DUNN
Of the big guns, City now only have Manchester United to visit, but the home matches against Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs will be no processions. That much was clear from this. Under pressure from elite opposition, City can crumble. Crumble is probably the wrong word. Malfunction more like it. City had a lot of possession, sure.
They had more goal attempts, 14 to Chelsea’s eight. They had more corners, 12 to Chelsea’s one (from which Luiz scored the second).
But, with only four attempts on target, no goalkeeper is likely to have a less taxing time when facing City than Kepa Arrizabalaga had. And for that, perhaps Pep should, for once, reflect regretfully on his selection and tactics. Technically and creatively, City often looked on a slightly higher level. But their superiority was betrayed by the absence of some sort of spearhead, with Sergio Aguero injured and Guardiola leaving Gabriel Jesus on the bench for over 50 minutes. His reservations about Jesus might be lengthening – and Guardiola might look into the January transfer market – but the decision to start without him here looked a misguided one.
Employing a false nine worked for Sarri, but not for Guardiola.
Raheem Sterling missed a conventional central striker to work off, Leroy Sane – who wasted the best of City’s few clear chances – missed him too.
Sane was also dawdling when Kante struck the first Chelsea goal in the dying moments of the first half.
That moment was typical of the City performance, just a little sluggish and slapdash by their standards.
No doubt there will be people wondering how City will react to a rare Premier League defeat.
It is probably a spurious question. After they were vanquished for the first time last season – by Liverpool at Anfield in January – they won seven and drew one of their next eight league matches.
But there is another question that is not spurious. Who will win the title?
This fabulous Chelsea win showed the answer to that will be in the balance for an awful lot longer than most thought.
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