Man City 0-3

Independent:
Sergio Aguero inspires City to emphatic win as John Terry is hauled off at half-time
 
Manchester City 3 Chelsea 0
Sam Wallace  

We are only eight days into the new season and already Jose Mourinho is one doctor down, 16th in the Premier League table and has a captain
wearing the expression of a man watching his home being repossessed. Chelsea have certainly started with a bang but the smoke is coming from under
their own bonnet.

Diagnosis? Not yet critical, but with the potential to get much worse if things cannot be changed. With the caveat that these are early days, this was a
wonderful performance from Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City team who took the initiative within the first 20 seconds of the game and simply got
stronger from there. It was City who looked invigorated, positive and full of confidence – if anything they looked like the defending champions.
There was a new three-tier South Stand open for the first time at the Etihad Stadium, and a team that looked radically different from the side that
ceded the title so weakly at the turn of the year. Sergio Aguero, starting his first game of the season, was exceptional, and so too the likes of David
Silva and Fernandinho but all the time you waited for Chelsea’s response and it never arrived.
The drama was heightened by Mourinho’s decision to substitute John Terry for the first time in 177 league games over the two spells that this
manager-player partnership has been in existence. The explanation from Mourinho was that he wanted to play a higher line and in order to do so
needed the pace of Kurt Zouma to defend further up the pitch, but Terry returned to watch the second half with a cloud over his head as grey as
anything the Manchester climate serves up.
John Terry looks on after his half-time substitution John Terry looks on after his half-time substitution  When asked about the decision, Mourinho
immediately adopted his own defensive line – reminding all concerned that it was he who had resurrected Terry’s Chelsea career. “I don’t know if you
ask [Rafa] Benitez, Roberto Di Matteo who never played him,” he said. “I am the one who plays him every game, and recovered him in difficult moments
with others managers. [I am] the one who has the right to look at the game and say ‘I want Zouma on the pitch’.
The prospect of a fissure opening between Mourinho and his 34-year-old captain is really the least of his worries, and both of them seem a bit long in
the tooth for that now. Of more immediate concern was how brittle Chelsea look defensively – Mourinho admitted to a “fragility” – and what
implications that might have for the rest of their season.
Mourinho tried to put a brave face on it all, claiming that Chelsea had enjoyed the better of a second half in which they eventually conceded two goals
but the malaise goes a lot deeper than that. Gary Cahill was out of form and struggling with a bleeding nose. Diego Costa’s provocation schtick got little
change of Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala. Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas were not the game-changers of 12 months ago.
Aguero gave City a well-deserved half-time lead and Kompany and Fernandinho scored in the last ten minutes. It was patently obvious that this
Chelsea team need the kind of lift that only a player capable of breaking into their first XI can provide, and that is unlikely to be supplied by signing
Baba Rahman, a second-choice left-back, or even John Stones from Everton.
Of course, it had to be this day that Chelsea found themselves reaching the break with too few medical staff to go around, and blood and bandages
proliferating. After 45 minutes of being run all over the pitch by City, it was Chelsea’s recently down-sized medical department that found itself over-
stretched.
The stand-in doctor Chris Hughes was still treating a blow to Cahill’s face that required cotton wool to staunch the bleeding, when Diego Costa was
felled by Fernandinho’s elbow. In the meantime, the auxiliary medical team had to treat Costa who needed a bandage around the head and ended the
half chasing his fellow Brazilian down the tunnel.
While this went on, Mourinho had to listen to the name of Eva Carneiro, his recently demoted doctor, being chanted around the stadium by the home
support. “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” sang the City fans to the newly installed Chelsea medical team. And on top of that there were too few
medics to go around. Truly, football has that miraculous habit of foiling the best-laid plans.
The opening stages had been grim for Mourinho as his team staggered from repelling one City attack after another. Three times in the first 17 minutes
the goalkeeper Asmir Begovic saved instinctively from Aguero, including one fine stop in the first 20 seconds.
Cahill was struggling badly against the Argentine and found himself turned after 16 minutes and reliant on a second save from Begovic. The goal on 31
minutes was brilliantly worked with a ball in from the right from Jesus Navas, and an exchange with Yaya Toure before Aguero took the return on his
chest and turned away from Cahill into space to score.
Vincent Kompany celebrates City's second Vincent Kompany celebrates City's second  The elbow by Fernandino on Costa should have been a red card,
Mourino said later, and having been kicked earlier by Kompany, the Chelsea striker was in no mood to shake and make-up. It took a few of his team-
mates and most of the backroom staff to stop him charging down the tunnel after Fernandinho.
Zouma replaced Terry at half-time and after the hour Mourinho brought on Juan Cuadrado for Ramires. He brought Fabregas back alongside Nemanja
Matic but it made precious little difference.
In midfield for City, Fernandino was outstanding and Toure’s work rate appeared to have climbed steeply. The best chance for Chelsea came when
Fernandinho slipped in midfield and allowed Hazard a run at goal. But Chelsea lingered over the shot itself and Joe Hart saved. In the seconds after
Mourinho’s third substitution – Radamel Falcao for Willian – the second, decisive goal came.
That was the second header in two games from Kompany and, like the one against West Bromwich Albion six days earlier, was from a Silva corner. The
final goal, with Chelsea stretched, was buried by Fernandinho. It is a rare sight to see Mourinho’s team so completely beaten with five minutes left.
Everywhere he looked he saw players who had come off second best, and the question will now be whether he can afford to trust them to change.

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Hart; Sagna, Mangala, Kompany, Kolarov; Toure, Fernandinho; Navas (Nasri, 65), Silva, Sterling (Demichelis, 79); Aguero
(Bony, 83).
Substitutes not used: Caballero (gk), Zabaleta, Clichy, Iheanacho.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Begovic; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (Zouma, ht), Azpilicueta; Ramires (Cuadrado, 64), Matic; Willian (Falcao, 79), Fabregas, Hazard;
Costa.
Substitutes not used: Blackman (gk), Falcao, Mikel, Remy, Loftus-Cheek.
Referee: M Atkinson
Man of the match: Fernandinho
Rating: 8
Booked: Manchester City Kompany, Fernandinho, Toure Chelsea Ivanovic, Hazard

==============

Guardian:

Manchester City’s Sergio Agüero too good for Chelsea as Diego Costa labours
Man City 3 - 0 Chelsea
Daniel Taylor at the Etihad Stadium

It was the kind of victory, one imagines, the entire medical profession will toast. Well, apart from the two physiotherapists in Chelsea colours who came
on during the first half, dropped some of their equipment, missed the fact there were two injured players rather than one and gave Manchester City’s
gloating supporters the chance to add to José Mourinho’s discomfort.
By the end, Mourinho’s players looked just as confused and his medics might have to understand if the loud cries of “sacked in the morning”, followed
by chants in favour of Dr Eva Carneiro, become a regular soundtrack wherever Chelsea play this season. Nothing, however, will have irritated their
manager more than the way his players crumpled. They have seldom been beaten so comprehensively and, on top of everything else that has
happened in the embryonic stages of the new season, Chelsea could hardly have imagined their defence of the title would get off to a more harrowing
start.
 
They have shown their staying power before and it would be daft to write them off but it must be disturbing, nonetheless, for Mourinho that his team
are five points behind already and locked in a game of catch-up against the side that has just subjected them to a rare, old-fashioned beating. City
look stronger, fitter and more motivated than last season and even at this early stage the gap feels like a sizeable advantage. Yes, it is way too early
to make snap judgments about the impact on the title race. It has, however, been long enough to ascertain that Manuel Pellegrini’s team are going to
make a much better fist of it this time.
City have started the new campaign in a way that makes it feel perplexing they could not have challenged Chelsea more tenaciously last year. It was
rare to see Mourinho’s team look so vulnerable and even ignoring, for one moment, the goals from Sergio Agüero, Vincent Kompany and Fernandinho,
there were so many other chances for City it felt slightly preposterous for Chelsea’s manager to call it a “fake result”.
Mourinho’s argument was that Chelsea were the better side in the second half and, perhaps for 25 minutes, they were. Yet the rest of the match leant
heavily in City’s favour and the bumper crowd of 54,331 – on the day City opened the new, vertiginous South Stand – could also reflect on four
presentable chances, all falling to Agüero, before the scoring started and John Terry’s afternoon turned into a personal ordeal.
Terry played every single minute for Chelsea in the league last season. He had not been substituted in 177 games and his withdrawal at half-time,
looking like a player in need of smelling salts, probably epitomised how the afternoon went for the champions.
Agüero had given him the runaround and seemed locked in a personal duel with Asmir Begovic, deputising for Thibaut Courtois in the Chelsea goal,
before his perseverance finally paid off just after the half-hour, when he turned away from Gary Cahill and expertly rolled a left-foot shot in off the
post. Agüero was a constant menace and if he can avoid the injury issues that have affected him over the previous two years there can be no doubt
City have the most accomplished striker in the league.
Chelsea have a formidable one of their own in Diego Costa but the difference between the two was laid bare here. Agüero spent the match trying to
find a legitimate way past the Chelsea defence, always looking for space and an opportunity to draw back his shooting foot. Costa, on the other hand,
seemed entirely preoccupied with winning free-kicks, throwing his hands in the air in barely plausible outrage and trying to pick fights that, for the
most part, were only in his imagination.
He was entitled to be aggrieved by the clattering elbow that left him with a bandaged head towards the end of the first half and could easily have
resulted in a red card for Fernandinho. Yet there has been a change in Costa since his hamstring problem flared up last season. His aggression can be a
useful trait but it is reaching the point when it is his first tactic, and threatening only sporadically in more orthodox ways.

What Costa could not do was make any lasting impression on a City defence where Kompany looks more like his old self and Eliaquim Mangala seems far
more comfortable than before. Yaya Touré looks rejuvenated and Raheem Sterling has given City a new way to penetrate defences on the left side of
attack.
Kompany’s goal came directly from David Silva’s corner, emulating what happened at West Bromwich last Monday, and precisely the kind of
straightforward header-at-set-piece goal that a fully functioning Chelsea do not usually concede.
Likewise, the shot from Fernandinho to finish off the scoring after 85 minutes was beautifully taken, lashed past Begovic from 20 yards with great
power and control, but Mourinho must have noted the poor defending from Branislav Ivanovic that allowed Silva to divert the ball into the Brazilian’s
path. Terry’s withdrawal might generate headlines but the truth is the Chelsea defence looked strangely susceptible. No team can expect to defend like
that against these opponents and get away with it and City, with back-to-back 3-0 wins, look like they will take some stopping.
Man of the match Fernandinho (Manchester City)

===============

Telegraph:

Man City 3 Chelsea 0
City send out an emphatic message as Chelsea collapse at the Etihad
Jason Burt

For this one, Jose Mourinho had to take his medicine. Chelsea, the champions, were utterly dominated, over-run, undone by Manchester City. At the
end of a week over-shadowed by Mourinho’s brutal and controversial treatment of two of his club’s medical staff, it is now his team that needs
surgery. Oh doctor, how they were in trouble. The diagnosis appears serious.
Instead the captain simply suffered from humiliation while neither Gary Cahill nor Branislav Ivanovic could cope with City’s pace, purpose and verve.
Here was laid bare why Mourinho is searching to re-build his defence with a fresh bid for Everton’s John Stones expected before the transfer window
closes to add to the deal for Augsburg left-back Baba Rehman, whose signing was confirmed after the final whistle.
Mourinho gave a cogent enough argument for taking off Terry – he needed more pace, he needed Kurt Zouma on the pitch – but it still felt like a big
moment in the 34-year-old’s career. Terry has shown remarkable powers of recovery in the past so should never, ever be written off. But, still, this
was a shock and a fresh debate has been opened.
Inevitably – given the focus on their medics - Chelsea were in the wars with Cahill’s bloody nose and Costa’s head being bandaged but that was as
nothing to the wounded pride they suffered to a City side brimming with desire and unleashing their awesome attacking power. 
If their 3-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion was a statement of intent then here was its emphatic follow-up with goal-scoring captain Vincent
Kompany declaring there is “more to come”. The hunger is back. City even look leaner, more threatening and, in that, Mourinho-esque.
City are unquestionably, already, the team to beat this season and manager Manuel Pellegrini deserves huge credit given how fragile his hold on the
job looked, at times, last season. Everything clicked. City have added Raheem Sterling and appear to be closing in on Valencia defender Nicolás
Otamendi. There is the injured Fabian Delph to be introduced – and maybe more. It is formidable.
Suddenly, also, City are five points ahead of Chelsea. Mourinho labeled it a “fake result” and obviously there is so long to go – but City looked the real
deal. Chelsea certainly did not.
Mourinho also claimed that while City had taken the first-half, the second belonged to Chelsea. But that was nonsense. City scored three but should
have scored three – at least – in the first period. Chelsea did not have a shot on target until the 70th minute although, to be fair, Eden Hazard should
have scored and would have leveled had Joe Hart not blocked.
There was more validity in Mourinho’s declaration that the otherwise outstanding Fernandinho should have been red-carded for the elbow that caught
Costa’s head. Chelsea were, collectively, dazed. Costa is struggling. Cesc Fabregas is not the creative force he was last season.
They need to re-discover their ‘mojo’ and while Mourinho remained typically defiant the empire needs shoring up. And quick. 
Chelsea arrived with Mourinho on the defensive after removing first-team doctor Eva Carneiro and physio Jon Fearn from the bench following his
outburst after the 2-2 draw against Swansea City last Saturday in which he accused them of naivety for rushing on to treat Hazard.
Carneiro did not travel to Manchester – although Fearn did. He is expected to resume his duties in full while her future is far more in doubt. Some
former players had ascribed Mourinho’s approach to some form of ‘mind games’ to deflect from only taking a point against Swansea but that simply
defies logic.
And there was no logic to Chelsea’s defending in the first half. They were taken apart inside 30 seconds with David Silva, as wonderfully precise as
ever, sliding the ball through to Sergio Agüero. Cahill was caught out and Aguero was clear – only for Asmir Begovic, in for the suspended Thibaut
Courtois, to parry with his legs.
It set the tone. Agüero was then thwarted twice more by Begovic – with, on both occasions, the goalkeeper diving to his left to thrust out a strong
arm and turn the striker’s powerful low shot away. The first came as Agüero swiveled from Aleksandar Kolarov’s smart low cross and then he fired in
first-time from a Jesús Navas centre.
Kolarov again picked out Agüero who miscued from point-blank range, poking the ball wide, before, finally, he struck with a wonderful execution.
Silva, inevitably, was involved as he found Agüero who moved the ball to Yaya Touré who chested it back. Agüero nimbly turned Cahill and, ice-cold, he
passed the ball low into the net.
On half-time Eliaquim Mangala headed across goal, when he should have scored, and an aggrieved Costa sought out Fernandinho for retribution as the
players walked down the tunnel – although that will have been as nothing to the simmering anger Mourinho will have unleashed.
Chelsea certainly seemed stung as they returned and there was instantly more snap. They pushed up and City’s dominance relented. Would the home
side pay for not taking those chances? Hazard’s moment came – and went – and it proved pivotal as Silva then took a corner with Kompany too strong
and too determined as he held off Ivanovic to direct a header across Begovic and into the far corner. Chelsea had been undone from a set-piece and
again looked increasingly ragged.
That was reinforced by the third goal as City broke at pace through substitute Samir Nasri. The danger appeared to pass as his cross was cleared out
to Ivanovic but he was sloppy, his touch charged down by Silva with the ball ricocheting to Fernandinho. On the area’s edge the Brazilian thumped a
fierce angled shot – and Begovic was beaten once again.
In injury-time Costa struck a post, with a poked effort, and Hart smothered Radamel Falcao’s follow-up but the champions had been taken apart. In a
week dominated by medical matters Mourinho now has to find the remedy himself.

===================

Mail:

Manchester City 3-0 Chelsea: Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and Fernandinho strike as Manuel Pellegrini's side lay down early title race marker with
emphatic win over Jose Mourinho's champions
By Martin Samuel

Sergio Aguero, quite magnificent. David Silva, simply stunning. Yaya Toure, immense. Yet that defence. That Manchester City defence. They were, well,
Chelsea. There really is no other word for it. City were Chelsea-like in their resilience. They are the team to beat this season, make no mistake of that.
Yes, it is early. Long way to go, all the usual clichés. But this was a performance that made a powerful statement about the way City have grown in
just a year. It is more than the addition of Raheem Sterling to an already stellar forward line. He worked hard and adds a threat, but is still finding his
feet after the move from Liverpool.
This was about the rest of them: players who were here last season, yet strangely subdued. Toure, engaged again, a midfield monster; Eliaquim
Mangala and Vincent Kompany, refusing to be bullied by Diego Costa; Fernandinho, looking the best he has since powering Shakhtar Donetsk through
Europe; Aleksandar Kolarov, arguably the best left-back in the Premier League right now. We knew City would be an attacking force this season, but
the defence was a worry. No longer. This was a match that revealed a new depth to Manuel Pellegrini’s side.
They were not flattered by a three-goal winning margin, as Jose Mourinho suggested; if anything Chelsea were the fortunate ones.
Stand-in goalkeeper Asmir Begovic kept them in touch in the first-half and they did not have a shot on target until the 70th minute. This was not a
negative performance, but the plan was to hit on the counter, and City just directed that threat down blind alleys.
Costa was belligerent, but little more, expertly marshalled and crowded out in possession and matched physically when he tried to put it about. Eden
Hazard was nullified, Cesc Fabregas ineffectual.
John Terry was taken off at half-time with a badly bruised ego and scorch marks. He usually finds a way against quicker men like Aguero, but on
Sunday there was none. Hatchet faced on the sideline, Jose Mourinho seemed to know it, too. It was the first time he had substituted Terry in a league
game and although Aguero was quieter for the introduction of Kurt Zouma, City then scored two more. Branislav Ivanovic is looking every bit as
vulnerable right now, by the way.
Make no mistake, this was a huge result for City and Pellegrini. Mourinho usually beats his big rivals. He draws, at least. His record in these elite clashes
is remarkable. If he has the best team, he wins. If he is outgunned, he finds a way around that, throws a blanket over the game, organises, controls,
drills his players, leaves nothing to chance. Yet no mere scheme could negate City and only an exceptional first-half display by Begovic prevented this
match being done in little more than 30 minutes.
When Begovic signed up to be Thibaut Courtois’ understudy this season he probably didn’t expect to be involved so soon – or be quite so busy. Yet
with Courtois banned following his sending off against Swansea last week, it was Begovic in goal for the first marquee game of the campaign, and
Begovic versus Manchester City for much of the first-half. The goalkeeper even won an unlikely fan in Aguero, who was so impressed at the way he
had been regularly thwarted that he offered a high five salute to his rival. And no doubt some tensely gritted teeth.
For City versus Begovic, read Aguero versus Begovic, in essence. This was a quite wonderful individual duel that began within the first 20 seconds
when Silva threaded a pass to the Argentine striker, who sped clear of the back line, one on one. Perhaps the chance came a little too soon and he
was rusty, because his finish was ordinary and smartly saved. From the rebound Jesus Navas curled a low shot just wide of the far post.
There followed two quite magnificent, and uncannily similar, saves in the space of two minutes. The first was created by another Kolarov pass that
Aguero brought under control superbly before executing a great turn and a low shot, which Begovic kept out with a strong outstretched hand. 
From City’s next attack, a Navas cross from the opposite, right, flank was met by Aguero and repelled by Begovic in identical fashion. Even the striker
felt moved to admire that one.
It could not last, though. Terry was in trouble against Aguero’s movement, Cahill wasn’t greatly convincing either, and Chelsea ultimately buckled
under the sheer weight of City pressure. 
In the 31st minute, the team, and its striker, got what they deserved. It was Silva’s firm pass into Aguero that started the move, the striker laying the
ball back to Toure and getting it in return almost immediately. There were four Chelsea defenders in the vicinity but it did not trouble him. He turned
Cahill, left the rest for dead, and slipped his finish past Begovic into the far corner. An exquisite goal, from an exquisite player and a fair reward for the
ambition shown.
Not that the siege was over. In the last attack before half-time a Kolarov cross was met by Mangala, who should have done better with his glancing
header. It provoked Begovic’s sole false step of the half, missing the ball with his punch but connecting with Cahill’s nose, the player laid out and
requiring several minutes treatment.
This, of course, brought Chelsea’s medics haring onto the field, much to the merriment of the locals, following the fall-out from the row and demotion of
the previous pitchside team, Eva Carneiro and Jon Fearn.
The Gibraltarian doctor had her name chanted, Mourinho was cursed with equal feeling and, then, Costa was flattened by a wild forearm from
Fernandinho – meaning Manchester City’s medical staff had to come to the aid of Chelsea’s stricken striker. More larks.
Amid the laughter, Mourinho will have quietly noted that his point about the danger of being reduced to nine men by pitchside treatment was
vindicated by what happened next.
As Cahill and Costa waited behind the white lines to return, a Chelsea free-kick broke down and City counter-attacked with numerical advantage,
stifled only by a magnificent rearguard action from Willian. Told you, Mourinho might have thought. Not that he was in any position to score points.
Not that he didn’t try. He described the outcome as fake, claiming Chelsea were the better team in the second-half. They were certainly better than in
the first but, frankly, they couldn’t fail to improve.
Cesc Fabregas had their only shot, wide, after 42 minutes, and their first of real purpose came 28 minutes later when Costa cut the ball back to Hazard,
who shot straight at Joe Hart. It was at this point, just when Chelsea were beginning to threaten on the counter-attack, that Kompany finished them
off.
It  was a Silva corner from the left that did the damage, Kompany all over Ivanovic, before flicking a header past Begovic to put the result beyond
doubt.
Chelsea may claim their man was fouled, but there is so much wrestling in the penalty area these days – and Ivanovic is such a master of it – that it is
hard to feel much sympathy
After his shocker against Jefferson Montero of Swansea last week, Ivanovic’s confidence looks shot. He was poor for the third too – the one that gave
the scoreline real emphasis – slow to react to the advancing Silva and dispossessed, the ball flying to Fernandinho, who finished it sharply.
On the touchline, Mourinho looked as if a migraine was kicking in. He has one point from two matches, the poorest return of any Premier League
champions at the start of the season. Is there a doctor in the house?
==============

Mirror:
Manchester City 3-0 Chelsea: 5 things we learnt as Manuel Pellegrini's side thrashed reigning champions

By David McDonnell
 
The reigning champions are still looking for their first win of the Premier League season after coming up short on Sunday

Manchester City hammered Chelsea on Sunday to underline their Premier League title credentials.
Manuel Pellegrini's men were in confident mood after their opening 3-0 win over West Brom on Monday night and hit the ground running when Sergio
Aguero put them ahead in the first half.
As Chelsea wobbled, Vincent Kompany and Fernandinho added to the scoreline, to the delight of the home crowd.
It would have been easy for Aguero's head to drop after being denied three times by Begovic inside the first 20 minutes, but it is the enduring mark of
a truly great striker that he did not allow those early setbacks to affect him and showed why he is arguably the best striker in the Premier League
with his wonderfully taken opener.
After a quick exchange with Yaya Toure, Aguero showed exquisite poise and physical strength to turn Gary Cahill inside out before dispatching a clinical
finish beyond the reach of Begovic for a fine goal. Last season's Golden Boot winner with 26 goals, Aguero must stay fit if City are to win a third title in
five years.
Diego Costa duly fulfilled the role of pantomime villain, earning the derision of the home fans for his perceived theatrics and then for trying to get to
Fernandinho at half-time to avenge a poor challenge from the City midfielder with an errant elbow that left him sporting a bandage around his head.
In fairness to Costa, the action that so enraged him could and perhaps should have warranted a red card for Fernandinho, so his ire was
understandable.
Costa needs to play on the edge to produce his belligerent best, but there needs to be a balance between being fired up and losing the plot and, at
times, he came close to the latter.
Branislav Ivanovic has been rightly regarded as the best right-back in the Premier League for the past few years, his combination of defensive
reliability and attacking menace making him the stand-out player in his position.
But there were signs in Chelsea's 2-2 draw with Swansea on the opening day of the season, when he was given the run around by Jefferson Montero,
and again here, with Raheem Sterling taking on the role of chief tormentor, that Ivanovic's best days may be behind him, despite his outstanding
service to Chelsea.
He was lucky to get away with a blatant block on Sterling in the first-half, but not so fortunate when he clipped the heels of the £49m man in the
second-half, when he was again left trailing in his wake. To compound his misery, Ivanovic was beaten to the ball by Vincent Kompany for City's second,
and gave the ball away to Fernandinho for the third. An afternoon he will want to forget.
By his own admission, skipper Vincent Kompany was one of those City players who under-performed last season as Manuel Pellegrini's side made a
meek defence of their Premier League title.
Injuries may have sabotaged Kompany's season, but even when he did play he looked a shadow of the imperious defender or previous campaigns, the
man who provided the foundation for City's two title wins, But here Komapny looked back to his imposing best, reading the game with intelligent
authority and capping that display with a fine header to put the game beyond Chelsea.
Like Aguero, if City are to reclaim the title this season, Kompany must remain fit and producing this level of performance throughout the campaign.
When Thibaut Courtois was sent off in Chelsea's opening-day 2-2 draw with Swansea and hit with an automatic three-match ban, it was felt his
enforced absence could see Jose Mourinho's men lose vital early ground in the title race, particularly given Petr Cech's move to Arsenal.
But Begovic proved his worth on three occasions inside the first 20 minutes, making vital saves from Sergio Aguero to keep the scoreline at 0-0.
Begovic waa derided for taking the perceived easy option in joining Chelsea from Stoke, where he was expected to reside on the bench.
But his early season involvement, and impressive form until Aguero finally made the breakthrough with the opener, went some way to vindicating that
decision. Begovic had little chance with City's other two goals, Kompany's header and Fernandinho's thunderous strike, but the scoreline could have
been more humiliating for Chelsea were it nor for his heroics early on.

===================

Express:

Manchester City 3 - Chelsea 0: City send warning to title rivals with ruthless display
AN emphatic statement of title intent was just what the doctor ordered for Manuel Pellegrini - even if Jose Mourinho did not agree with the
prescription.
By Richard Tanner

While Pellegrini's Manchester City team look in rude health, Chelsea's condition, while not yet terminal, is certainly looking critical.
Mourinho's claimed it was a "fake result" because two of City's goals came late in the game and Chelsea had improved in the second half. But few would
agree with him. The champions were beaten by a superior team.
When Pellegrini punched the air in delight at the final whistle it was not just to celebrate the victory - only his third in 13 head-to-head battles in Spain
and England with his managerial nemesis - but also the manner in which it was achieved.
His football philosophy differs dramatically from the more pragmatic Mourinho. The Chilean belief in winning with style and panache has proved his
undoing on occasions in the past but here was thrilling vindication that City can win a third title in five seasons playing the way he wants.
Pellegirni could not have wished for a better start than two wins, six goals, none conceded and a five-point lead over Chelsea.
City were faster, hungrier and more fluent as they inflicted the joint heaviest defeat Mourinho has suffered in his two spells in the Premier League.
Their collective determination was exemplified by the number of times Yaya Toure and David Silva, two players renowned for their attacking skills, were
happy to do the dirty work as well, constantly tracking back to win possession.
Sergio Aguero tore Chelsea to shreds to such an extent that Mourinho was forced ito the drastic action of withdrawing John Terry at half-time - the
first time he has done that to his skipper in 177 games in his two spells as manager at Stamford Bridge.
But it underlined how badly Chelsea struggled to contain City - and Aguero in particular - in the first half.
Terry was not the only player who endured a torrid afternoon. Branislav Ivanovic, having been given the run around by Swansea's Jefferson Montero
last week, struggled to contain Raheem Sterling and capped his day by losing possession for City's third goal.
But few defences could have contained Aguero in this form. Despite his delayed start to pre-season following Copa America duty, the Argentina
international looked razor-sharp and had four chances in the first 22 minutes.

On three occasions Asmir Begovic - making his full debut in place of the suspended Thibaut Courtois - came to Chelsea's rescue with saves while
Aguero was off target with the other. But he was not to be denied and put City ahead after 32 minutes.
After David Silva had picked him out on the edge of the area, he played a one-two with Toure, turned inside Gary Cahill, held off Nemanja Matic's
challenge and steered a low shot into the net via the far post.
City went close to a second when Eliaquim Mangala got his head to Kolarov'v's free-kick but the ball flew just wide.
The half ended like a scene from Casualty. Cahill took the full force of Begovic's attempted punch and needed treatment for a bloodied nose. Then Costa
suffered a gashed head from Fernandinho's reckless forearm that Mourinho claimed should have earned him a red rather than a yellow card.
Costa, was left wearing a Basil Fawlty style head bandage, and it just about summed up Chelsea's comedy defending. Costa went looking for retributon
as the half-time whistle but his team-mates wisely made sure he as kept apart from Fernandinho as they trudged down the tunnel.
The extra pace of Terry's replacement Kurt Zouma helped to counter City's lightning attacks and gave Chelsea a foothold in the second half. Ramires
had a goal disallowed for offside but City remained dangerous with Bergovic saving from Toure and Aguero firing wide.
The turning point came in the 70th minute when Joe Hart denied Eden Hazard when he looked certain to snatch an equaliser from Costa's pass.
City stepped up another gear and killed the game when skipper Kompany headed home from Silva's corner. Then Silva dispossessed Ivanovic to set up
Fernandinho for a sweetly struck third.
The last time Chelsea failed to win either of their opening two League games was back in 1998. Mourinho may not agree with the diagnosis but his team
looks in need of urgent surgery.
Man City (4-2-3-1): Hart 7; Sagna 7, Kompany 8, Mangala 7, Kolarov 8; Fernandinho 7, Toure 7; Navas 7 (Nasri 65, 6), Silva 7, Sterling 7 (Demichelis 79,
6); Aguero 9 (Bony 83, 5). Booked: Kompany, Fernandinho, Mangala. Goal: Aguero 31, Kompany 80, Fernandinho 85. NEXT UP: Everton (a) PL - Sun.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Begovic 6; Ivanovic 5, Cahill 5, Terry 5 (Zouma 46, 6), Azpilicueta 5; Fabregas 5, Matic 6; Ramires 5 (Cuadrado) 64, 5), Willian 6
(Falcao 79, 5), Hazard 6; Costa 5. Booked: Ivanovic, Hazard. NEXT UP: West Brom (a) PL - Sun.
Referee: M Atkinson (West Mids).

====================
Star:

Man City 3 Chelsea 0: The Citizens stun Jose Mourinho's men at the Etihad
TWO games in and champions Chelsea are already a team in crisis.

By David Woods
Jose Mourinho’s men were mauled by Manchester City yesterday.
And while last year’s runners-up top the table after their second successive 3-0 win, Chelsea are 16th, with just one point.
That famous Chelsea backline, so important in last season’s title success, suddenly appears frail, fragile and full of fear. At the Etihad they were
tormented by Sergio Aguero and co.
Mourinho said on Friday he had deliberately not pushed his players too hard in pre-season for fear of burning them out.
Yesterday they looked shot to pieces.
Even the unthinkable happened when ‘Captain, Leader, Legend’ John Terry was hauled off at half-time, the first time he’s ever been substituted by
Mourinho in a league game.
Gary Cahill was turned so often by Aguero his shorts could have been on the wrong way round by half-time.
Right now, Branislav Ivanovic looks like Ivan the Terrible.
Mourinho appears to have a huge job on his hands bringing back some colour to his pallid Blues.
In contrast, Manuel Pellegrini’s City seem slick, fired-up and determined to win back their crown.
Mourinho must be thankful goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has not been infected by whatever it is that has seen the champs turn into chumps.
Without the Bosnian, the scoreline could have been doubled - or even worse.
Aguero was allowed to go clean through as early as the 20th SECOND and was denied three times in the first 17th minutes by Begovic who was only
playing due to Thibaut Courtois’ suspension.
The last two saves were superb reflex ones. The Argentine also slotted wide after a cross from the excellent Aleksandar Kolarov evaded Terry.
But Aguero was not to be denied in the 32nd minute. Playing a one-two with Yaya Toure - who was having one of his brilliant days - he fooled Cahill
then evaded challenges from Nemanja Matic and Terry to roll the ball inside the far post with a sidefoot to make it 10 goals in his last nine league
games.
Mourinho stood with hands in his pockets. Like his Chelsea team something was missing from his reactions to incidents all afternoon.
Raheem Sterling blazed over after being teed up by Aguero.
Yet another brilliant delivery from Kolarov, this time from a free-kick, picked out Eliaquim Mangala but he glanced wide.
Cahill was hurt thanks to a punch in the face from his own goalkeeper and there were ironic cheers as stand-in club doctor Chris Hughes and physio
Steven Hughes ran on to treat him.
“You’re getting sacked in the morning,” taunted the home fans, in reference to the axing of their predecessors Eva Carneiro and Jon Fearn last week.
There was controversy at the break as a furious Diego Costa- who needed his head bandaged after being caught by Fernandinho’s elbow - tried to get
at the Brazilian, who had only been booked.
Ironically, City physio Lee Nobes had been the one to bandage up Costa, but it didn’t matter to the fired up striker.
Vincent Kompany and Mangala shielded their team-mate, while Cesc Fabregas, Ramires, Ivanovic and coaches Rui Faria and Silvino Louro tried to
restrain Costa.
Ramires tapped in from a harshly adjudged offside position then embarrassingly celebrated for what seemed like ages as everyone else ran the other
way.
Chelsea had their first real chance in the 70th minute, with Eden Hazard and Costa exchanging passes after a break before the former fired straight at
Joe Hart’s legs.
City scored their second in the 79th minute. Iron Man Ivanovic didn’t have enough mettle to handle Kompany at David Silva’a corner with City’s skipper
heading home.
The third came in the 84th minute, Ivanovic again at fault being beaten to a loose ball by Silva, whose prod went to Fernandinho on the edge of the
area to fire home.
For City this season is shaping to be something special. But for Mourinho he has a real job on his hands to stop Chelsea’s heading for disaster.