City bounce back

Manchester City benefited from a case of mistaken identity as they trimmed Chelsea's lead in the Premier League to three points by beating West Bromwich Albion 3-0 on Saturday.

Bidding to bounce back from their Champions League elimination by Barcelona in mid-week, City were giving a big helping hand when referee Neil Swarbrick sent off West Brom defender Gareth McAuley after only 89 seconds.

But it was Craig Dawson, West Brom's number 25, who had committed a foul on Wilfried Bony (who then stumbled into number 23 McAuley), and Swarbrick confessed at half-time that he had sent off the wrong player.

Bony made the breakthrough in the 27th minute, gathering a deflected pass from Fernando and hoisting a shot past West Brom goalkeeper Boaz Myhill to claim his first goal in City's colours.

Fernando added a second before half-time, stabbing home after Myhill and Jonas Olsson got in a muddle at a corner.

Both teams hit the woodwork in the second half -- Sergio Aguero and Bony in quick succession for the hosts; Saido Berahino for West Brom -- before David Silva diverted in a shot from City substitute Stevan Jovetic in the 77th minute.

Victory helped City draw a line beneath last weekend's shock 1-0 loss at struggling Burnley.

But although they are now within sight of Chelsea, Jose Mourinho's side have two games in hand, beginning with a trip to Hull City on Sunday.

Arsenal remain a point behind City in third place after Olivier Giroud scored twice in a 2-1 win at Newcastle United.

On target as Arsenal went out of the Champions League despite beating Monaco on Tuesday, Giroud struck twice in four minutes in the first half at St James' Park, with Moussa Sissoko replying early in the second period.

Meanwhile, Harry Kane continued his astonishing form with a first Premier League hattrick as Tottenham Hotspur edged bottom club Leicester City 4-3 to move to within three points of the top four.