The most disputed Premier since its creation, in 1992, opened another range of possibilities. Manchester City, the most dynamic, corrosive and enthusiastic team in Europe, the first candidate for the title, was not able to overcome the impact against the granite block of Chelsea. Visiting the Etihad, the tenth-placed team had just had two consecutive victories. Its players took the duel with the fashionable team as a door to liberation from the institutional and sporting crisis that has oppressed them for a year. It was the time of Enzo Fernández, colossal in all departments, of the versatile Sterling, of the incredible Jackson, of the unalterable Palmer. Together they deformed Guardiola’s team, which is now third behind Arsenal and Liverpool with 13 games left, which promise the greatest spectacle that a championship can offer today.
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Ederson Moraes, Aké, Rúben Dias, Manuel Akanji, Walker, Foden, Rodrigo, Jeremy Doku, Julián Álvarez (Bernardo Silva, min. 64), De Bruyne and Erling Braut Haaland
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Dorde Petrovic, Levi Colwill, Bad Taste, Ben Chilwell, Axel Disasi, Enzo Fernandez, Moses Caicedo, Sterling (64 mins), Conor Gallagher, Cole Palmer (Trevoh Chalobah, 71 mins) and Nicolas Jackson (Cesare Casadei, 71 mins). min. 81)
Goals 0-1 min. 41: Sterling. 1-1 min. 82: Rodrigo.
Referee Andy Madley
Yellow cards Moisés Caicedo (min. 34), Cole Palmer (min. 60), Dorde Petrovic (min. 62) and Bernardo Silva (min. 84)
Irregular, disorganized and vulnerable in so many league matches, the Chelsea that appeared in Manchester revealed an unknown mutation. It was a different team. Spurred by the urgency of a club that has been living in anxiety since the invasion of Ukraine forced the removal of its owner, the Russian Roman Abramovich, its splendid footballers got rid of anxiety and jumped onto the field transformed by adrenaline, elated to see themselves on the verge of saving the season, aware that a blow to the leading team in England would justify their contracts in danger. Driven toward a transcendental goal, they redoubled their attention, expanded their vision, refined their instincts, and prepared to build an insurmountable wall. City’s quota of admissible human errors was reduced from the start. Forced to walk the wire, forced not to miss a pass, to engage in chains of mobility and rapid circulation, the local footballers soon found themselves dislocated. Something was wrong in the engine room.
Chelsea advanced the pressing block and the ball rolled jerkily from foot to foot. The absence due to physical problems of Bernardo Silva, great master of the associative game, and the rise of Akanji from the back to the midfield in the preparation of the plays, added two problems that were difficult to resolve in the consciousness of his teammates. Where Stones moves lightly, propelled by a nervous and agile body, Akanji moves heavily. Its body prevents it from turning without the hinges squeaking in an area where changing orientation is essential to get out of jams. The Swiss giant assumed the role with responsibility and courage but his confidence degraded as Gallagher and Jackson took turns pressing him with astonishing determination.
The ball circuit, City’s main artery, was disrupted from the roots. The two interiors designated by Guardiola to act as relays on the way to the rival area did not help: De Bruyne exhibited his most static version and Julián Álvarez, overloaded with tasks in a system that requires the harmonious contribution of everyone, failed to readapt his nature. as an unmarked striker to the exhausting maintenance tasks in the central lanes, turned into a minefield by the battalion that swung with Enzo and Caicedo.
Bewildered, City ended up conducting their attacks slowly and from the outside, to the relief of Chelsea’s pressing core, which did not seem tired and found in Palmer, Jackson and Sterling three reasons for hope. The visiting defenders knew from the beginning that their attackers would manage with devastating efficiency every ball sent their way, every rejection that occurred on the edge of the area, every loss by City in their tiring evolution.
Before the quarter of an hour, Palmer took advantage of indecisive pressure and launched Jackson towards the first one-on-one that Ederson saved. A pass from Enzo to Sterling followed, which the Jamaican winger did not convert in another one-on-one with the Brazilian. In the third, Jackson and Palmer joined forces again in another brilliant counter that Sterling finished off a goal after cutting out Walker. The 0-1 could have become 0-2 due to another one-on-one that Ederson saved from a point-blank shot by Sterling. City suffered the biggest harassment of the season before Guardiola, around the hour mark, brought on Bernardo Silva to replace Julián Álvarez.
Guardiola: “We started playing after 0-1”
With the help of the Lisbon maestro, City regained the path of surprise. Fabulous at imagining passing lines, Bernardo Silva helped his teammates get into the thick of Chelsea’s defense. The riskiest route was the only one that allowed Guardiola’s team to find gaps in Pochettino’s defense. The Argentine coach reacted with alarm: he removed Palmer and brought in another center back, Chalobah. The step back exposed Chelsea. The visitors’ chances continued: Foden, Rodri, and Haaland were one centimeter away from the goal. Petrovic, substitute goalkeeper, looked like Courtois.
After a maneuver that Rodri illuminated by entering the area through the ‘ten’ lane and Walker finished off from the other side, Rodri caught the rebound that secured the tie. The 1-1 scoreline helped City extend their unbeaten streak at their stadium to 34 games. The VAR ruled out a penalty by Colwill for handball in the last minute of stoppage time. The tie reaffirms Liverpool in the lead of the Premier with 57 points in 25 games, followed by Arsenal, which has 55 points after beating Burnley (0-5), and by City, which has 53 with one game less.
“We were not at our level in the first half,” admitted Guardiola; “And when you play against a team like Chelsea you have to perform at your best level for 95 minutes. We started playing after conceding 0-1. When you are not well collectively, as a group, you grant transitions. We have to improve and do what we did in the second half after conceding the goal.”