toptop
Manchester
City defeated Chelsea for the second time in four days with a 4-0 win in the
third round of the FA Cup to pile the pressure on Blues manager Graham Potter.
City were three up at half-time thanks to Riyad Mahrez's magnificent free-kick,
Julian Alvarez's penalty and Phil Foden's tremendous team goal. Mahrez added his
second and City's fourth from the spot late on to further underline the gulf
between the two teams.
Pep Guardiola's team can look forward to a tie at home to Arsenal if the Premier
League leaders overcome Oxford United on Monday evening. As for Chelsea, it is
the first time this century that the Blues find themselves not among the clubs
in the fourth round.
The result adds to the pressure on Potter, who was only appointed in September.
Chelsea have now lost six of their last nine matches in all competitions and
have not tasted victory away from home since beating Red Bull Salzburg in
October.
Player ratings
Man City: Ortega (7), Walker (9), Akanji (8), Laporte (8),
Gomez (7), Rodri (8), Bernardo (8), Palmer (7), Mahrez (9), Alvarez (8), Foden
(9).
Subs: Phillips (6), Cancelo (6), Lewis (n/a).
Chelsea: Kepa (6), Chalobah (5), Humphreys (6), Koulibaly (5),
Hall (6), Jorginho (6), Kovacic (5), Gallagher (6), Mount (5), Ziyech (6),
Havertz (3).
Subs: Zakaria (6), Fofana (6), Azpilicueta (6), Hutchinson (6),
Chukwuemeka.
Player of the match: Riyad Mahrez.
How Man City blew Chelsea away
It was Mahrez who scored the only goal of the game when these teams met in the
Premier League on Thursday and he broke the deadlock again here. His curling
free-kick from the right edge of the box arrowed into the top corner beyond Kepa
Arrizabalaga's dive.
If Chelsea could do little to stop that, the second was self-inflicted. Kai
Havertz led with his hand when trying to clear a corner at the near post and the
VAR could not miss it. Alvarez, starting for the first time since his World Cup
win with Argentina, just about beat Kepa.
City had dropped points against Brentford and Everton in their last two Premier
League games in front of their home supporters but they did not go two up then.
With that advantage, the confidence grew and Guardiola's side really started to
purr.
What a goal their third of the first half was. Kyle Walker's trickery got them
moving, Foden and Rodri trading flicks, Mahrez found Walker's overlapping run
and there was Foden from close range to tap in. It was a goal typical of this
City side at their absolute best.
Tributes to Vialli
The passing of former Chelsea striker Gianluca Vialli was marked by a minute of
applause before kick-off with further chants from the away end in the ninth
minute of the game as supporters held up signs in his honour.
Though the pace dropped thereafter, another good move brought the fourth goal
when Kalidou Koulibaly clumsily bundled Foden to the ground and the referee had
little choice but to point to the spot. Mahrez did the rest, lashing the ball
high into the net.
There might even be an argument that City look more fluid with Alvarez making
these unselfish runs up front than Erling Haaland, the team's prolific striker,
stood there banging them in himself. Either way, it is the sort of problem that
Potter would love to have.
Throughout the second half, sections of the 8,000-strong travelling support
chanted the name of his predecessor Thomas Tuchel, having earlier sang the name
of the now departed owner Roman Abramovich. All is not well at Chelsea. The Man
City machine rolls on.
What's next?
Manchester City's next game is at Southampton in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals
on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports - kick-off 8pm.
Pep Guardiola's side then travel to neighbours Manchester United for a Premier
League clash on Saturday - kick-off 12.30pm.
Chelsea's next fixture is away to west London rivals Fulham in the Premier
League on Thursday - kick-off 8pm.
The Blues then host Crystal Palace in another top-flight clash on Sunday -
kick-off 2pm.
Teams
Manchester City Ortega, Walker (c), Laporte, Akanji, Rodri
(Phillips 58), Gomez (Cancelo 58), Silva (Lewis 86), Mahrez, Palmer, Foden,
Alvarez
Subs Not Used Ederson, Ake, Stones, Gundogan, De Bruyne,
Haaland
Booked Rodri, Silva, Cancello
Goals Mahrez 23, 85 (pen), Alvarez 30 (pen), Foden 38
Chelsea Kepa, Humphreys, Chalobah, Koulibaly, Hall, Jorginho
(c) (Azpilicueta 63), Kovacic (Fofana 46), Ziyech (Hutchinson 63), Gallagher,
Mount (Chukwuemeka 73), Havertz (Zakaria 46)
Subs Not Used Bettinelli, Cucurella, Badiashile, Silva
Booked Gallagher
Goals
Attendance 51,505
Referee Robert Jones
VAR John Brooks