It's been a big weekend for initials what with one thing and another.

The PM and the DPM have fallen out over a row at the EU, where the ECB are not bailing anyone out.

Then the FSA were attacked over their handling of RBS, which the last PM authorised a buyout of.

The US wants a drone back from Iran, which is slightly more important globally than the X Factor final, although far more people are interested in that and the BBC and ITV announced their line-up for Euro 2012.

Last night, at Stamford Bridge, AVB managed to avoid an EPL KO from MCFC.

Andre Villas-Boas went into the game railing against the world. Gary Neville had wound him up, the perceived favouritism of Manchester City irritated him even more. The broadside was delivered at Cobham on Friday, the sentiment had been festering for a while.

Yet, as Frank Lampard buried the match-winning penalty eight minutes from time, there were no histrionics from the home dugout, not even a flamboyant punch in the air.

Indeed, the angst belonged to Roberto Mancini, who saw his team get a flying start, dominate for 25 minutes, then slowly slide away. First they shipped an equaliser, then they were reduced to 10 men and were beaten for the first time this season in the league.

City are still top, of course. But they might not be by the time they entertain Arsenal on Saturday, and Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur may only be four points behind, too.

Now Mancini is the one who needs to solve a puzzle or two. Of course, these clubs have scrapped it out for the title before; the second division title which Chelsea, managed by John Hollins and then Bobby Campbell, edged from a City team led by Mel Machin. The season? 1988-89.

Such a lot has happened in those intervening 22 years, mainly thanks to the largesse of Roman Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour.

During the past five seasons, that has delivered a single Premier League title and frustration beyond measure in Europe and Abramovich has at various times been said to have fallen out of love with the game.

It didn't stop him spending a British record £50m on Fernando Torres in January though, a figure even City have yet to match as their most expensive capture is the £38m lavished on Sergio Aguero in August.

It's pretty easy to see who is offering value for money at present. While Torres sits on the bench, Aguero is playing chief support to David Silva.

The South American's through ball to Mario Balotelli for City's early opener was a thing of beauty,

Balotelli's finish after rounding Petr Cech left him in good position to accept the acclaim of fans behind the Chelsea goal, all of whom were backing the home side. The reaction was about as spicy as the curry he nipped out for at the weekend.

City were rampant and Silva could have had a penalty, while Aguero flashed a shot wide. It was so one-sided it was embarrassing.

Then Chelsea scored. Former City youngster Daniel Sturridge was the architect, a completely unmarked Raul Meireles the scorer. For all the first-teamers City have brought through down the years, along with Micah Richards, Sturridge is the one capable of playing at the level his former club operate at now.

He, more than anyone, kept the visitors' on the back foot once Gael Clichy had been sent off. But it was Lampard who delivered the killer blow, just a week after AVB seemed to be pensioning him off.

"You've got to be big enough and stand up and take them and they're the moments," said Chelsea's record goalscorer in the Premier League era.

In the end, it was as easy as ABC.

ANALYSIS Lampard's late penalty ends only undefeated run in Premier League and gives succour to Chelsea and the chasing pack