As games go to sign off a BBC career with, I'll take that!

What a superb day of football, rounded off with a stone-cold classic.

You can read reports on each of the five matches on the site, including the one for that last game here. There'll be plenty of reaction too in the coming hours.

On a personal note, I'd just like to say a huge thank you to everyone that has made all these years of writing live commentaries for BBC Sport so much fun for me. It's been a genuine honour and pleasure to be able to describe so many matches for so many people - some brilliant but most of them utterly dreadful! A big thanks too to all the fellow journalists who have made me a cup of tea and kept me sane on shift.

One thing I do know is that I'm leaving you in very capable hands. In the coming weeks, my brilliant soon-to-be ex-colleagues will talk you through all the thrills and spills of the international break and beyond.

And you never know, I may be back one day... if they'll give me a second series.

I'll see thee.

Jamie Carragher
Former Liverpool defender on Sky Sports

It was brilliant. It’s the Premier League at its best - you’re thinking of the game we all watched on Monday and everyone felt like they were talking about that game for days afterwards and I think this will be the same.

It was fantastic and it just felt right that Chelsea got the equaliser. I know the Man City fans will be disappointed but it just felt right that there shouldn't be a winner in that game, because it was that good.

Chelsea have done so well in the big games. I always feel like it can get going here at Chelsea when they get a head of steam going.

But it also shows how good City are because I don’t think they were anywhere near their best while Chelsea were fantastic but it still finishes 4-4 - and that probably shows the gulf between the sides.

Jamie Carragher
Former Liverpool defender on Sky Sports

The best thing about Chelsea right now is Pochettino, not the players or the owners – the manager.

That’s the most important man, when you talk about Chelsea getting back to winning trophies, I’m not sure they could have got a better manager that was available. Everything around him has to improve.

The players, they'll now have the confidence that they can go up against the best team in the world – confidence in the manager as well, that he can set them up in a certain way, every big game he’s given the opposition problems.

They were the better team against Liverpool, the better team against Arsenal and I think they were the better team today in terms of causing the opposition problems.

So there’s a lot to feel good about at Chelsea – we can go back to the ownership and how much they’ve spent but in terms of Pochettino and the young players, there’s a lot of optimism going forward that they can compete with the best teams and a manager who can compete with the best managers.

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino, speaking to Sky Sports: "That is why we always say the Premier League is the best in the world. We want to do something special here and this is how we need to play. We scored four goals against the best team in the world. It's good to go into the international break like this.

"The approach of the game was good. We were brave. That is the idea of football. I am so proud and happy. The players never gave up. The reaction of the players was amazing.

On Palmer: "He is a player that understands the game and used the half positions. He always gives the option to play and find the free man. He is a playmaker that links other things and makes the team look good."

On his emotions: "Maybe I crossed the limit because I was emotional on the touchline. I want to apologise to everyone and the referee. It's trying to help and encourage the players to keep going. We faced an amazing team."

Turning point: "I think this type of game provides us with the capacity to believe. We need to play more games and be competitive without the space. This gives the team good knowledge about their team-mates."

Jamie Carragher
Former Liverpool defender on Sky Sports

I’ve still got that feeling... I do think Man City are a level above Liverpool and Arsenal right now. That might change over the next four or five months as teams grow.

It just feels like we haven’t seen the real City yet this season – but they are still top of the league.

It’s a great league table as City haven’t moved away from everybody – I know it’s still early in the season but in some ways that’s a really good result for the league.

I always like a league table where there’s just a point between each sort of position – as the season goes on, those gaps will grow.

But why shouldn’t Liverpool go to City next game and believe they are in this title race? Let’s be honest, they are the one team that has pushed City over these past few years.

This is a new Liverpool team but they could still be City’s biggest challengers because they have a manager and players who have been there before.”

Manchester City

Man City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking to Sky Sports: "The Premier League has quality players with the ability to drive the ball from deep. I'm happy for the result. We were close. I think it's a fair result. We were controlled enough.

"I always have to think about what we can do to get better. It's not going to happen that we come here and win 7-0. They are trying to rebuild. We have no complaints."

Sterling and Palmer: "They are really good players, that's why they helped us win what we won."

Midfield control: "Like chess. They had Enzo, Gallagher and Caicedo. They are so dangerous. Liverpool couldn't do it. They were much better than Arsenal. It's Chelsea. They have speed, physicality and a bench. We go into the international break top of the league and I didn't expect that after the Arsenal defeat. The next games are really tough."

Rodri was unhappy: "We were close, but these games make the difference. We have the ball and we lose it. We have to keep it. Transitions are difficult with their speed."

Manchester City

Manchester City midfielder Rodri, speaking to BBC Sport:

"Yes we are [exhausted], incredible game and big credit to them I think they were superb and I don't think we were in our best shape today individually.

"Some mistakes we did. We are not used to conceding four, but on the other hand we never lost the face of the game and was very close to winning it."

On added time: "We scored late, but at the end football has changed. Eight minutes of added time is another 12 minutes so it is a massive far from what we are used to do.

"Even if you score in the 90th minute you have 10 more minutes we do not think much on that - but yes we were close."

On points dropped: "When you draw you keep adding points and for us if you give everything it is alright and I did not think we performed well.

"The team is exhausted and we committed mistakes with the ball, we were not clinical and because Chelsea have this type of player we played their game in transitions.

"Which they are better in them situations.

"I understand for the fans it is great. It is passionate football for the players, sometimes we suffered cause we score and then conceded - it is a bit crazy and not the type of game we like.

"You cannot choose it is, what it is. The focus at the minute was it is not our best performance but this team has it inside that it will never give up."

Micah Richards
Former England defender on Sky Sports

On Cole Palmer leaving Man City for Chelsea:

You never want to see an academy player leave so soon – you want him to stay and play loads of games like Phil Foden has.

But he’s seen the opportunity and he’s gone, not to a team that's fighting relegation but to a team that wants to be in the Champions League

It's not just his composure on penalties, it's his all-round game, his performances have been fantastic.

For City it’s devastating to see him go but I’m just glad he’s playing games.

Chelsea

Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling, speaking to BBC Sport:

"We have gone up against one of the best teams in the past seven-to-eight years.

"We know how they play, we had a right go and showed our personality and showed the belief within ourselves and put in a good performance.

"I think it is one we could have got more from."

On Cole Palmer's penalty: "It is a good strike of the ball and he is cool, so fair play to him he took that really well - we got the point we needed."

On the past week: "Stepping stones all season, the little things we worked on and you see the belief in the squad and went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams of however so long."

On attacking against Manchester City: "City is a team if you let them have the confidence they cut you to pieces, but you have to stand up and show your beliefs - the boys did that today."

On building form: "I think City is a team we can take a lot of things off and past Chelsea teams as well. We are a club which fights for titles and trophies that is the level we want to get back to.

"We just have to keep fighting for the club."

Jamie Carragher
Former Liverpool defender on Sky Sports

On Chelsea's Cole Palmer:

"To come into a football club at such a young age with players who have cost so many millions of pounds and saying I’m taking penalties, it shows his confidence.

“I admire the fact he’s moved on to Chelsea – he’ll be feeling a lot better in the last four to six weeks at Chelsea than he ever did at City no matter how many medals he picked up there.

“He’s a major part of this Chelsea team right now – he almost feels like the main man.

“There’s a great chance he could end up in England’s Euros squad."

Daniel Sturridge
Former Chelsea striker on Sky Sports

On Cole Palmer's penalty and overall display:

"For those two minutes and 45 seconds [before the penalty] it was like he was in an igloo - he stayed away from it all, he was cool, calm and collected, composed himself and when he took that penalty you could see how much conviction he took it with.

“He’s playing with a supreme confidence, knowing he’s at this level and he’s showing it week in, week out.

“When he moved to Chelsea he was searching for an opportunity, they believed in him and now he has the opportunity to express himself – it’s sometimes not about proving other people wrong, it’s about proving yourself right."

Chelsea

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino, speaking to BBC Sport:

"It was amazing that is why the Premier League is most unbelievable league in the world and everybody wants to be involved in an amazing game.

"It is difficult to talk as everyone wants to say how excited the game was. Man City is the best team in the world and Chelsea were brave tried to go for three points.

"I think it was an amazing evening."

On his tactics against Manchester City: "That is how you feel about football I think you know me from Southampton and Tottenham.

"This is how we approach the games and we want to be protagonists and play high. We will always be brave and even if you have a team like City.

"It is impossible to know as you can win in different ways."

On Cole Palmer: "His personality and character, he is a player that arrived in the last moment and he his showing great character and performance.

"I thought before the game we needed to be careful to him to give time to improve and more experience, but he is improving every single game I am happy for him and the team."

On the international break: "I need after Tottenham and City. Now it is time to recover and be ready again!"

This was the first time Chelsea both scored and conceded 4+ goals in a league game since March 2008 v Tottenham (4-4), the first time Man City did so since January 1961 v Arsenal (4-5), and first time the pair did so against one another in the league since December 1956 (5-4 to Man City).

In his 882nd game as a manager across all competitions, this was the first time that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola saw his side both score and concede 4+ in the same match.

Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, speaking to BBC Sport:

"It was a good advert and entertaining game for the Premier League and both teams wanted to win. I wouldn't have expected differently Chelsea have a fantastic team and players.

"And we know they always play good against fantastic side. We took the game [to Chelsea] it was difficult to control and they had quality from Cole Palmer and Mykhailo Mudryk.

"The players to dribble and run it was difficult to control the game - they were aggressive.

"We have momentum [during the game] two or three transitions one-on-one which we could not finish, but the game was in the moment at the end.

"A tight game, but a fair result. I congratulate the team, we go into the break and we qualify for the Champions League and we comeback [after international break] and go."

On whether he preferred a 1-1 result: "It is, what it is. I prefer to win 7-0 but it is not happening at that level they [Chelsea] are fantastic team.

"I do not know the average [attempts on goal] but at the end both teams tried to do it and do what they needed to do."

Micah Richards
Former England defender on Sky Sports

Chelsea had a gameplan, wanted to be energetic, wanted to press - a lot of teams when they play City, they have a low block and say 'break us down' but Chelsea were not like that.

This Chelsea side, I said it from the start of the season, they’ve got something special, something is brewing – they’ve got a bright manager, young players who want to create something, be on the front foot, so I always thought they would be dangerous.

I love watching them - normally when managers come in, it takes them six months, a year to stamp their authority and what they want to do.

I can see what Chelsea are trying to do already and they have played well this season but just haven’t finished off the chances. The difference now is against Spurs, today, they are finishing off their chances, simple as that.

This was only the fifth match in Premier League history to see as many as four equalising goals scored, after Everton v Leeds in October 1999, Charlton v West Ham in November 2001, Tottenham v Reading in December 2007, and Liverpool v Arsenal in April 2009.

Manchester City

Manchester City midfielder Rodri, speaking to Sky Sports: "We feel a bit exhausted, this type of game, we know how hard it is to come here. The team Chelsea has built, they have great players and they sign massive players.

"The level of the Chelsea team has risen and it was not our best performance today. Individually we needed to do a bit more ourselves - to concede four goals is not normal for us.

"We keep pushing and sometimes it is like this and you have to score at the other end. But we have to correct some mistakes.

"I think we played how they want. Quick transitions and they are a better team in that situation and they are faster and stronger we have another type of players and we try to play our game and I think we struggled."

On mistakes: "We are a team and we support each other and we move forward.

"I think we were very close on winning this game but we have the feeling when we are not ourselves, but we know what we have to do and big credit to the opponent. They have big players."

Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer were the eighth and ninth different players to score in the Premier League against Manchester City after having previously played for them in the competition, after Niall Quinn, Steve Lomas, Garry Flitcroft, Geovanni, Daniel Sturridge, Alvaro Negredo, and Kelechi Iheanacho.

Palmer’s goal, timed at 94:24, was the latest penalty scored by Chelsea in the Premier League since November 2013 against West Brom (Eden Hazard, 95:18), and the latest on record (from 2006-07) to be scored from the spot against Man City in the competition.

Chelsea

Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling, speaking to Sky Sports: "It was a good game, we wanted to win the game. The win we got at Tottenham, that's the mentality we had."

Not celebrating: "Scoring is a good feeling, but you remember it's your old club."

Building at Chelsea: "We've been trying to build slowly but surely. There's been some set backs. We're making those steps. I had a great time at City. People know what I can do. It's good to be part of it here."

Chelsea forward Cole Palmer, speaking to Sky Sports: "Very strange to play against City. I've got the utmost respect for the club I spent 15 years at. Another great game. I know many City fans. That's the game."

On the penalty: "I waited a long time, I've had a few of them now. I stayed calm. I'm not going to say I work on them because I don't. I work on my natural ability.

"I was excited before the game to see some familiar faces."

This is where today's games leave the top half of the Premier League table ahead of the international break.

Man City lead the division by a point, with Liverpool up to second. Villa's march continues, while Chelsea are in the top 10.

It's set up nicely for the mad festive schedule.

Image source, BBC Sport