Drogba netted two goals within three minutes in the first-half to give Chelsea their 25th victory of the season.

City defender Sylvain Distin was sent-off following a second booking after he protested over Drogba's second controversial goal.

Chelsea edged closer to retain their title as they sit on the top of the table with 78 points while City are in 11th place on 40 points.

Drogba put Chelsea ahead in the 30th minute when he latched on to Eidur Gudjohnsen's through pass before rounding David Sommeil inside the area and sending a powerful shot into the back of the net.

Three minutes later, the Ivorian international controversially doubled the lead when he controlled the ball with his arm before firing home from close-range.

Elsewhere, Liverpool recovered from Steven Gerrard's early red card to beat arch-rivals Everton 3-1 in an ill-tempered Merseyside derby.

Gerrard received his marching orders in the 18th minute after a second bookable offense on Everton's Kevin Kilbane.

Everton had also to play with 10-men for 17 minutes as substitute Andy Van der Meyde was dismissed after elbowing Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso.

An own goal by Philip Neville gave Liverpool the lead just before the break and Luis Garcia added the second just three minutes after re-start with a cool lob over advancing keeper Richard Wright.

Australian Tim Cahill pulled one back for the visitors in the 61st minute when he met Leon Osman's corner kick and headed home.

Harry Kewell sealed the victory six minutes from time after he curled a powerful long-range dink into the back of the net.

In other matches, Blackburn beat Sunderland 1-0, West Ham edged Wigan 2-1 and Aston Villa tied Fulham 0-0.

Arsenal's game against Portsmouth was postponed due to heavy rain.