Chelsea crash again as Aguero hits five for Man City

Chelsea's early season slump turned into a full-blown crisis on Saturday when they were beaten 3-1 by Southampton while Manchester City went top of the Premier League with Sergio Aguero scoring five in a 6-1 win over Newcastle United.

Southampton's win at Stamford Bridge meant Chelsea have made their worst start to a season for 37 years and ended the day in 16th place on eight points, 10 behind City who will be top at least until Manchester United play Arsenal on Sunday.

City ended their own mini-slump in style, after two successive league defeats, but Chelsea's dire run continued even though they took an early lead with Willian scoring with a 10th minute free-kick.

Southampton hit back with goals from Steven Davis just before halftime, Sadio Mane after 60 minutes and a third from Graziano Pelle 12 minutes later.

The defeat prompted an extraordinary response from Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who spoke for seven minutes without pause  in response to one question from a Sky Sports reporter after the game.

Mourinho insisted Chelsea should have had a penalty before Southampton scored their second goal, and said he was not running away from his responsibilities.

"I can imagine what people are thinking about what is going to happen or not going to happen," he said.

"Let me be clear: One, I do not run away. Two, if the club want to sack me they have to sack me because I am not running away from my responsibility or my team and from my conviction.

"Third, even more important than the first and the second, I think this is a crucial moment in the history of this club because if the club sacks me they sack the best manager that this club has had and the message is...that if there are bad results the manager is guilty."

Mourinho strongly criticised referee Robert Madley for not awarding Chelsea a penalty when Radamel Falcao appeared to be brought down by Saints goalkeeper Martin Stekelenburg after 53 minutes.

"The referees are afraid to give decisions for Chelsea," he said, a theme he continued for several more minutes.

Saints manager Ronald Koeman said the second half made all the difference after a difficult start: "We were more aggressive than Chelsea and in my opinion we totally deserved the three points today," he told Sky.

Aguero five

Aguero scored five times in 20 minutes including an eight-minute hat-trick as Manchester City came from behind to thrash Newcastle United 6-1 and go back to the top of the Premier League table on Saturday.

City, beaten by West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur in their last two league games, appeared to be in danger of another defeat after Aleksandar Mitrovic headed Newcastle ahead in the 18th minute at the Etihad Stadium.

The visitors, without a win so far, looked the better team for much of the first half but imploded as Aguero burst into life with goals after 42, 49, 50, 60 and 62 minutes.

With Kevin De Bruyne also on target, five of City's six goals came in a dazzling 13-minute spell.

Victory lifted City on to 18 points, two ahead of Manchester United who play at Arsenal on Sunday.

Crystal Palace, who beat West Bromwich Albion 2-0 in the early kickoff, are third on 15 points, level with Leicester City who won 2-1 at Norwich City.

Aguero, who scored all four when City beat Spurs 4-1 last October, becomes only the fifth player in the Premier League era to score five in a game following Andy Cole, Alan Shearer, Jermain Defoe and Dimitar Berbatov.

But he was denied the chance to become the first player to score six in the Premier League when coach Manuel Pellegrini substituted him two minutes after his fifth goal.

Aguero headed his first three minutes before the break before he made it 2-1 with a deflected shot four minutes into the second half, completing his hat-trick when he ran through on goal a minute later.

De Bruyne's volley in the 53rd minute made it 4-1 before Aguero struck City's fifth with a curling shot in the 60th minute and completed his afternoon's work with a close-range finish two minutes later.

MORE GLOOM

Palace won with goals from Yannick Bolasie, who scored at home for the first time since New Year's day 2013 and Yohan Cabaye's 89th minute penalty, a week after scoring the match-winning penalty at Watford.

There was more gloom than light at the Stadium of Light where Sunderland, who like their north east neighbours Newcastle are still without a win, drew 2-2 with West Ham United after being 2-0 up.

Sunderland led with goals from Steven Fletcher and a screamer from Jermain Lens, but Lens was sent off in the second half and the Hammers escaped with a point thanks to goals from Carl Jenkinson and Dimitri Payet.

At least Sunderland climbed off the bottom of the table with Newcastle replacing them but manager Dick Advocaat would not confirm if he was staying at the club following rumours he was leaving.

Asked if he would be in charge for their upcoming games, he told Sky Sports: "I cannot say that. It is more important about the way the team played. My future is not so important."

Stoke City won 1-0 at third from bottom Aston Villa with Marko Arnautovic scoring the only goal to leave Villa winless since the opening day of the season.

Bournemouth drew 1-1 with Watford whose Brazilian keeper Heurelho Gomes saved a late penalty from Glenn Murray, Bournemouth's scorer.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.