It was a ‘comfortable game’ for City
LONDON: The Premier League season is only a week old and the problems are already piling up for misfiring champions Chelsea after a 3-0 thrashing at Manchester City on Sunday.
Goals by Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and Fernandinho were the least City deserved for a dominant display against a side who took 70 minutes to register a shot on target.
While a buoyant City top the table with six points, six goals scored and none conceded, Chelsea have one point after failing to win either of their opening two fixtures for the first time since 1998.
The sense of unease in the Chelsea camp was increased when talismanic skipper John Terry was substituted at halftime – the first time he had ever been hauled off by manager Jose Mourinho.
Terry did not appear to be injured.
“It was a comfortable game. To start the way we did today is definitely the right signal but there’s still a lot to come,” City captain Kompany, who made it 2-0 with a 79th minute header before Fernandinho cashed in on some dozy defending to complete the rout, told Sky Sports.
Aguero opened the scoring after 32 minutes of City domination, wriggling into space to deliver a low drive past Asmir Begovic, who could have expected more protection on his first start in place of Thibaut Courtouis who was red-carded in the 2-2 home draw with Swansea city last week.
Chelsea’s troubles will not have gone unnoticed by Arsenal who belatedly got their season into gear with a 2-1 derby win at London rivals Crystal Palace.
Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Swansea came a week after a listless defeat by FA Cup winners Arsenal in the Community Shield curtain-raiser and was followed by Mourinho’s criticism of his club’s medical department.
They needed a strong statement yesterday but they could have been beaten by more than three goals.
“They were the best team in the first half but the best team in the second half was Chelsea for sure,” Mourinho told Sky Sports. “But the second and third goals we were punished by our players’ mistakes.”
“One point from six is better than no points from six,” added Mourinho who explained that Terry’s replacement by Kurt Zouma had been for tactical reasons.
Terry and fellow central defender Gary Cahill had struggled to contain City’s attacking threat and were both embarrassed by Aguero several times in the opening half hour.
The Argentine finally punished them when he played a one-two with Yaya Toure in a crowded area, wriggled into space and fired the ball just inside Begovic’s post.
Chelsea improved after the break but offered little threat until Eden Hazard finally broke free of the shackles but fired straight at Joe Hart before City’s defenders cleared the loose ball with Diego Costa lurking.
Kompany’s header gave City breathing space and then, when Branislav Ivanovic carelessly gave the ball away, Fernandinho completed Chelsea’s misery.
Back in London, Damien Delaney’s own goal allowed Arsenal to kickstart their Premier League season in the London derby against Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Palace had recovered from an early mauling by a fired-up Arsenal and had started the second half brightly only for Irishman Delaney to turn Alexis Sanchez’s downward header into his own net after 55 minutes.
Arsenal, beaten 2-0 at home by West Ham United on the opening weekend of the season, dominated the early exchanges and deservedly took the lead with Olivier Giroud’s 16th-minute volley.
The hosts equalised against the run of play 12 minutes later when Joel Ward drilled home a low shot from outside the area.
Palace struck the woodwork through new signing Conor Wickham shortly after the break but once Arsenal went back in front they assumed control and limited Palace to a late flurry.
Two consecutive capital defeats for Arsenal would have dealt a huge blow to their preseason optimism but, despite not playing with any real fluency they survived a real test of their resolve at a noisy Selhurst Park.
“I’m very pleased with the three points. If we had gone two games and zero points it would be absolutely difficult and we knew this would be a tricky one,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told the BBC last night.
“Last week we had a bit of a stroll and thought we would win the game. Today we played real Premier League football from the first minute to the last.” – Reuters