Match ends, Manchester City 2, Chelsea 1.
Manchester City 2-1 Chelsea: Champions come from behind to go third
- From the section Premier League
Premier League champions Manchester City got back to winning ways by coming from behind to beat in-form Chelsea in an entertaining game.
The visitors, who had won their previous seven away games, led when N'Golo Kante slipped the ball past Ederson from Mateo Kovacic's aerial pass.
At that stage City were facing back-to-back Premier League defeats which would have left them 12 points behind leaders Liverpool and given them an uphill task to retain their title.
But the hosts rallied and equalised when Kevin de Bruyne's shot hit Kurt Zouma and wrongfooted goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Riyad Mahrez put the reigning champions - who move above Chelsea into third place - ahead with a fine finish after cutting in from the right wing.
Both sides could have scored more in a chaotic first half, City going closest when Sergio Aguero hit the crossbar after a poor clearance by Kepa.
There were fewer incidents in the second half although Aguero hobbled off and had to be replaced by Gabriel Jesus, with Pep Guardiola worried it is a bad muscle injury.
Raheem Sterling thought he had scored a late third for City but it was ruled out by the video assistant referee in a very tight offside call.
City only had 46.74% of the ball, the lowest percentage by any Guardiola team in any of his 381 top-flight matches in charge of Barcelona, Bayern Munich or City.
They sit nine points behind leaders Liverpool, who beat them 3-1 in the last game before the international break.
"Chelsea are an incredible team," Guardiola told BBC Sport after the game. "We knew it, but we beat them.
"It was a typical high-level game. Our back four played so good today. In the most difficult period of the game, we scored on the counter.
"We created enough chances to score more goals."
City ride their luck in first half
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Both sides had plenty of opportunities in a manic first half.
De Bruyne went close after two minutes from Aguero's pass while Tammy Abraham had a hand in four Chelsea efforts, setting up Willian and Fikayo Tomori to shoot wide and having two efforts himself.
They then tore City apart as Willian picked out the unmarked Emerson Palmieri on the left wing but his powerful shot was saved by Ederson.
Their goal eventually came though, when Kante held off Benjamin Mendy before turning the ball past Ederson, who may have been advised to stay on his line.
However that 21st-minute goal would prove to be Chelsea's final shot on target of the game.
There was a degree of fortune to City's equaliser. David Silva's pass to De Bruyne took two deflections, including one off Zouma, to find the Belgium playmaker, whose shot - which looked as if it was heading for Kepa - also hit the France centre-back to leave the keeper helpless.
From that moment, City were on top and Mahrez produced a wonderful effort to give them the lead. The Algeria winger was fed by Rodri down the right, skipped between two defenders as he cut in before firing a shot between the legs of Tomori and into the net.
City's fightback should have been even more comprehensive when Kepa passed the ball straight to Aguero, but the Argentina striker lifted the ball over the Spain goalkeeper but off the bar.
"We were controlling the game," Chelsea boss Frank Lampard told BBC Match of the Day. "We were playing some great stuff and we felt in control but you can't be absolutely in control against Manchester City.
"It was bad luck for their first goal, and absolute quality from Riyad Mahrez for the second and that changed the game.
"Maybe we were a bit slow with our movement at the back. I know we were giving them a good game but I am disappointed with the small details.
"If you look at City they are an example, and we're at the absolute start of that process. A few of our players were in the Championship last season, but we want more."
Drama at both ends in dramatic finish
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Guardiola's side did enough to see the game out after the break, restricting the visitors - who had won their previous six Premier League games - to only five shots, all off target.
The hosts had most of the second-half opportunities - despite their unusually low amount of possession - with De Bruyne, Fernandinho and Phil Foden all having shots saved by Kepa.
However Chelsea were inches away from equalising in injury time when substitute Mason Mount's 30-yard free-kick went just wide.
Seconds later City were celebrating for a third time as Mahrez headed the ball on for Sterling to blast home - but a VAR check ruled that the England forward was marginally offside.
Man of the match - Riyad Mahrez
Match stats - Chelsea only lose to top-six teams
- Manchester City have won four Premier League games against Chelsea despite conceding the first goal, more than they have against any other opponent in the competition.
- While Chelsea have scored more away goals than any other Premier League side this season (19), no side has conceded more on the road than the Blues in 2019-20 (14).
- City have conceded the first goal in three of their last four home league games, as many as they had in their previous 51 at Etihad Stadium.
- Chelsea's last four Premier League defeats have been against last season's top six, including all three so far this season.
- City's Kevin de Bruyne has been involved in more home goals than any other player in the Premier League this season (nine - three goals, six assists).
- Chelsea's N'Golo Kante has scored with all three of his shots on target in the Premier League this season.
What's next?
City host Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday (20:00 GMT), before visiting Newcastle in the Premier League next Saturday (12:30).
Chelsea are at Valencia on Wednesday (17:55) and host West Ham on Saturday (15:00) in the same competitions.
Line-ups
Man City
- 31Ederson
- 27Cancelo
- 5Stones
- 25Fernandinho
- 22Mendy
- 17De Bruyne
- 16RodriSubstituted forGündoganat 52'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 21SilvaSubstituted forFodenat 67'minutes
- 26Mahrez
- 10AgüeroSubstituted forGabriel Jesusat 77'minutes
- 7Sterling
Substitutes
- 1Bravo
- 2Walker
- 8Gündogan
- 9Gabriel Jesus
- 12Angelino
- 30Otamendi
- 47Foden
Chelsea
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 28Azpilicueta
- 15Zouma
- 29Tomori
- 33EmersonSubstituted forJamesat 59'minutes
- 7Kanté
- 5JorginhoBooked at 61minsSubstituted forMountat 74'minutes
- 17Kovacic
- 10Willian
- 9AbrahamSubstituted forBatshuayiat 73'minutes
- 22Pulisic
Substitutes
- 4Christensen
- 11Pedro
- 13Caballero
- 18Giroud
- 19Mount
- 23Batshuayi
- 24James
- Referee:
- Martin Atkinson
- Attendance:
- 54,486
Match Stats
Home TeamMan CityAway TeamChelsea
- Possession
- Home47%
- Away53%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away2
- Corners
- Home8
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home5
- Away9
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Manchester City 2, Chelsea 1.
Foul by Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea).
Fernandinho (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
VAR Decision: No Goal Manchester City 2-1 Chelsea.
Offside, Manchester City. Riyad Mahrez tries a through ball, but Raheem Sterling is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Mason Mount (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left from a direct free kick.
Booking
Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
N'Golo Kanté (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City).
Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City).
Offside, Chelsea. Kurt Zouma tries a through ball, but Michy Batshuayi is caught offside.
Foul by Willian (Chelsea).
Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Mateo Kovacic.
Offside, Chelsea. Kepa Arrizabalaga tries a through ball, but Michy Batshuayi is caught offside.
Offside, Manchester City. Benjamin Mendy tries a through ball, but Gabriel Jesus is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Willian (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Christian Pulisic.
Offside, Chelsea. Kepa Arrizabalaga tries a through ball, but Michy Batshuayi is caught offside.
Mason Mount (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City).
Attempt missed. Phil Foden (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left following a set piece situation.
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester City. Gabriel Jesus replaces Sergio Agüero because of an injury.
Foul by N'Golo Kanté (Chelsea).
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by César Azpilicueta.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Mason Mount replaces Jorginho.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Michy Batshuayi replaces Tammy Abraham.
Attempt saved. Phil Foden (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Foul by Tammy Abraham (Chelsea).
Fernandinho (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jorginho (Chelsea).
Phil Foden (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Willian (Chelsea) right footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left.
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester City. Phil Foden replaces David Silva because of an injury.
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Attempt saved. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Attempt blocked. Fernandinho (Manchester City) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Sergio Agüero.
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Kurt Zouma.
