toptop
Liverpool
have been crowned Premier League champions after Chelsea's dramatic 2-1 victory
over Manchester City left the Reds with an unassailable lead.
City had to win to delay Liverpool's celebrations but a first-half defensive
mix-up allowed Christian Pulisic (36) to put Chelsea ahead and, after Kevin De
Bruyne's (55) sublime equaliser, Willian fired home a penalty following
Fernandinho's red card to seal Chelsea's - and Liverpool's - triumph.
With City 23 points behind Liverpool with just seven games to play, there is now
no way back mathematically for Pep Guardiola's back-to-back title winners, while
Chelsea celebrated a win which strengthens their hold on a top-four place.
Player ratings
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga (6), Azpilicueta (7), Rudiger (8),
Christensen (8), Alonso (6), Kante (7), Barkley (7), Mount (6), Willian (7),
Pulisic (8), Giroud (6).
Subs: Abraham (7), Kovacic (6), Pedro (N/A), Gilmour (N/A)
Man City: Ederson (6), Walker (7), Laporte (7), Fernandinho
(5), Mendy (3), Rodri (6), Gundogan (5), De Bruyne (8),Bernardo Silva (6),
Mahrez (7), Sterling (7).
Subs: David Silva (7), Jesus (6), Zinchenko (6), Otamendi (5)
Man of the match: Christian Pulisic (Chelsea)
At kick-off, Liverpool supporters across the country were watching on excitedly
with their first English title in 30 years potentially just 90 minutes away. But
City dominated the ball early on and looked likely to make the Reds wait go on
when Chelsea stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga nearly handed the visitors a goal,
miscuing a pass out and having to stop Bernardo Silva from capitalising.
Kepa impressed moments later though, tipping Fernandinho's header from a
set-piece over the bar and Chelsea began to get a foothold, with Ross Barkley
seeing one shot blocked and another cleared two yards out by Fernandinho before
Andreas Christensen drew a smart stop from Ederson with a header from the
resulting corner.
Those chances had come against the run of play and Chelsea took the lead on 36
minutes with a stunning counter-attack.
After a cleared Man City free-kick, Mendy and Gundogan's miscommunication
allowed Pulisic to pick up the ball just inside his own half and charge
forwards, where, after skipping past Mendy's recovery challenge, the American
expertly slotted in from the edge of the penalty area.
Both Chelsea and Liverpool supporters will have celebrated that one but just 10
minutes after the break De Bruyne hauled City back on level terms with a
sensational free-kick, looping his shot into the top corner from 30 yards out.
Raheem Sterling then almost completed the turn around when he chipped over Kepa
and onto the post from a fast City break before Mason Mount blew a great chance
to put Chelsea back in front, skewing wide on 62 minutes.
Sterling again went close, bending a shot just beyond the far post after Antonio
Rudiger had survived a VAR check on his painful - but legal - collision with De
Bruyne from a clearance.
However, despite City being in full flow, Chelsea remained dangerous on the
break and Kyle Walker pulled off an incredible sliding goalline clearance to
deny Pulisic a second on 72 minutes when Chelsea and Liverpool supporters were
just about to celebrate.
That Chelsea threat eventually proved too much when Fernandinho resorted to
pushing away a Tammy Abraham shot with his arm on the City goalline, after
Ederson had twice denied the England man. After a VAR check, the City defender
was shown a red card and Willian blasted emphatically into the top corner.
It was a big moment for the Brazilian, who could leave the Blues this summer,
and helped Chelsea boost their Champions League qualifying hopes. But it was a
far bigger moment for Liverpool supporters who celebrated outside Anfield.
Opta stats
2019-20 is the third of the last six Premier League seasons to see the title
decided in a match played at Stamford Bridge (Chelsea v Crystal Palace in
2014-15 and Chelsea v Tottenham in 2015-16), and the fourth of those six to be
decided in a game involving Chelsea (also West Brom v Chelsea in 2016-17).
Chelsea have won back-to-back Premier League home games against Manchester City
for the first time since the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola suffered his fourth defeat against Chelsea
at Stamford Bridge - across all competitions, the only away venue he has lost as
many games at in his managerial career is Anfield (four against Liverpool).
Chelsea's Christian Pulisic scored his seventh goal of the Premier League
season; the most of any player in the competition aged 21 or under.
Kevin De Bruyne's goal was his 16th from outside the box in the Premier League;
the most of any player in the competition since his Manchester City debut in
September 2015.
What's next?
Chelsea now go to Leicester on Sunday at 4pm in the FA Cup quarter-final.
City are at Newcastle in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday at 6.30pm, before
their clash with Liverpool on Thursday evening at 8.15pm, live on Sky Sports.
Click Here For Official Team Sheet
Teams
Chelsea Kepa, Azpilicueta (c), Rudiger, Christensen, Alonso,
Kante, Barkley (Kovacic 73), Pulisic (Gilmour 90+2), Willian, Giroud (Abraham
62), Mount (Pedro 90+1)
Subs Not Used Caballero, James, Zouma, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek
Booked Alonso
Goals Pulisic 36, Willian 78 (pen)
Manchester City Ederson, Walker, Laporte (Otamendi 74),
Fernandinho (c), Mendy (Zinchenko 59), B. Silva (Jesus 55), Rodrigo (D. Silva
55), Gundogan, Mahrez, Sterling, De Bruyne
Subs Not Used Carson, Sane, Doyle, Harwood-Bellis, Palmer
Booked De Bruyne
Sent Off Fernandinho 77
Goals De Bruyne 55
Attendance 0
Referee Stuart Attwell
VAR Craig Pawson