Chelsea were in seventh heaven as a hat-trick by Salomon Kalou and a Frank Lampard brace led the Blues back to the top of the Premier League table thanks to a 7-0 thrashing of Stoke City at Stamford Bridge.
City felt the full force of a Chelsea side who could conceivably win the title next weekend if Manchester United lose away to Sunderland.
Stoke had nothing to offer and suffered the loss of their captain Abdoulaye Faye on nine minutes through injury.
Chelsea had a fine chance to take the lead on 12 minutes, but first goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen parried a 20-yard drive from Lampard and then centre-back Robert Huth blocked the in-running Ashley Cole's follow-up.
Sorensen produced a brilliant save on 20 minutes preventing a powerful Didier Drogba eight-yard header from going in with a wonderful left-sided save.
But on 24 minutes Kalou put the Blues ahead. A fantastic behind the body take by Drogba from another excellent Florent Malouda ball to wide on the right saw the striker arrow in a perfect cross and Kalou ducked low from four yards out and headed into the Stoke net.
Six minutes later and Chelsea breached the Stoke rearguard again. After excellent set-up play by Drogba and Lampard, Kalou popped up and sidefooted home from close range.
Kalou collided with the goalkeeper Sorensen in scoring and the Dane was carried off, being replaced by Asmir Begovic.
Three minutes from half-time and ex-Chelsea defender Huth pulled down Kalou in the penalty area.
Up stepped Lampard and the England man confidently slotted home to his right - sending Begovic the wrong way in the process.
Confident Kalou had the first chance of the second half on 52 minutes, but his mazy run to the edge of the box saw his curling shot just go over the crossbar.
With 20 minutes to go, Kalou completed his hat-trick. Feeding off a fine pass from Lampard, the Ivory Coast hitman outpaced the Stoke defence.
His first shot was parried back to him by Begovic, but he tucked home expertly with a left-footed sidefoot from six yards out.
It was his last effort of the game as he was then replaced by Joe Cole.
Malouda should have scored on 78 minutes when a quick counter-attack cut Stoke apart, but Begovic produced another fine diving save to thwart the French winger.
On 82 minutes, Lampard produced the best goal of the rout with a fine piece of skill - clipping home a side-footed volley from six yards out from an excellent cross from substitute Sam Hutchinson.
Sub Daniel Sturridge got in on the act with three minutes to go by rounding Begovic and slotting home for the sixth, with Malouda popping up a minute later to tap home the seventh.