Jermain Defoe and Dimitar Berbatov.
But he was denied the chance to become the first player to score six in the Premier League when coach Manuel Pellegrini substituted him two minutes after his fifth goal.
Aguero headed his first three minutes before the break before he made it 2-1 with a deflected shot four minutes into the second half, completing his hat-trick when he ran through on goal a minute later.
De Bruyne’s volley made it 4-1 before Aguero struck City’s fifth with a curling shot in the 60th minute and completed his afternoon’s work with a close-range finish two minutes later.
Palace won with goals from Yannick Bolasie and Yohan Cabaye’s 89th minute penalty, a week after scoring the match-winning penalty at Watford.
There was more gloom than light at the Stadium of Light where Sunderland, who like their north east neighbours Newcastle are still without a win, drew 2-2 with West Ham United after being 2-0 up.
Sunderland led with goals from Steven Fletcher and a screamer from Jermain Lens, but Lens was sent off in the second half and the Hammers escaped with a point thanks to goals from Carl Jenkinson and Dimitri Payet.
At least Sunderland climbed off the bottom of the table with Newcastle replacing them but manager Dick Advocaat would not confirm if he was staying at the club following rumours he was leaving.
Asked if he would be in charge for their upcoming games, he said: “I cannot say that. It is more important about the way the team played.
“My future is not so important.”
Chelsea crash again
In the late kick-off, champions Chelsea crashed to their fourth defeat in eight league matches this season when they were beaten 3-1 by Southampton at Stamford Bridge after a woeful performance that left them 16th in the table.
While leaders Manchester City have 18 points, Chelsea have just eight and are only four points better off than Aston Villa who are in the relegation zone.
The win lifted Southampton up to ninth after their first win at Chelsea since 2002.
Chelsea took the lead through a Willian free-kick but Southampton struck back with goals from Steven Davis after 43 minutes, Sadio Mane, who capitalised on a mistake from recalled skipper John Terry after 60 minutes, and Graziano Pelle 17 minutes from time.
Results and standings
Premier League
Aston Villa 0
Stoke City 1
Arnautovic 55;
HT: 0-0. Att: 33,189.
Bournemouth 1
Murray 28;
Watford 1
Ighalo 45;
HT: 1-1. Att: 11,187.
Missed penalty: Murray (B) 85.
Chelsea 1
Willian 10;
Southampton 3
Davis 43; Mane 60; Pelle 73;
HT: 1-1. Att: 41,642.
C. Palace 2
Bolasie 68; Cabaye 89 pen.;
West Brom 0
HT: 0-0. Att: 24,037
Man. City 6
Aguero 42, 49, 50; Aguero 60, 62; De Bruyne 54;
Newcastle 1
Mitrovic 17;
HT: 1-1. Att: 53,850.
Norwich City 1
Mbokani 69;
Leicester City 2
Vardy 28 pen.; Schlupp 48;
HT: 0-1. Att: 27,067.
Sunderland 2
Fletcher 10; Lens 22;
West Ham 2
Jenkinson 45; Payet 60;
HT: 2-1. Att: 42,932.
Red card: Lens (S) 57.
Playing today
Arsenal vs Man. United - 17.00
Everton vs Liverpool - 14.30
Swansea vs Tottenham - 17.00
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Man. City | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 7 | 18 |
| Man. United | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 16 |
| C. Palace | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 15 |
| Leicester | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 15 | 15 |
| West Ham | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 11 | 14 |
| Arsenal | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 13 |
| Everton | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 12 |
| Tottenham | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 12 |
| Southampton | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 10 | 12 |
| Liverpool | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 11 |
| Watford | 8 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 10 |
| Swansea | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Norwich City | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 14 | 9 |
| Stoke City | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 9 |
| Bournemouth | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 8 |
| Chelsea | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 17 | 8 |
| West Brom | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 8 |
| Aston Villa | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 4 |
| Sunderland | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 3 |
| Newcastle | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 3 |
Leading scorers
7 goals: Vardy (Leicester City).
6 goals: Aguero (Man. City).
5 goals: Wilson (Bournemouth), Mahrez (Leicester), Ighalo (Watford), Pelle (Southampton).
Next fixtures
Saturday, Oct. 17: 13.45 Tottenham vs Liverpool. 16.00 Chelsea vs Aston Villa; C. Palace vs West Ham; Everton vs Man. United; Man. City vs Bournemouth; Southampton vs Leicester; WBA vs Sunderland. 18.30 Watford vs Arsenal.
Sunday, Oct. 18: 17.00 Newcastle United vs Norwich City.
Monday, Oct. 19: 21.00 Swansea City vs Stoke City.
The Championship
Blackburn-Ipswich Town - 2-0
Brighton-Cardiff City - 1-1
Bristol City-MK Dons - 1-1
Derby County-Brentford - 2-0
Leeds United-Birmingham - 0-2
Nottm Forest-Hull City - 0-1
QPR-Bolton Wanderers - 4-3
Reading-Middlesbrough - 2-0
Sheffield Wed.-Preston NE - 3-1
Wolves-Huddersfield Town - 3-0
Playing today
Charlton-Fulham - 13:00
Standings: Brighton 22; M’Boro 20; Reading, Birmingham, Hull, Burnley 18; Derby 17; Cardiff 16; Wolves, Sheffield Wed., QPR, Ipswich Town 15; Nottingham Forest 12; Blackburn, Fulham, Leeds United 11; Huddersfield Town 10; Charlton Athletic 9; MK Dons, Brentford, Rotherham United, Bolton 8; Preston, Bristol City 7.
League One
Blackpool-Swindon Town - 1-0
Burton Albion-Southend Utd - 1-0
Colchester-Bury - 0-1
Coventry City-Shrewsbury - 3-0
Crewe-Chesterfield - 1-2
Doncaster-Barnsley - 2-1
Gillingham-Oldham - 3-3
Peterborough-Millwall - 5-3
Port Vale-Sheffield United - 2-1
Rochdale-Bradford City - 1-3
Scunthorpe-Fleetwood - 1-0
Wigan-Walsall - 0-0
Standings: Burton Albion 25; Walsall, Bury 22; Gillingham 21; Coventry 19; Rochdale, Sheffield United 17; Port Vale, Wigan, Colchester 16; Southend 15; Peterborough, Barnsley, Chesterfield, Millwall 14; Bradford 13; Swindon 12; Oldham, Shrewsbury, Scunthorpe, Doncaster, Blackpool 11; Fleetwood 9; Crewe 6.
League Two
Accrington-Oxford - 1-3
AFC Wimbledon-Barnet - 2-0
Dagenham-Mansfield - 3-4
Hartlepool-Luton Town - 1-4
Leyton Orient-Notts County - 3-1
Morecambe-Bristol Rovers - 3-4
Newport-Exeter - 1-1
Plymouth-Crawley - 2-1
Portsmouth-Yeovil - 0-0
Stevenage-Carlisle - 0-1
Wycombe-Northampton - 2-3
York City-Cambridge - 2-2
Standings: Plymouth 23; Wycombe, L. Orient 21; Portsmouth, Oxford 20; Mansfield, Accrington, Carlisle 19; Northampton 18; Luton, Exeter 17; Bristol Rovers, Wimbledon 16; Morecambe, Cambridge, Notts County 14; Hartlepool 13; York, Barnet 10; Stevenage, Crawley 9; Yeovil 8; Dagenham 7; Newport 6.