Chelsea beat Manchester City to maintain their Seven points lead at the top

During any title-winning season, there will be a night like this — a night to look back on and recognise that you got away with one. As Chelsea did here.

Chelsea got away with one, here. A distinctly average performance, that is. And, with Tottenham winning so dramatically at Swansea, it was just as well.

The lead over Tottenham remains at seven points and there are eight Premier League games left.

Chelsea have games at Manchester United and Everton coming up but also have palatable looking matches against Southampton, Middlesbrough, West Brom, Sunderland and Watford.

The central defender had also spurned a good chance just after the hour. This time his header from a corner was directed straight at Courtois. He was not alone in terms of his wastefulness as Chelsea coughed up chance after chance during this patchy, uncertain performance.

Ultimately, it was three first half goals that decided everything.

City manager Guardiola selected an unusual team, with Jesus Navas once again at right-back, Kompany back in the centre of defence and Fabian Delph preferred in centre midfield at the expense of Raheem Sterling.

In terms of possession and flow of play, it worked. Chelsea looked leggy and uncertain and lacked their usual punch on the counter. Their focal point Diego Costa was not unnoticeable – he is never that – but he was ineffectual.

But against this unexpected background, Chelsea scored first in just the tenth minute.

The build-up play between Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta down the right was incisive and took City left-back Gael Clichy out of the game completely. But when the cut-back reached Hazard ten yards out his first time shot was struck straight at Kompany.