Manchester City had little trouble in beating an overly cautious Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon as Bernardo Silva scored in a 1-0 home win.
For the first time since Opta records began in 2003 the Blues did not register a single attempt on goal during the first half as they were content to merely defend.
Antonio Conte's side did manage to keep City out until the break, thanks to Cesar Azpilicueta's intervention on his own goalline after Leroy Sane had shot past Thibaut Courtois.
Chelsea's rearguard action was undone 34 seconds after the restart as Bernardo turned home a cross from David Silva at the far post, after a poor Andres Christiansen clearance.
Relive how the action unfolded at Eastlands with our minute-by-minute updates below.
The defending champions visit the soon-to-be champions in today's showpiece Premier League encounter as newly-crowned EFL Cup winners Manchester City host Chelsea, who are 22 points adrift of the runaway leaders and even facing a battle to finish inside the Champions League places.
Pep Guardiola's side, in the process of winning the first trophy of the Spaniard's tenure, have twice taken Arsenal to the cleaners in the past week and will be looking to further stamp their complete authority on the English game by knocking off another London giant. Team news on the way...
MAN CITY: Ederson; Walker, Laporte, Otamendi, Zinchenko; Gundogan, Silva, De Bruyne; Bernardo, Sane, Aguero
Subs: Bravo, Stones, Kompany, Danilo, Jesus, Yaya Toure, Foden
Subs: Bravo, Stones, Kompany, Danilo, Jesus, Yaya Toure, Foden
CHELSEA: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger; Moses, Fabregas, Drinkwater, Alonso; Willian, Hazard, Pedro
Subs: Caballero, Cahill, Zappacosta, Emerson, Chalobah, Giroud, Morata
Subs: Caballero, Cahill, Zappacosta, Emerson, Chalobah, Giroud, Morata
The big news from the Chelsea camp is that there is no N'Golo Kante, who presumably misses out today on fitness grounds. The Frenchman would have had a key role to play in surrounding Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva and preventing the City midfielders from getting too much time and space.
In his absence, and that of other midfield regular Tiemoue Bakayoko because of injury, Danny Drinkwater makes successive Premier League starts for the first time for Chelsea, and Cesc Fabregas is recalled in a two-man midfield, which gives him more defensive responsbility than he would like.
The second and final change from Chelsea's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United sees Alvaro Morata drop to the bench, with Pedro brought in to join in-form duo Eden Hazard and Willian in a front three. Hazard will be tasked with playing through the middle while Morata and Olivier Giroud wait in reserve.
Kyle Walker has passed a late fitness test to start for Man City, having limped off during the win over Arsenal with a calf problem. Guardiola does make two changes in defence though, leaving out Vincent Kompany and Danilo and recalling Aymeric Laporte and, at left-back, Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho again miss out for the league leaders as they nurse muscle problems. Fabian Delph completes his three-match suspension and Benjamin Mendy, despite a false update on his fitness by City's social media team this week, remains a long-term absentee.
Although Gabriel Jesus is fit enough to be back on City's bench, Sergio Aguero keeps his place at the heart of the home attack. The Argentine has scored eight goals in 12 appearances against Chelsea, including five in the last four Premier League games. His next would be his 200th for City.
It wasn't Aguero, but De Bruyne who was the match-winner when these two teams met in September, scoring a superb solo winner on his return to Stamford Bridge to seal a watershed 1-0 win for City. His form since will only make Chelsea regret their 2014 sale of the Belgian even more.
De Bruyne's chances at Chelsea, for whom he made only nine first-team appearances January 2012 and January 2014, were limited due to to the signing of Willian in the summer of 2013. The Brazilian has been in excellent form himself lately, scoring four goals in his last three matches in all comps.
Chelsea have explained that the absence of Kante this afternoon is down to illness - big loss.
.@nglkante is missing today due to illness. #MCICHE pic.twitter.com/TQRcLCzHCd — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) March 4, 2018
Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool's 2-0 victories over Huddersfield Town and Newcastle United respectively yesterday has put the pressure on Chelsea ahead of their trip to Eastlands, as if it wasn't difficult enough already. The defending champions are now five points adrift of the top four.
RESULT: One thing Chelsea don't have to worry about is Arsenal creeping up on them from behind. The Gunners have had another miserable day, losing 2-1 to Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium. Get the popcorn ready for Arsenal Fan TV later. It will be unmissable, blud.
While the table isn't looking too rosy for Chelsea, their hosts today continue to break records. Their 75 points after 28 matches is a top-flight best while their 82 goals is the most since Spurs in 1962-63.
If meaningless records are your kind of thing, here is another one for you. If City score multiple goals for a 14th straight home game, they will match the Premier League record held by Liverpool. City have won 13 successive Premier League home games, scoring at least twice in each.
The last team to win at the Etihad Stadium in the league was indeed Chelsea, 16 months ago. The Citizens lost 3-1 and ended the match with nine mean after Fernandinho and Aguero were sent off.
City have won five consecutive Premier League home fixtures against the current title holders, but Chelsea are not showing the form of reigning champions. They have lost three of their last four Premier League games, which is as many defeats as they suffered in their previous 23.
It is their away form which has derailed Chelsea's season either side of the New Year. The Blues own only two victories in 10 previous away matches in all competitions - at Brighton and Huddersfield - while they have won just one of four Premier League games at top six sides this season.
STATS: Antonio Conte could lose three straight league away fixtures for the first time as a manager, while Chelsea could sustain a fourth straight away loss in all competitions for the first time in 14 years. The Etihad Stadium is not where you want to be on such a poor away run.
However, Conte has a slight hold over Guardiola that no other manager does. Last season saw him become the first person to record a top-flight double over the Spaniard, who could get revenge today and follow Sampdoria's Delio Rossi, in 2012-13, in doing the same to the Chelsea boss.
While Chelsea have been far from their best in recent weeks, the same cannot be said for Hazard who has six goals in his last seven league outings. The Belgian, undoubtedly Chelsea's key player this afternoon, has scored four goals and assisted four in his last seven games against Man City.
The hosts have their very own wing wizard in Leroy Sane, whose performances against Arsenal this week may have taken years off Hector Bellerin's career. The Gunners full-back was dropped for today's defeat to Brighton after being completely torn apart by Sane's frigtening speed and skill.
The task of stopping Sane today falls to Victor Moses, who will also have valuable support from Cesar Azpilicueta on the right side of Chelsea's three-man defence. Those two working in tandem might mean that Sane does not have as much joy today, but City have so many other threats.
Around 10 minutes until kickoff here in Manchester, where history suggests that we are guaranteed goals. There has been just one 0-0 in the past 29 meetings between City and Chelsea.
Before we settle down to an afternoon of hopefully wonderful football and entertainment, let's touch on the death of Fiorentina captain Davide Astori, who passed away suddenly this morning at the age of 31. Tributes have been pouring in, including from Conte, who managed him for Italy.
'He was a great player but especially a fantastic guy. I stay really close to his family at this moment because he was only 31. It's very difficult to explain this situation to his wife, his parents and daughter.' — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) March 4, 2018
HEAD TO HEAD: Chelsea own more Premier League victories over City than any other team - 24 - and have only lost on one of their last four trips to the Etihad Stadium, back in August 2015.
The Citizens are looking to record their first league double over Chelsea for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign. A victory would take them a massive 18 points clear at the top of the table.
PREDICTION: Nobody looks capable of stopping City right now and, although Chelsea are far more formidable opponents than Arsenal, their recent away form doesn't fill me with confidence. I think the hosts will run out 3-1 winners but it will be a tight game for the opening hour or so.
KICKOFF: We are underway at the Etihad, where Dennis Tueart, a League Cup winner for City back in 1976, presented the EFL trophy to the crowd to rouse the home crowd before the whistle.
Pedro and Willian have started quite deep and narrow, to help out Chelsea's midfield duo which may have struggled even with Kante but are certainly in danger of being overrun without him.
City have started firmly on the front foot, with David Silva at the centre of a couple of promising attacks which Chelsea survive via last-minute interventions from Azpilicueta and Courtois.
Chelsea have barely had a kick yet and are getting plenty behind the ball. De Bruyne tries one of his early, swinging crosses from the right, but Azpilicueta is alert to the danger.
The visitors' first opportunity to counter through Willian is stopped at source by Zinchenko. The Chelsea man is winded by an accidental elbow to the gut but is back on his feet now.
City work the ball intricately down the left and Silva's cross is in towards Sane, who swings and misses on the volley but Christensen's clearance at least wins the hosts a corner.
Chelsea overplay at the back and Sane pinches the ball from Azpilicueta and squares to Aguero. The lethal Argentine tries to create room to get a shot away but Rudiger is on hand to block.
They have not get their passing game going yet, Chelsea. They have been happy to get the ball clear at any cost, which has made it difficult for Hazard to hold the ball up. That's not his bag.
Fabregas gives Hazard something hopeful to chase onto but Ederson is off his line rapidly to chest the ball down and clear it. The Belgian has only had a couple of touches so far.
A slack pass from Drinkwater invites City to spring on Chelsea but the visitors are quickly back in their shape, which is most definitely a 5-4-1. In that case I am even more surprised that neither Morata or Giroud were included in the lineup as Hazard is being isolated out of the game in this system.
CLOSE! Sane and Bernardo show signs of their Thursday night magic as the German embarks on a dazzling run which commits four Chelsea defenders. The ball is eventually teed up for Bernardo, who comes close to a replica to his Arsenal goal with a left-footed curler which glances the roof of the net.
Chelsea have no method of moving the ball upfield and another hack forwards from Christensen, who is usually so composed in possession, flies over Willian and out of play.
YELLOW! Zinchenko gets caught between Willian and Moses and lunges in on the latter. Referee Michael Oliver plays the advantage to allow Willian to drive forward, his cross turned behind by Laporte, before bringing back play to caution the Ukrainian, who is lucky the contact was minimum as the intent was not.
OFF THE LINE! Sane peels off at the back post and De Bruyne finds him from a wide free kick. The German's two touches are sensational, to bring the ball under control and then shoot with his right foot past Courtois, only for Azpilicueta to make a brilliant clearance from under his own crossbar.
I think Sane has shown this week that he is a potential superstar of world football. He is coming into the game more and more, displaying outstanding close control and a blistering turn of pace.
Chelsea finally string some passes together as Drinkwater releases Willian down the right channel. The Brazilian knocks the ball by Otamendi and is blatantly knocked to the ground, only for Michael Oliver to wave play on. That would have been a good set-piece situation for Chelsea, and dead balls may be their only chance to score based on this opening half-an-hour of football.
Sane turns away from Drinkwater and runs at the Chelsea backline, with three defenders coming over to offer help but therefore freeing up Bernardo who gets his first-time shot badly wrong.
The right flank, in behind Zinchenko, looks like Chelsea's best and perhaps only avenue to get at Chelsea. Pedro gets down the wing and stands up a cross which Ederson claims with ease.
This has been an awful display from Chelsea thus far, so defeatist and thoughtless. They are playing the ball up to Hazard as if he is Diego Costa and it is making the Belgian visibly annoyed.
Chelsea have two very good passers of the ball in midfield in Drinkwater and Fabregas but they have not shown any intent to get on the ball and compete with the Blues for possession.
DISALLOWED! Aguero makes an intelligent run off the first man at a free kick and De Bruyne expertly slips the ball into his path. The striker scuffs his shot but it still gets past Courtois, and Otamendi races in to tap the ball in from close range, only for the flag to go up against Aguero.
Pedro goes on a mazy run into the City box but Otamendi stands him up well at the expense of a corner. Chelsea need more of that, their players backing their own ability on the ball. These are top-class players but they are playing with a serious inferiority complex this afternoon.
Chelsea have the slightest sniff of a four-on-four break but Otamendi brings that to an end with a cynical foul on Hazard which goes unpunished. He's got away with a couple in this half.
HALF TIME: MAN CITY 0-0 CHELSEA
Chelsea have made it to half time intact but this has not been the big showdown between two of the Premier League's best that we were promised. The visitors have been nothing but negative, playing in a very similar way to how Newcastle did at the Etihad to widespread criticism.
STAT: For the first time since Opta record began in the 2003-04 season, Chelsea have failed to register a single attempt on goal during a half of football. This is the defending champions we are talking about, and even they are afraid to take the game to Pep Guardiola's side.
Eden Hazard might be having stern words with some of his teammates at half time. The service to the Belgian has been absolutely thoughtless, long balls which would be more suitable to either Morata and Giroud and yet they sit on the bench. It has to change from Chelsea in the second half.
The only positive for Chelsea is that they made it to half time on parity with City, who have been completely dominant but haven't created too many clear-cut chances. Bernardo Silva came close with a left-footed curler, and Sane had a great effort cleared off the line by the heroic Azpilicueta.
BENCH WATCH: As alluded to already, Chelsea have to bring on either Morata or Giroud to allow Hazard to abandon the number nine position and get more involved in the game. It would be a brave move, considering they are holding the runaway leaders, but I doubt they can hold out for 90 minutes.
Current situation at The Etihad Stadium 😢😢💔 #MCICHE pic.twitter.com/z0CHrfvGxL — Princess 💕⚽ (@LitSego) March 4, 2018
KICKOFF: City get the game back underway, and just 34 seconds after the restart...
GOAL! MAN CITY 1-0 CHELSEA (BERNARDO SILVA)
Christensen's miscued clearance falls to Aguero, who tees up David Silva for a ball into a great area, and Bernardo is braver than Alonso at the back post to steer the ball past an out-of-position Courtois!
From a neutral's perspecitive, that is absolutely the best thing that could have happened to this game as it will hopefully force Chelsea to abandon their negative approach and come out and play. It is also proof that a lack of intent and defeatist attitude can rarely prevails. Give it a go man!
After opening the scoring in rapid fashion at the beginning of the half, Bernardo comes up with an important defensive contribution by cutting out a Fabregas pass which would have set Alonso free.
There has been no change of tact from Chelsea so far. They continue to sit off City, and are almost content to watch them stroke the ball around midfield. Kante has been a big miss for the Blues today but there is no excuse for the passive performances that his teammates have produced so far.
CHANCE! Best, and so far only, chance of the game for Chelsea as Fabregas spreads the ball to Moses, who was left in space by an intelligent run inside from Willian. He lines up a shot from a tight angle but slices it horribly wide.
SHOT! Silva drives forward with more intent than any Chelsea player has shown all game, skipping past a couple of challenges and unleashing a shot which Courtois pushes away.
YELLOW! Rudiger enters the book on a totting up basis, with referee Michael Oliver signalling that it was his fourth foul with an Andre Arshavin-esque hand signal. Bit of a niche reference there but a few of you may remember that day when the Russian scored four against Liverpool.
Chelsea counter three on three but Pedro's pass is overhit, inducing more frustration from Hazard. This type of performance may make noises of a move to Real Madrid all the more attractive.
Not only Hazard, but what must the likes of Fabregas and Willian think of this approach from Conte? It is almost a signal from the Chelsea manager, to the club's board, that his side are not capable of competing with Man City, which is simply not true. It you don't try, you will never know, anyway.
Sane whips in a cross which Christensen dangerously deflects into the hands of Courtois. The lack of confidence shown in them by their manager is filtering through to the Chelsea players.
De Bruyne brings the ball forward and plays a good pass into the penalty area for Aguero, but Rudiger does well to usher him away from goal. The ball is eventually recycled to the Belgian but his strike is high and wide.
With just over 20 minutes to go, City remain in complete control in this game and yet haven't got the points in the bag. They will want a second in the next five minutes or so to avoid a nervy finish because, although Chelsea have been shamefully bad, stranger things have happened in football.
The Blues briefly have a two-on-two opening but the recovery speed of the City players is remarkable, to force Pedro into a rushed pass which was miles in front of a very frustrated Hazard.
This match continues to mirror an attack versus defence training exercise. It can't be long until Antonio Conte turns to his bench to try to rescue what would be a great but undeserved point.
Rudiger attempts to bring the ball out of defence but is robbed by Gundogan, but the German recovers well to prevent his international colleague from breaking into the box.
City won't believe how easy they have had it this afternoon. They have registered three times as many passes as Chelsea today, close to 900, and Ederson has been a spectator in goal.
SUBSTITUTION: Finally Conte makes a change as Giroud comes on for Willian. Sarcastic cheers greet the substitution but those certainly are not aimed at Willian's performance.
De Bruyne has a great chance to feed Aguero but for once his pass is lacking the accuracy required. There is still time for a Chelsea sucker-punch here which would be a grave injustice.
SUBSTITUTION: Another change from Conte as Emerson comes on for Pedro, who has been one of Chelsea's poorer players. This is a Premier League debut for the man signed from Roma in January.
SUBSTITUTION: No 200th City goal today for Aguero as he makes way for Gabriel Jesus.
SUBSTITUTION: Guardiola swaps Zinchenko for Danilo for the final four minutes plus stoppage time. The Ukrainian was unconvincing with his defensive positioning and picked up an early yellow card, but Chelsea did not do enough to put pressure on the youngster.
SUBSTITUTION: Conte gives Morata a whole minute to influence the game, and it is an even more unpopular change because Hazard is the man who is replaced. The Belgian won't have had many more unenjoyable afternoons on a football pitch, and his face shows it.
As we enter the first of FOUR minutes of stoppage time, Chelsea still look no more likely to grab an equaliser. Still they have yet to register a single shot on target.
SUBSTITUTION: De Bruyne cuts inside from the right and lays the ball of for Sane 25 yards out. The German is not quite as lethal on his right foot and skies the ball into the stands. Phil Foden is on for David Silva, who gets a standing ovation as he leaves the field.
SHOT! Chelsea threaten to quite literally steal a point as Alonso volleys a few yards wide from the edge of the box, after Morata had hooked the ball hopefully over his shoulder.
FULL TIME: MAN CITY 1-0 CHELSEA
Man City move a step closer to an inevitable title triumph with a 1-0 success over Chelsea, whose overly cautious approach prevented this from being the spectacle that such a top-six clash should be. The Blues, five points adrift of Spurs, have a lot of work to do now if they are to make the top four.
You can read our match report on the action at the Etihad Stadium here. Chelsea's players might want to, as they didn't turn up for the actual game. That's it from me, but I'll be back with you tomorrow night for live updates on Manchester United's trip to Crystal Palace. Until then, goodbye!
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
