KEV AND CO A CLASS APART
De Bruyne’s masterpiece in
WORK events and parties are fiendishly difficult to tell apart these days but it was business as usual for Manchester City as their 12th successive victory carried the heavy scent of celebration. January is too early to be bequeathing titles but a 13-point lead and the completion of the double over their nearest rivals drops a big hint over the destination of the Premier League crown.
‘Stand up for the champions’ the City faithful sang as the clock counted down. That may well be a look into the future as well as a nod to the past.
The trophy was at The Etihad yesterday – and all the evidence is that it has no immediate plans to leave.
Chelsea’s travelling support flaunted blow-up Champions League trophies as a reminder of who won when these sides met in last season’s European final but yesterday City were manifestly superior.
Chelsea hung on in there but one moment of blinding beauty from Kevin De Bruyne deservedly won City the game. It was fit to win any game.
The Belgian may not have been at his very best this season but he chose well his moment to remind the world of what he is capable of. Having shrugged off N’golo Kante – a prize-winning effort in itself – De Bruyne arced a precision shot around Kepa from outside the penalty area and into the bottom right-hand corner. Football meets geometry meets majesty. City hoarded possession like misers, pushing and pulling Chelsea’s rearguard this way and that, probing for an opening. Control was the order of the day.
Only one clear chance materialised before the break with Kepa’s knee deflecting Jack Grealish’s shot wide after De Bruyne had harried Mateo Kovacic into a mistake.
But City found more space in the second half, and although Ederson was called upon to make a smart save from Romelu Lukaku, the contest could already have been over.
Raheem Sterling, operating down the right flank, gave Marcos Alonso a torrid time. Phil Foden, as the false nine, and Bernardo Silva were outstanding too with and without the ball.
For Chelsea, it was like operating inside a vice with the squeeze permanently on. Their boss Thomas Tuchel cut a frustrated figure on the sidelines.animated to Basil Fawlty levels, his kinetic energy could have powered the national grid.
He must have felt helpless. If so, he is in good company. City are currently in a mini-league of one.
If City do complete what they have
started, that will be four titles in the past five years.
It may not have happened for Pep Guardiola in Europe yet but this has been a remarkable period of dominance, given the strength of their rivals.
This season City have had the European champions for company and Liverpool restored to full strength. Manchester United were even talked up as potential contenders after their summer spending. Maybe not.
The reality is turning into an exhibition and City’s brushwork is a treat. De Bruyne’s winner was the latest masterpiece. It was his seventh goal of the season.
City’s leading goalscorer Riyad Mahrez is away at the Africa Cup of Nations but no matter.this is a side that happily shares the goals around.
As others have stumbled, they have relentlessly pushed on, smoothing out the peaks and troughs of a Covid-disrupted season through their extraordinary squad depth.
They could even afford to bench last season’s Premier League player of the year Ruben Dias yesterday.
Chelsea’s back-up crew was hardly weak yesterday with Jorginho and Mason Mount named as substitutes in a game which saw £1.25billion of combined talent involved.
Mount had 10 minutes at the end as Chelsea tried to claw the deficit back but if anyone was going to score late on it was City.the final pass deserted them but it mattered not.
De Bruyne had delivered the magic and the title had one moved one giant step closer.