Champions show they're set up for even more glory

THERE are some things money can’t buy – just ask Chelsea

- SIMON BAJKOWSKI

City have spent a lot to get where they are, but this was the perfect afternoon to show up any lazy slurs that there aren’t other major factors behind their remarkable success.

As if 12th place isn’t embarrassing enough after spending £600m in a year, they offered very little as the weakest team Pep Guardiola has picked all season romped to victory.

Premier League champions again already after Arsenal’s defeat at Nottingham Forest, Coronation Day for City was made all the sweeter for the manner in which the match played out.

A starting XI containing nine changes from the Real Madrid game and three academy graduates bossed a far more expensively-assembled Chelsea.

It was a lineup that certainly will not have been on the cards before Arsenal’s loss and one that would not be backed to win a game with anything on the line. Three of the team made their first Premier League starts of the season in an XI averaging under 10 starts between them.

It showed too, with some understandable rustiness from Sergio Gomez in defence at the beginning of the game and a lack of communication at times between players who simply aren’t used to being on the pitch.

It didn't matter though, because even a weakened City team had more about them than this Chelsea side.