Ten-man Chelsea ruin Robinho's City debut

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MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- Chelsea overcame Robinho's debut goal to beat Manchester City 3-1 on Saturday in a harsh reality check for a home side still celebrating newfound wealth.

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Ricardo Carvalho took just three minutes to level after Chelsea's main summer target Robinho netted a deflected free-kick in the 13th minute in his first game since his surprising move from Real Madrid.

Chelsea then took charge and gave City a lesson in finesse, with Frank Lampard slotting home in the 53rd minute and former City striker Nicolas Anelka putting the result beyond doubt on 69 to put Luiz Felipe Scolari's team top of the Premier League on goal difference ahead of Liverpool.

"It was good considering the start," Lampard said. "After we went a goal down, we showed good reaction. I think we're growing, we started the season very well, we will get better."

Chelsea's two-goal cushion did not look in danger even after captain John Terry's red card for fiercely halting Jo's advance, which ruled him out of next Sunday's match against defending champions Manchester United.

"It's disappointing," Lampard said. "I've never seen a player get sent off for a professional foul with two players behind him."

The defeat soured 12 days of electrifying festivities at Eastlands, dubbed Middle Eastlands since wealthy Gulf investors agreed to a buyout that will make City the richest club in world football.

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"It's very early in our development," City manager Mark Hughes said. "We're still a very young team in time terms. It's not going to happen overnight, we all realize that people got a little bit ahead of themselves, a little bit hysterical.

"There's been a lot of hype surrounding the club, but we've only had benefit of one day of the transfer window to address any weaknesses in the side. We will have another opportunity in January."

Some fans at City's stadium arrived in Arab headgear and flowing white robes to celebrate the takeover funded by the Abu Dhabi royal family. Others came in Brazil jerseys to pay homage to the 24-year-old Robinho, who dramatically switched to City in the final minutes of the transfer window on September 1 despite Chelsea pursuing him throughout the offseason.

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The stage was set for the record British signing when City won a free-kick outside the penalty area in the 12th minute and he duly delivered, curling the ball to the right of a disbelieving Petr Cech after the ball hit the defensive wall.

Robinho did his trademark celebration of sucking his thumb and bowed to the adoring fans, but City was soon undone by poor defending.

Carvalho's downward header from Frank Lampard's corner hit Joe Cole, but ricocheted back for the Portugal defender to score on his 100th Premier League appearance.

Chelsea never looked like being defeated from that point, with Anelka striking wide and heading over in the next five minutes.

Jo exhibited another piece of Brazilian skill in the 23rd minute, flicking through to Stephen Ireland, whose weak finish was no challenge for Cech.

Slack defense nearly proved costly again for City in the 29th minute when Florent Malouda found himself unmarked with only Joe Hart to beat, but headed onto the crossbar.

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Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich's side were not going to be upstaged by their successors as the world's wealthiest club and stepped up the pressure in the five minutes before the break.

City's lethargic clearing allowed Anelka to send a cross which Malouda headed over, Hart caught a low shot from Anelka, and Ashley Cole whipped in a superb curling effort from 25 yards that was just off target.

The visitors kept pressing after the break, with Lampard chipping over in the 50th minute and finding the net soon after.

Anelka's goal capped off a move started by Deco, with the ball moving through Malouda and Cole before the Frenchman beat Hart at the near post against his former side.

While Robinho was largely anonymous after his free kick, Hughes was pleased with his overall performance.

"People don't often understand his work ethic," Hughes said. "It was difficult for him because he had just come back from Brazil and played a lot of football. We threw him into the game, it was important to expose him to what the Premier League is all about. We've gone through that process now and we're better for it."

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Chelsea striker Didier Drogba featured in the last 20 minutes following a knee injury and will provide another option for Scolari when the Champions League group stage begins on Tuesday.

Michael Ballack will return in the home clash with Bordeaux after recovering from a foot injury.

"He will play on Tuesday but I do not know whether it will be for 45 minutes, 60 or 70," Scolari said. "The problem is they all want to play all the time because they have so much confidence."

Ballack has not played since the August 24 victory over Wigan, and missed the start of Germany's World Cup qualifying campaign.