Premier League: Chelsea, Man City win big without strikers

Chelsea and Manchester City didn’t field a recognized striker between them on Saturday.

It didn’t stop the Premier League soccer title contenders from combining for 11 goals. Missing injured strikers Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner, Chelsea still powered to its biggest win of the season, 7-0 over Norwich, with playmaker Mason Mount scoring a hat trick.

City doesn’t have an out-andout striker after failing to sign a like-for-like replacement for Sergio Agüero in the off-season, but that isn’t stopping the champions from scoring freely.

A 4-1 victory at Brighton, secured mainly thanks to two goals by Phil Foden, followed a 5-1 win at Club Brugge midweek in the Champions League. It was the sixth time in 14 games in all competitions that City has scored three goals or more.

Chelsea will spend another week leading the league — now two points ahead of City and four clear of Liverpool, whose game in hand is at Manchester United on Sunday — and strength in depth should ensure Thomas Tuchel’s team maintains a title challenge.

There have been 16 different scorers for Chelsea in all competitions this season, with Callum Hudson-Odoi, Reece James and Ben Chilwell also scoring against last-place Norwich along with Mount’s first Premier League hat trick.

That bodes well for the leaders while Lukaku (ankle) and Werner (hamstring) are out of action after sustaining midweek injuries.

City is in fine form, too, especially with Foden taking on the scoring and creative mantle while playing in the false-nine role. The 21-year-old England international converted a pass from Jack Grealish at the end of a breakaway, then saw a shot from Gabriel Jesus deflect in off his heel to make it 3-0 at halftime, with Ilkay Gundogan having set City on its way with the opener at fourth-place Brighton.

Foden set up Riyad Mahrez for the fourth goal in second-half stoppage time.

Elsewhere, it’s been quite the ride for Claudio Ranieri so far at Watford. Having started with a 5-0 loss at home to Liverpool last weekend, Ranieri — who turned 70 on Wednesday — saw his new team beat Everton 5-2 — thanks to a hat trick by Josh King that was completed amid a rush of four late goals by Watford at Goodison Park.

Joy for Ranieri but despair for Everton manager Rafa Benítez, whose team was jeered off the field after a second straight home loss. It might not be long before supporters turn against Benítez, a contentious appointment for some given his links to local rival Liverpool.