Man City’s subs make the difference in their narrow victory over Chelsea.
Manchester City won a hard-fought battle against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Pep Guardiola’s substitutions proved crucial for Manchester City, who won at Chelsea thanks to an inspired second half performance.
After 20 minutes, neither side had done much to threaten the goal, with the best piece of individual skill being a perfectly timed tackle by John Stones inside the box.
Bernardo Silva was then called into action to make a crucial challenge inside the box as Chelsea poured forward in numbers, before the incoming shot was parried by Ederson.
Carney Chukwuemeka hit the post just before halftime, and Manchester City raced down the other end on a counter-attack.
However, a crucial interception by Kalidou Koulibaly stopped Kevin De Bruyne in his tracks. As the second half began, Nathan Aké hit the post from a corner, and Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga denied De Bruyne’s shot as Man City stepped up a gear.
Despite Chelsea’s first-half pressure, Pep Guardiola’s men took the lead when a dangerous cross was whipped across the box to the far post by
Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez completed the scoring.
Erling Haaland, who had been mostly quiet, then came agonisingly close to putting City two goals up as he slid in to meet a chance. Chelsea made every effort to equalise, but City held on for a narrow victory.
