Pep Guardiola fails in his attempt to build a lead at the top with just a draw against Middlesborough as Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham all play tomorrow.
Marten de Roon's stoppage-time header earned Middlesbrough a 1-1 draw at Manchester City on Saturday to leave Pep Guardiola's side in a vulnerable position at the Premier League summit.
Sergio Aguero's 150th City goal looked to have sent his team three points clear, but De Roon brought the Etihad Stadium back to earth following Tuesday's brilliant 3-1 win over Barcelona in the Champions League.
"We did absolutely everything to win the game," said Guardiola, whose side have drawn their last three home league games 1-1 following previous stalemates against Everton and Southampton.
"We controlled the game and in the last minute we concede a goal. It is a pity. We did a lot of good things and tried to win the game.
"It is a miss because we have dropped six points in the last three home games, but we are still there. We have to move forward."
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Sergio Aguero of Manchester City and Pep Guardiola Laurence Griffiths (Getty Images)
Looking for leaders
City's slip-up means Chelsea can surpass them if they overcome Everton in Saturday's late game, while Arsenal and Liverpool -- both just a point off the pace -- will also have designs on top spot.
Second-place Arsenal tackle Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's North London derbybefore Liverpool entertain Watford.
Elsewhere, bottom club Sunderland ended their wait for a first win of the season at the 11th attempt by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Bournemouth despite having Steven Pienaar sent off.
Sunderland remain bottom, below Swansea City on goal difference, but manager David Moyes belatedly has a victory to his name following a hard-fought success at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium.
"It is a big relief," Moyes told Sky Sports. "We owed the supporters the victory. They have kept with us.
"We needed a win, but it is only one. We need a few more."
Around the league
There was late drama at Turf Moor as Burnley withstood a Crystal Palace fightback to prevail 3-2 courtesy of Ashley Barnes's 94th-minute strike.
Sam Vokes and Johann Berg Gundmundsson put Burnley 2-0 up, only for Palace to hit back through second-half goals by substitute Connor Wickham and Christian Benteke.
But in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Gudmundsson crossed for Barnes to fire home and condemn Palace -- who later hit the post through Andros Townsend -- to a fourth straight defeat.
Stoke City drew 1-1 at West Ham United, with Bojan Krkic exploiting an error by home goalkeeper Adrian to equalise in the 75th minute after a Glenn Whelan own goal had put the hosts ahead.
Chelsea top the Premier League as Eden Hazard inspires Everton thrashing
Chelsea 5 - 0 Everton
Sunday 6 November 2016 08.33 GMT
The fans in the Matthew Harding Stand spent the second half bellowing Antonio Conte’s name, making it perfectly clear that they have a new hero at Stamford Bridge, and Chelsea were so dominant they could even afford to give one of their reserve centre-backs a brief cameo towards the end of this ruthless evisceration of Everton. John Terry enjoyed a suitably warm reception from the locals as he ran on and the club captain’s reduced role was a reminder that Chelsea are quickly building a new identity under the manager who has breathed fresh life into a side that improbably flirted with a relegation battle a year ago.
They never quite got over José Mourinho when his first spell in charge came to a bitter end nine years ago. This time, however, nobody at Chelsea is pining for Mourinho.
Chelsea 5-0 Everton: Premier League – as it happened
Eden Hazard scored twice and Pedro shone as Chelsea blew their opponents away to extend their winning run and go top of the Premier League table
For all that these remain early days, they will challenge for the title if they continue to hit these heights. While Ronald Koeman was critical of Everton’s failure to match their opponents’ aggression in those crucial early stages when the game slipped from their grasp, he spoke admiringly of the winning mentality that Chelsea are developing under Conte.
Nothing epitomises their resurgence more than the way that Diego Costa and Eden Hazard have rediscovered their zip and poise after drifting aimlessly through last season. Costa took revenge for a dangerous early tackle from Séamus Coleman that left him with a bloody right ankle and an even bigger scowl than usual by pulverising Everton’s ragged defence, while Hazard had a hand in all five of Chelsea’s goals and scored twice, taking his tally to seven from his first 11 league matches.
Conte insisted that it is not important that Chelsea’s victory lifted them to the Premier League’s summit, pointing out that Arsenal and Liverpool have opportunities to overtake them on Sunday. Yet any side that puts together a run of five consecutive wins and clean sheets should not be underestimated. “Fantastica,” Conte said when he was asked to sum up Chelsea’s performance with an Italian word.
Chelsea have certainly come a long way since their thrashing by Arsenal at the end of September, when the talk was of crisis and a side that would struggle to qualify for the Champions League. Conte had seen enough after that humiliation in north London, switching to a 3-4-3 system, and it has not taken long for Chelsea to feel the benefits of the Italian’s proactive repair job.
“I have never seen a team so strong playing this system,” Koeman said. “The movements of Hazard and Costa, it is difficult.”
Everton’s manager flattered Conte with an imitation of his system, Phil Jagielka’s return to the side allowing the visitors to line up with three centre-backs, but his ploy had no effect. Nine minutes before half-time, Koeman ditched Plan A and brought on Kevin Mirallas for Bryan Oviedo. Six minutes later, Costa scored Chelsea’s third, finishing confidently after Nemanja Matic flicked on Hazard’s corner.
Chelsea have made a habit of blowing their opponents away with blistering starts in recent weeks and they took control of the game inside the first 20 minutes thanks to two moments of brilliance from Hazard. Everton had started with intent, the fireworks that lit up the darkening sky in west London before kick-off matched by the sparks that flew on the pitch when Coleman’s studs raked Costa’s right ankle. Blood seeped through Costa’s sock and the Everton defender somehow got away with it, although he might have preferred an early bath given how the match unfolded.
The punishment began in the 19th minute. Missing the calming touches of the suspended Idrissa Gueye, Everton’s midfield was overwhelmed by Matic and N’Golo Kanté. Gareth Barry lost possession in the middle, Hazard broke down the left, beat Ashley Williams and aimed for the far corner, the unsighted Maarten Stekelenburg allowing the Belgian’s crisp drive to beat his dive.
There was barely time for Everton to gather their thoughts before Hazard was bursting clear again. Pedro rolled the ball across the area for Marcos Alonso, who slipped a low finish through Stekelenburg’s legs for his first Chelsea goal. “If they get the space, they will kill that,” Koeman said.
A win would have lifted Everton into fifth place but they never troubled Thibaut Courtois. Romelu Lukaku fed off scraps against his former club and the Everton forward could only watch as Hazard ran riot at the other end, a slick exchange with Pedro creating the space for him to dart inside from the right and fire inside the near post.
“He is playing great football,” Conte said. “The most important thing is Eden is fantastic with the ball and without the ball.”
Chelsea refused to stop. Costa instigated another attack, turning superbly before finding Hazard. Stekelenburg saved his curling effort this time but Pedro scored on the rebound from close range.
Celebrating wildly, Conte did not realise that the fans were singing his name until one of his assistants told him. He looked at the crowd, beamed and clenched his fist.
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