London (AFP)
Manchester City swept away a string of coronavirus-related absences to outperform Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and reaffirm their Premier League title challenge.
Pep Guardiola’s men had scored more than twice in a league game only once since their season opener, but were 3-0 at halftime thanks to goals from Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne.
The win puts City within four points of Liverpool and Manchester United at the top of the table, but with one game in hand of the two to come.
Chelsea were set to fight for the title after a £ 220million ($ 300million) spending spree in the transfer market, but a streak of a six-game win left them in eighth, seven points behind after playing a game. more than the leaders.
Roman Abramovich has sacked many Chelsea managers in the past for periods of similar form and the pressure on Frank Lampard to prove he can turn a talented squad of individuals into one capable of competing with the standards set by Liverpool and City lately. seasons.
City were without Ederson, Kyle Walker, Ferran Torres and Gabriel Jesus due to a coronavirus outbreak that resulted in their clash at Everton being postponed on Monday.
Visitors couldn’t fill their bench due to an exhausted squad, but Benjamin Mendy was named as a replacement despite City launching an investigation into its violation of coronavirus restrictions by hosting a New Years party .
Goalkeeper Zack Steffen made his Premier League debut but has barely been tested despite Lampard having been able to throw the £ 150million trio Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech together in attack for the first time.
City took 10 minutes to find their feet in an unknown formation with De Bruyne, the most forward striker between Foden and Raheem Sterling.
But once Guardiola’s men found their rhythm, they parted Chelsea with an ease that will worry Lampard.
De Bruyne inflated City’s first big chance by shooting away from Joao Cancelo’s excellent ball.
Gundogan opened the floodgates at 18 minutes when he spun just outside the area and found the bottom corner.
Three minutes later, Foden doubled City’s lead with a nice end close to the post on a De Bruyne cross.
Guardiola had only won once in five previous visits to Stamford Bridge as Barcelona and City boss, but his side were on the run in 35 minutes.
Chelsea’s 10 outfield were caught before the ball as De Bruyne freed Sterling to run for goal from inside his own half and after the England international hit the post De Bruyne hit the post. was the first to react and score the rebound.
The score could have been much more embarrassing for the Blues if City had been more ruthless in the last hour.
Foden curled a header when it wasn’t scored at the far post before Gundogan let another glorious opportunity pass before the break.
City continued to keep the hosts chasing shadows in the second half as Edouard Mendy tipped Rodrigo’s head, while De Bruyne shot away from the edge of the box.
It was at the other end of the pitch that City had suffered a title challenge while waiting for their attackers to find form, but they simply failed to register a ninth clean sheet in 11 games as Callum Hudson -Odoi slipped to the last post to claim Chelsea consolation in the stoppage time.
© 2021 AFP
–
