United suffer defeat at Chelsea while City's winless run continues
Manchester's two top clubs have weekend to forget.
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was beaten 4-0 on his return to Stamford Bridge with his United side this Sunday.
Chelsea captain John Terry, a substitute, shared a warm embrace with his former manager on the touchline as the teams warmed up.
Many predicted a tight game following United’s 0-0 draw at Anfield but it took just 30 seconds for Chelsea to score after Pedro capitalised on a defensive mix-up between Chris Smalling and David De Gea.
Gary Cahill gave Chelsea a 2-0 lead during defensive confusion following a corner before Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante scored the third and fourth goal of game.
The result sees United sit in seventh place in the table, six points from the top three.
Pep Guardiola is also facing scrutiny after a 1-1 draw with Southampton meant Manchester City have failed to win for a fifth successive game.
A misplaced back pass from John Stones cost City dearly as Southampton claimed a well-earned point at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
It is only the second time Guardiola has gone five games without victory in his managerial career and his next opponents are rivals Manchester United, in the EFL Cup, at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
In a post-match interview, Guardiola said: “I was a football player and I know this can happen. You are able to win 10 times in a row and after you are not able to win five times. That is part of football. You have to accept that”.
Stones' blunder added to a growing list of individual errors that has undermined City this season but the Catalan played down its significance.
“Part of the reason why we didn't win is because the difference between the first and second half is obvious. Mistakes are not the reason why.”
City also suffered a blow with the loss of Kevin De Bruyne with a calf injury at half-time.
Guardiola’s side now sit top of the table on twenty points along with Arsenal and Liverpool, separated only by goal difference.
By Jacob Waite