📰 Table Of Contents
Match report
Champions Manchester City ultimately managed to get the job done on Thursday night, edging past Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to close the gap on leaders Arsenal at the summit of the Premier League.
The Sky Blues, of course, made the trip to west London a short time ago.
After the aforementioned Arsenal dropped a pair of points in a meeting with high-flying Newcastle United earlier in the week, Pep Guardiola and co. were aware that a 2nd victory on the spin would see them close the gap to just five points.
And, when all was said and done, emerge triumphant is precisely what City went on to do, plunging Chelsea into further crisis in the process.
The first-half saw the evening’s hosts, for the most part, hold their own, even coming closest to opening the scoring upon substitute Carney Chukwuemeka rattling the woodwork from the edge of the area.
After Nathan Ake too nodded onto the frame of the goal on the other side of the interval, though, the game’s telling moment was finally forthcoming just beyond the hour mark.
After being slipped in down the left flank, Jack Grealish rolled perfect delivery across the face of goal, laying on Riyad Mahrez to slot home from close range:
SUPER SUBS! 🔁
Jack Grealish puts it on a plate for Riyad Mahrez and the Manchester City man makes no mistake with the simplest of finishes 👊 pic.twitter.com/qS5FPYz5ZS
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 5, 2023
Chelsea, to their credit, did push hard for a late equaliser, and were presented with a golden opportunity as proceedings rolled into injury time.
Youngster Lewis Hall’s ensuing effort, though, soared clear of the crossbar, ensuring that all three points headed back to Manchester.
Player ratings
Chelsea
Kepa Arrizabalaga – 5
Cesar Azpilicueta – 5.5
Thiago Silva – 6.5
Kalidou Koulibaly – 5.5
Marc Cucurella – 5
Mateo Kovacic – 6.5
Denis Zakaria – 7
Raheem Sterling – N/A
Hakim Ziyech – 5.5
Christian Pulisic – N/A
Kai Havertz – 5.5
Substitutes: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 4.5, Carney Chukwuemeka – 6, Omari Hutchinson – 5, Lewis Hall – 6.5, Conor Gallagher – 5.5
Manchester City
Ederson – 6.5
Kyle Walker – 5
John Stones – 7.5
Nathan Ake – 6.5
Joao Cancelo – 5.5
Rodri – 7
Ilkay Gundogan – 6
Bernardo Silva – 7
Kevin De Bruyne – 6.5
Phil Foden – 5
Erling Haaland – 5.5
Substitutes: Manuel Akanji – 6.5, Rico Lewis – 7.5, Riyad Mahrez – 7, Jack Grealish – 7.5, Kalvin Phillips – N/A
Stat roundup
John Stones only misplaced one pass in the first-half against Chelsea, giving him the highest passing accuracy of anyone on the pitch (98%).
Made a critical challenge as well. 👏 pic.twitter.com/VRNfHJZTuA
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 5, 2023
9 – Since he joined Man City in 2018, Riyad Mahrez has scored more Premier League goals as a substitute than any other player (9). He scored his goal, assisted by Jack Grealish, just 3 minutes and 43 seconds after both players had been subbed on. Impact. pic.twitter.com/RL80MCKI8W
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 5, 2023
Jack Grealish has 3 assists in his last 3 appearances:
🅰️🅰️ vs. Leeds
❌ vs. Everton
🅰️ vs. ChelseaIn the giving mood. 🎁 pic.twitter.com/XRY8b0Qi0K
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) January 5, 2023
Erling Haaland had only 11 touches in the first half against Chelsea. Only Raheem Sterling (2) had fewer.
Sterling came off in the first 5 minutes. 🫥 pic.twitter.com/QBPCPixAMJ
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) January 5, 2023
1 – Chelsea have won just one of their last eight Premier League matches (D3 L4) – since the first game in this run on October 19th, no side has won fewer games in the competition. Sticky. pic.twitter.com/OI6l9KOpdR
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 5, 2023
4 – Manchester City are only the second side ever to win four consecutive meetings with Chelsea in all competitions while also keeping a clean sheet each time, after Bolton Wanderers from 1958 to 1960. Asserted. pic.twitter.com/eef6Fq71lh
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 5, 2023
John Stones’ game by numbers vs Chelsea:
◉ 102 touches (most)
◉ 100% aerial duels won (highest)
◉ 98% passing accuracy (highest)
◉ 85 passes complete (most)
◉ 14 final third entries (most)
◉ 7 duels won (most)
◎ 4 clearances
◎ 4 possession wonMOTM. 🪨 pic.twitter.com/dsnhy2wSnX
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 5, 2023
Pep Guardiola is the only manager to have beaten each of Chelsea’s last five managers in the Premier League:
✅ Antonio Conte
✅ Maurizio Sarri
✅ Frank Lampard
✅ Thomas Tuchel
🆕 Graham PotterWho’s next? 😤
— William Hill (@WilliamHill) January 5, 2023
Fan reaction
Chelsea paid 140m for Kepa and Cucurella pic.twitter.com/l40JZ7MxOL
— zak🪡 (@ZakKnowsBall) January 5, 2023
Walker, Cancelo and Foden doing well to vindicate Pep’s decision to avoid playing them for as long as possible so far
— Joe Butterfield (@joebutters) January 5, 2023
Cucurella is awful, Romero ended his career
— Billie (@Billie_T) January 5, 2023
Kai Havertz make a forward pass challenge (impossible)
— CarefreeLewisG🇪🇹 (@CarefreeLewisG) January 5, 2023
60′ Grealish and Mahrez are subbed on.
64′ Grealish assists Mahrez to take the lead.
Instant impact 💥 pic.twitter.com/0sF5P8sYYO
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) January 5, 2023
Havertz should grow some balls and play forward balls. This urge to play back pass is annoying.
— Vince™ (@Blue_Footy) January 5, 2023
Denis Zakaria will complete 90 minutes for the first time for Chelsea. A remarkable effort from him to break into this team. It took stubborn will and patient determination.
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) January 5, 2023
Foden is better than Saka apparently. That guy is AWFUL
— Tribal Chief🇨🇩 (@osowxvyy) January 5, 2023
Fair play to Graham Potter, he isn’t the reason why Chelsea lost this game 👏🏻
— Futbol Chelsea (@FutbolCheIsea) January 5, 2023
Aubameyang shakes his head in disgust as he suffers the ignominy of a sub being subbed. Barely acknowledged Potter as he came off. #CHEMCI
— Simon Johnson (@SJohnsonSport) January 5, 2023
Potter doesn’t deserve blame for this match by the way, don’t want to hear it tonight at least.
— Mod (@CFCMod_) January 5, 2023
Would have liked to see Hutchinson play less safe when he came on, given the game situation and the fact he’s clearly got the talent. Not easy to make your senior debut in a game like that one though #CFC
— Liam Twomey (@liam_twomey) January 5, 2023
Reminder: Rico Lewis was born in 2004 and is already balling out for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
Special talent 👏 pic.twitter.com/XvlbdCLFPZ
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) January 5, 2023
It’s unimaginable to think Chelsea are just 10 points above the relegation zone with a couple of games left to mid season. This Potter experiment will be a long process and fans may have to showcase unprecedented patience. pic.twitter.com/qEVJhNWpbb
— Owuraku Ampofo (@_owurakuampofo) January 5, 2023
Tottenham and Manchester United set to square off for French international defender
