Manchester City played with serious intention looking to avenge that UEFA Champions League final defeat. They were too strong, too technical, too prepared for Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea. The Blues looked toothless in attack as the front two of Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku struggled to make anything stick.
Chelsea fell to a 0-1 defeat against Manchester City in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts were defensively solid but they could not get going in attack. They used the same structure that turned the Tottenham gamer around but it did not work here. They were undone by a cruel deflection from a Gabriel Jesus shot early in the second period. The goal handed Pep Guardiola his first win over Thomas Tuchel in the Germans’ time as Chelsea boss.
Chelsea were restricted to a single shot going into the break and Edouard Mendy had a lot of work to do.
No shots on target and no points for Thomas Tuchel and his men. They will now look forward to a huge European tie against Juventus. They would have to put this result behind them. Here are today’s player ratings;
Chelsea Player Ratings
Edouard Mendy – 9/10
Returning from injury and straight into the action. He was unfortunate to be wrong-footed for the City goal. That aside, he conjured up some phenomenal saves. Most notably denying Jack Grealish twice to extend the Citizen’s lead. He adopted a tendency to try the long route out which was the right idea, but not always with the right execution.
César Azpilicueta – 7/10
Chelsea’s Mr. Reliable. His versatility came into play as he shifted into wing-back to accommodate for early substitute Thiago Silva. He proved once again, a dependable hand at both roles. He wasn’t his usual creative self going forward.
Andreas Christensen – 8/10
The Dane was one of the positives from a day of very few. He was dominant in the air and very handy with the ball at his feet too.
Antonio Rüdiger – 8/10
A robust challenge on Gabriel Jesus in the early stages set the tone for the German’s afternoon. No-nonsense attitude to match a no-nonsense performance.
Reece James – 6/10 [29]
His day was unfortunately cut short after a tangling of legs during a battle with Jack Grealish. A man that James had handled relatively comfortably up until that point. Chelsea would hope his injury isn’t a long-term one.
Jorginho – 5/10 [75]
The European best player was parked on the edge of the Chelsea box for the first half. It stifled any rhythm he attempted to generate. Things improved after Jesus’ goal, but not by a great deal.
Mateo Kovacic – 7/10
The Croatian playmaker looked the most comfortable and progressive of the Chelsea midfield three by quite a margin. He played as a man possessed in the dying moments of the game. The mazy dribbler was determined to make something happen for his team. Kova finally unlocked his game as the home side had to push for the equalizer.
N’Golo Kanté – 5/10 [60]
Europe’s best midfielder but not quite today. He struggled to reach the heights he has normalized in big fixtures like these. Kante was overwhelmed by the Citizens’ press. The Frenchman was also guilty of misplacing simple passes.
Marcos Alonso – 3/10
The reborn Chelsea wingback scored the late winner in Chelsea’s last Premier League fixture against Manchester City. A repeat of that feat never looked likely. He was ineffective on the flank and ran ragged at the back.
Timo Werner – 5/10
It was obvious from the lineup that the game plan would depend heavily on the former Leipzig man. But no matter how much he tried, he could not deliver. It was always going to be a difficult task given how often stranded and isolated he was. He had a very frustrating day at the bridge.
Romelu Lukaku – 5/10
Chelsea’s golden ace. The goal-getter. But even Big Rom can only do so much with little service. He had a difficult afternoon. He barely got a sniff of the ball as the attacking phase around him faltered.
Thiago Silva [29] – 8/10
Thomas Tuchel reported that the Brazilian did not start this game due to some issues in training. He was eventually called into action as Reece James picked up a knock. The Brazilian didn’t look like he had issues, instead, he was rock solid at the heart of the defense. He made a brilliant goal-line clearance to go with a stellar performance and not for the first time this season.
Kai Havertz [60] – 6/10
The elegant German who gave City a night of horror in the Champions League final threatened to inject a bit of life into a Chelsea attack that was lifeless until his introduction but did not quite grow into the game.
Ruben-Loftus Cheek [75] – 7/10
Chelsea fans got a glimpse of the old Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the Premier League as he showed nimble footage and good ball retention.
Manchester City Player Ratings
Ederson 8/10
A good, solid goalkeeping display from the Brazilian although largely untroubled as the blues failed to muster a single shot on target. He was always alert in between the sticks, showed a close to perfection long ball passage which is typical of the player. A deserved clean sheet.
Kyle Walker 8/10
His pace in the defensive unit was a massive asset for Manchester City. He recovered multiple balls for his teams while going forward whenever it was necessary. A top-notch performance from the right-back.
Ruben Dias 8/10
A Rock-solid captain’s performance. Ruben Dias marshaled the Man City defense extremely well. He put his body on the line to prevent the Chelsea attackers from making an impact, heroically defending his clean sheet.
Aymeric Laporte 7/10
Tasked with keeping tabs on Lukaku and he did. He also got a yellow card to show for his effort. He offered excellent support to Dias at the heart of the Man City backline. Always reliable whenever Chelsea threatened on the counter.
Joao Cancelo 8/10
His versatility was again called into play as he was deployed at left-back. He Controlled the left flank alongside Jack Grealish. Defended well and provided support whenever needed.
Rodri 7/10
Rodri controlled the game well, especially in the first half. Things got a bit more difficult after the goal as Chelsea started to push forward for the equalizer. However, he stayed resolute and held the fort.
Bernardo Silva 8/10
Another player whose versatility was called into action. Bernardo Silva put in an excellent shift in the midfield position. He was press resistant. He played a vital role in the approach play and also helped out defensively.
Kevin de Bruyne 7/10
Fresh from injury, he had time in the cup tie to gain some match fitness before the blue clash. He was very useful in the build-up play but didn’t have the best of games in terms of creating chances in the final third. He still had a solid game.
Gabriel Jesus 9/10
The tricky Brazilian put in a man-of-the-match performance. He started the game on the right side of a flexible front three. He offered an excellent work ethic and showed a willingness to win back possession for his team. Showed his quality with a brilliant finish barring a deflection in the second half. A goal that proved to be the winner.
Phil Foden 6/10
Another player fresh from the sidelines. Phil Foden started a Premier League game for the first time since the champions league final. Phil Foden didn’t do a whole lot going forward. He made himself a target man for Man City while working hard in the first line of press.
Jack Grealish 7/10
Jack Grealish made a solid impression in this crunch game for Man City. A constant threat on the left-hand side with direct runs. He made a stellar impression and was denied by Edouard Mendy twice.
