Chelsea 4 Man City 4
Fresh off the back of a statement win against Tottenham, Chelsea welcomed Man City to Stamford Bridge as they looked to seize the opportunity to show the league that the Mauricio Pochettino era was finally up and running.
Pep Guardiola’s side had the chance to open up a three point gap at the top of the table as we headed into another untimely international break. With a tough run of fixtures coming up, including this game, it offered Man City the chance to cement their place as title favourites.
The visitors seemed to settle into a rhythm quicker and had an early chance when Gvardiol met an Alvarez corner but as his effort went through a sea of players, Sanchez managed to hold on, despite seeing the ball late.
As Guardiola’s side put a string of crosses into the box, Chelsea’s very own Sideshow Bob, bundled Haaland to the floor. The replay showed that Cucurella was all over the Norwegian as he tried to attack the cross. The referee pointed to the spot and VAR did not disagree with the decision.
Credit: @premierleague
Erling Haaland stepped up, as calm as you like, and sent Sanchez the wrong way as he stroked it home to give the visitors the lead. It had been coming as Pep Guardiola’s side started to pen The Blues into their own final third wit wave after wave of attack.
Enzo Fernandez was caught by Rodri just outside the box and Reece James took on the free kick responsibilities. The Chelsea skipper thought he had scored with a curling effort but Ederson made a great save to put it over the bar.
As the resulting corner was swung into the box, Thiago Silva attacked the near post and his guided header gave the Man City keeper no chance as it nestled into the net. Stamford Bridge erupted as Chelsea drew level only four minutes after going behind.
Both sides were on the offensive as City came forward with Rodri, who played the ball into the path of Foden. He took one touch to cut inside onto his left foot and looked to bend one in the far corner, with the ball shaving the outside of Sanchez’s post.
Cole Palmer then played the ball out wide, James squared it to Sterling who had a simple tap in to put Pochettino’s side ahead. The ex-Man City pair involved were coming back to haunt Guardiola like the ghost of Christmas past.
Chelsea came forward again but the attack broke down with Jackson and the visitors went straight up the other end and Haaland got a left-footed shot away but Sanchez got down brilliantly to deny the goal machine.
Credit: @premierleague
Man City played a short corner and clipped a cross into the box and an unmarked Akanji rose to meet it and head into the back of the net to draw the game level before the interval. Pochettino was livid with how easily his side had given away their lead.
It only took ninety seconds of the second half for Alvarez to make an overlapping run and find Haaland at the back post who slid in and ball followed him into the back of the net. VAR checked the goal to ensure he did not handle it but the goal stood and City were back ahead.
Cole Palmer then went all Lionel Messi as he dribbled the ball past the entire City backline but as he only had Ederson to beat, the young forward’s finish was denied by Ederson. At this point Guardiola could be forgiven for wondering why they let him go.
Conor Gallagher then rifled in a shot from distance which the City keeper could only parry and Jackson reacted quickest to slot the ball past the Brazilian keeper. This was turning into a basketball game as each side looked like scoring every time they came forward.
As the heavens opened, it did not dampen the action as Sterling dispossessed Man City in a dangerous area and slotted it into the path of Gusto, with the goal at his mercy. Sadly for the Chelsea fans he could not keep his shot down as he blazed it over the bar.
They seemed to pay the ultimate price for their miss as the visitors streamed forward and Rodri shot from outside the box, only to see his effort take a massive deflection off Thiago Silva and wrongfoot the Chelsea keeper to give Guardiola’s side the lead late on in the game.
As the fourth official raised his board to show we would have an additional eight minutes added, Pochettino barked out some tactical changes as he tried to inspire his team to finding a way back into this game once again.
Sterling found Broja in the box and Diaz slid in, wiping out the Chelsea substitute. He may blame the greasy surface and wet conditions but his challenge had all the deftness of an atomic bomb and the referee had no choice but to point to the spot.
Palmer stepped up to take the penalty, with a chance to hurt the side who saw fit to sell him in the summer. Ederson may have faced his efforts a lot in training but the Chelsea man smashed his effort into the top corner, giving the keeper no chance.
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