Pep is pipped for the David Luiz inspires
CHelsea 2
Kante (45), Luiz (78)
manCHester City 0
Chelsea inflicted Manchester City’s first defeat of the season in a compelling contest at Stamford Bridge.
Strikers were conspicuous by their absence, with Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and City’s Raheem Sterling deployed in the “false nine” position, and the hosts absorbed repeated pressure from Pep Guardiola’s men before earning a 2-0 win.
Infrequent goalscorer N’Golo Kante gave Chelsea the lead on the stroke of half-time, completing a devastating counter-attack by scoring with the Blues’ first shot of the game, and David Luiz headed in a second 12 minutes from time.
City had been unbeaten in 21 games, since April’s defeat in the Manchester derby, and now sit a point behind Liverpool. Chelsea are third, eight points behind Liverpool.
Chelsea had lost to Tottenham and Wolves in their prior three league games, with many anticipating a heavy defeat to City.
Maurizio Sarri either was not aware or did not take heed of Hazard’s comments after Chelsea’s loss at the Etihad Stadium in March.
Antonio Conte, Sarri’s predecessor, had asked Hazard to play as a false nine and afterwards the Belgian expressed his frustration.
Sarri explained his deployment of Hazard, without a goal in 11 matches for club and country, was for “faster football”,
Kepa 7; Azpilicueta 8, Alonso 7, Rudiger 8, Luiz 8; Kante 8, Jorginho 7, Kovacic 6 (Barkley 65, 6); Pedro 6, Willian 6 (Loftus-Cheek 75, 6), Hazard 7 (Giroud 90, 5). Unused subs – Fabregas, Caballero, Christensen, Emerson.
Ederson 6; Walker 6, Delph 6, Stones 7, Laporte 6; Bernardo 6, Fernandinho 7, D Silva 6 (Gundogan 68, 6); Mahrez 6 (Foden 84, 5), Sterling 6, Sane 5 (Jesus 53, 6). Unused subs – Danilo, Kompany, Otamendi, Muric.
CHelsea:
manCHester City:
only it was City who were half a second ahead.
The intensity of City’s press and the comparison with Chelsea’s meant the visitors dominated possession from the start and hemmed their hosts in their own half.
City should have led after nine minutes. Fernandinho won the ball off Jorginho, Sterling surged forwards and played it left for David Silva.
The ball was pulled back for Sterling, but, seeking a goal on his 24th birthday, he snatched at the chance, shooting straight at Kepa Arrizabalaga.
City seemed happy to keep the pressure on and bide their time, waiting for a Chelsea mistake, but Luiz, Antonio