Covid-hit Man City still too best for Chelsea
04 January, 2021
Manchester City brushed off a series of coronavirus-related absences to outclass Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and reassert their Premier League title task.
Pep Guardiola's men had scored a lot more than twice in a league game only once since their opening match of the growing season, but were 3-0 up by half-time because of goals from Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne.
Victory lifts City to within four items of Liverpool and Manchester United near the top of the table, but with a casino game at hand on both to come.
Chelsea were likely to task for the title themselves after a £220 million ($300 million) spending spree in the transfer market, but a run of 1 win in six game titles has left them down in eighth, seven factors off the pace having played a game a lot more than the leaders.
Roman Abramovich features dismissed a lot of Chelsea managers during the past for comparable spells of form and the pressure found in mounting on Frank Lampard to prove he may mould a talented squad of people into a team capable of competing with the criteria set by Liverpool and City in recent seasons.
City were without Ederson, Kyle Walker, Ferran Torres and Gabriel Jesus due to a good coronavirus outbreak that led to their clash in Everton on Monday appearing postponed.
The visitors were not able to fill their bench due to a depleted squad, but Benjamin Mendy was named as an alternative despite City launching a study into his breach of coronavirus restrictions by hosting a fresh Year's Eve party.
Goalkeeper Zack Steffen was handed his Premier League debut, but was barely tested despite Lampard being able to begin £150 million trio Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech together in attack for the very first time.
City took ten minutes to come across their feet in an unfamiliar development with De Bruyne the innovative forward in between Foden and Raheem Sterling.
But once Guardiola's men found their rhythm, they slice Chelsea aside with an ease which will cause Lampard concern.
De Bruyne fluffed City's first big possibility when he fired extensive from Joao Cancelo's wonderful through ball.
Gundogan opened the floodgates on 18 a few minutes when he spun just beyond your area and found the bottom corner.
Three minutes in the future Foden doubled City's lead with an excellent near content finish from De Bruyne's cross.
Guardiola had only won once in five previous visits to Stamford Bridge while Barcelona and City boss, but his area were cruising inside 35 minutes.
All 10 Chelsea outfield players were caught prior to the ball as De Bruyne released Sterling to run through on target from inside his unique half and after the England international hit the post, De Bruyne was first to react and slot house the rebound.
The scoreline might have been a lot more embarrassing for the Blues had City been more ruthless in the ultimate hour.
Foden looped a header above when unmarked at the back post before Gundogan flicked another glorious chance wide prior to the break.
City continued to keep carefully the hosts chasing shadows in the second-half seeing as Edouard Mendy tipped above Rodrigo's header, even while De Bruyne fired wide from the edge of the area.
It really is at the different end of the field City had sustained a good title challenge while waiting for their forwards to come across form, but they just didn't record a ninth tidy sheet in 11 game titles as Callum Hudson-Odoi slid found in at the back post to claim a Chelsea consolation found in stoppage time.
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