MANCHESTER, England -- Pep Guardiola's Manchester City have proven their footballing ability beyond doubt, but if this season is more a gauge of their character, they passed an important test by beating Chelsea 2-1.
There was a point earlier on Saturday when Crystal Palace were holding leaders Liverpool, meaning a City win would have closed the gap at the top of the Premier League to seven points. Instead, Guardiola's players had to recover from news of another late winner for the leaders, this time courtesy of Roberto Firmino at Selhurst Park.
Moreover, N'Golo Kante's 21st-minute opener for Chelsea meant City, who just 13 days lost 3-1 at Liverpool, had to come from behind to ensure the distance remained at nine.