Sergio Aguero had made a mess of a Panenka penalty. Chelsea has confirmed that Manchester City must wait a while to wrap up the Premier League title. By striving for a stunning victory at the Etihad Stadium.
City, who need three points to become England champions for the seventh time. Lead just before the break as Raheem Sterling‘s strike approaches.
Aguero had a good chance of getting 2-0 since Billy Gilmour fouled Gabriel Jesus. But the Argentine striker opted for a thinking effort that Edouard Mendy quickly saved.
It showed an expensive loss as Chelsea improved after the break. And it equalized when Cesar Azpilicueta arranged for Hakim Ziyech to blow home at the edge of the area.
The visitors had two more offside attempts before Marcus Alonso scored at the time of the injury. Met Timo Werner back and sent the ball to Ederson.
The win over Man City was Chelsea’s second win over City in three weeks. By following their FA Cup semi-final victory at Wembley in April.
The two teams will meet again in the Champions League final in Istanbul later this month.
This result could give Chelsea more confidence in the game. And provide a lot of impetus to their hopes of finishing in the top four.
But in fact, this combination has provided a few clues as to how their next meeting gets decided.
City boss Pep Guardiola made nine appearances for Paris St-Germain on Tuesday. And Chelsea teammate Thomas Tuchel made five appearances for Real Madrid on Wednesday – with the result. It is a typical combination of both sides.
There are no celebrations at City this time.
Hundreds of City fans had gathered before the start of the game to greet their players with explosives and flames as they arrived at the stadium.
But their plans to celebrate their third title in four seasons, in the same way, have stalled after the result.
They can still win trophies before playing their next game in Newcastle on Friday.
If Manchester United drops three points in the next three games in the next five days, United’s three-time win will reduce City’s lead to four points.
Even though the title is so close, Guardiola had expectations to make changes to his team after the PSG game.
But he also thought about the formation of his team and the way he played.
Instead of their usual 4-3-3, as well as a patient-friendly trade-off and a game-based game, City met strangely 5-1-3-1. And they tried to move the ball forward very quickly.
They failed to break through until it was time to breathe just before the break. When Sterling put them ahead, and Aguero had to double their lead in the penalty area.
Gabriel Jesus was involved in both of these incidents. He was starting with brushing Andreas Christensen off the ball and sending a low cross Aguero inadequately controlled in the direction of Sterling. Who passed the ball into the net.
Shortly after, Christensen was out of the field receiving treatment. Gimour caught the Brazilian striker in the box to hand a penalty.
And Aguero, City’s top scorer, left the club at the end of the season after ten years at Manchester. He stepped up, only to change his lines badly.
Guardiola’s frustration with the miss turned into a rage in the second half, the first time Chelsea equalized. And when his side was denied a second penalty by points 1-1, it was too late.
Sterling came into the box after a controversial challenge from Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma. But referee Anthony Taylor made it a point.
Tuchel’s Chelsea is impressive again.
While the team Manchester City and its supporters were left wondering what it was. Chelsea provided more evidence of their progress since Thomas Tuchel took over the reins earlier this year.
The visitors seem to be lacking in thought for the first hour or so. And they seem to have lost a lot of creative nous of the Mason Mount not in the middle of the pitch.
But they are well organized, without that spell madcap before the break. And always in the game 1-0 down.
They came to life in the second half, once again showing their threat to City at half-time. And could easily have scored more than just two goals.
Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi both found the net 1-1. But only to be denied by the linesman’s flag in decisions. That was much closer than during Werner’s efforts.
It was an impressive game worldwide, a perfect reflection of Chelsea’s efforts to win the FA Cup next weekend. And defend the top-four before heading to the Champions League final.
