LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Manchester City maintained their blistering start to the season as the Premier League leaders demolished Stoke City 7-2, while champions Chelsea crashed to a shock 1-2 defeat at lowly Crystal Palace yesterday.

With second-placed Manchester United settling for a 0-0 stalemate at Anfield earlier in the day, it was their Manchester rivals who provided the thrills as City moved two points clear at the top.

Capping a dramatic day, Arsenal trail nine points behind City after Watford came from behind to snatch a surprise 2-1 win.

Pep Guardiola’s free-scoring City struck three times in the first 27 minutes at Eastlands, securing their sixth-successive league win in swashbuckling style.

City took the lead through Gabriel Jesus in the 17th minute, and Raheem Sterling doubled the advantage two minutes later with a tap-in that capped a flowing move.

David Silva got City’s third with a simple finish after another incisive raid in the 27th minute.

Stoke’s Mame Biram Diouf reduced the deficit with a deflected effort in the 44th minute, and City’s defence was breached for just the fourth time in the league this season when Kyle Walker scored an own goal two minutes after the interval.

But Jesus’s second goal in the 55th minute restored order and his compatriot Fernandinho put the result beyond doubt five minutes later.

City reached six goals in a game for the second time this season as Leroy Sane netted in the 62nd minute.

Bernando Silva’s first City strike, in the 78th minute, made it 24 goals in his team’s last five league games.

They are first team to net 29 goals in the first eight games of an English top-flight campaign since Everton in 1894-95 and Guardiola said: “We can always do better, but I cannot deny today was the best performance since I arrived here.

“I am here to win, I am not here to entertain, but this is the way we want to play. Our confidence is high.”

Bottom club Palace had lost their opening seven league games without scoring a goal, the worst start to a season in English top-flight history.

But stunningly it was Chelsea who were the victims as Palace finally ended that goal drought at Selhurst Park.

At Anfield, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was left infuriated by United boss Jose Mourinho’s ultra-cautious game-plan.

Mourinho’s team had just six touches in Liverpool’s penalty area as United goalkeeper David De Gea made a superb save from Joel Matip to maintain the visitors’ unbeaten start to the season.

Tottenham finally won for the first time at Wembley in the Premier League with a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth.

Burnley drew 1-1 with West Ham, while Swansea beat Huddersfield 2-0.