MAHREZ A SILVA LINING!
Bernardo’s replacement is key as City return to winning ways
RIYAD MAHREZ proved an inspired replacement for suspended Bernardo Silva by firing Manchester City to victory in a pulsating game at the Etihad.
Mahrez was drafted in with Bernardo banned for one match after posting a racially sensitive tweet and the Algerian completed the comeback with a brilliant individual goal after 37 minutes.
Pep Guardiola’s side leapfrog Chelsea into third place as a result but Frank Lampard will feel proud of his side, who took the lead through N’Golo Kante before Kevin De Bruyne levelled.
City remain nine points behind leaders Liverpool in the title race but, on this evidence, the back-to-champions will not give up their crown without a fight, even though Sergio Aguero limped out in the latter stages. He may now be a doubt for their Champions League tie against Shakhtar on Tuesday.
Due to the international break, Guardiola had been forced to brood over City’s last defeat at Liverpool for a fortnight — and Chelsea did not look ideal opponents for a return to winning ways given the Londoners had won their previous seven away matches. But City started like a side highly motivated with Ederson back in goal following a calf injury.
De Bruyne was a whisker away from scoring with a shot from Aguero’s intelligent pass and the home side spent the opening period camped in Chelsea’s half, leaving Tammy Abraham an isolated figure up front for the visitors.
Aguero has a formidable scoring record against Chelsea — nobody has more against them in the Premier League — and he looked at the races from the opening whistle, with one burst of acceleration into the Chelsea box spreading panic.
Lampard knew if his side remained patient soaking up pressure they had the counterattacking ability to trouble City’s suspect defence. And that is how it worked to eventually earn Chelsea the lead after 22 minutes.
Abraham led the first charge before setting up Willian to shoot wide. Kante then supplied Abraham, whose curler was narrowly off-target.
When Fernandinho failed to clear a corner convincingly, Abraham put the ball back into the danger area and Fikayo Tomori was disappointed to miss the target from eight yards.
Rarely have Guardiola’s City been so vulnerable to breakaways. After 20 minutes, Willian released left-back Emerson whose drive was well held by Ederson as it flew into the pit of his stomach. It was entirely deserved, therefore, when Chelsea went ahead. Mateo Kovacic, preferred in midfield to Mason Mount, pinged a brilliant pass to pick out Kante’s run towards the penalty area.
The French World Cup winner out-paced international team-mate Benjamin Mendy, took one touch to control and a second to dink past the on-rushing Ederson.
The tempo was high, belying the disappointment both teams must have felt at Liverpool’s late winner at Crystal Palace earlier. Chelsea’s sheer energy and tenacity seemed to rock City after their bright start. Even Guardiola was out-hopped in the technical area by Lampard.
With City under the cosh, they badly needed one of their big players to step up and De Bruyne fulfilled his duty after 28 minutes. David Silva’s pass reached the Belgian on the edge of the box via a couple of deflections and, from there, De Bruyne was composure itself. He cut inside and fired home from 18 yards with a final little nick off Kurt Zouma depriving Kepa of any chance to save.
The turnaround was completed eight minutes later with a great solo goal by Mahrez. Rodri found the Algerian just on the right edge of the Chelsea penalty area and there was only one thing on his mind. He accelerated into the box, cut inside Emerson who put in a rather half-hearted challenge and dispatched a low finish that went between the legs of Tomori and just inside Kepa’s right-hand post.
City should have gone 3-1 ahead soon after. Kepa inexplicably booted the ball straight to Aguero and, as he rushed out to atone for his error, the Argentine lifted his shot over the goalkeeper but struck the post. By this point Mahrez was full of confidence and fizzed another shot wide in the second half following a strong run.
At the other end, Kante thought he had nabbed an equaliser before Fernandinho stuck out a foot and deflected it wide for a corner.
One had to credit Chelsea for having such an adventurous attitude but they did leave gaps at the back, with Azpilicueta called upon for some last-ditch defending.
Lampard made his team even more attacking just before the hour when he withdrew Emerson for Reece James. Then Mahrez was left holding his face in disbelief after Kepa had pulled off a magnificent fingertip save after 66 minutes. The City winger had caught the ball cleanly from eight yards after Aguero’s cross had been half-cleared into his path.