Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and Fernandinho fired Manchester City to victory over the champions at the Etihad as they became the first team since Middlesbrough eight years ago to beat Chelsea in a League match in August.
And with just two matches played, Chelsea are already five points behind Manuel Pellegrini’s team.
Aguero netted after 31 minutes and Kompany made the game safe 12 minutes from time with a close-range header.
Fernandinho’s stunner in the 85th minute was the perfect end to the perfect day for the home side.
Aguero could have put City ahead in the opening 20 seconds, racing on to David Silva’s through ball but Asmir Begovic saved well.
The Chelsea keeper then saved twice more in quick succession as City dominated.
And when Aguero did finally get the ball past Begovic, he also beat the post.
But on 31 minutes the Argentine broke the deadlock with a neat finish into the corner after a one-two with Yaya Toure.
And in the 44th minute, Eliaquim Mangala should have made it 2-0 with a clear header from close range which he put wide.
In that incident, Chelsea defender Gary Cahill suffered a bang on the nose and had to be attended to by Chelsea medics as it was bleeding.
One week after manager Jose Mourinho’s fury at being reduced to nine men against Swansea by a doctor going onto the pitch to treat Eden Hazard, the Chelsea boss’s blood was boiling again seconds later when Diego Costa took a whack to the head and also needed treatment.
So the Blues were down to nine again, Costa was livid with the challenge on him by Fernandinho who got a yellow card for it, and had to restrained by his team mates at half time.
Mourinho responded to the crisis by substituting skipper John Terry for the first time ever in a Premier League match.
City could and should have been out of sight by half time.
Chelsea finally started getting forward after the break and although Ramires did get the ball into the net, it was rightly ruled out for offside.
The visitors visibly upped the tempo after the break but City’s defence held firm.
And they drew the sting out of the visitors and regained control.
However, they were almost caught on the counter attack 20 minutes from time when Hazard had a clear shot on goal from 12 yards but hit it straight it Joe Hart.
Kompany sealed Chelsea’s fate with his second goal in successive matches. He outmuscled Branislav Ivanovic and glanced the ball past a helpless Begovic seconds after Chelsea had brought on Radamel Falcao in a bid to draw level.
Fernandinho saved the best till last for City, rifling home from the edge of the area as Pellegrini’s team chalked up a second successive 3-0 win.
There was still time for Costa to hit the post as Chelsea failed to even net a consolation goal
