However, Chelsea sealed the victory in the 90th minute as Fernando Torres capitalised on some catastrophic City defending to tap in the decisive goal.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the action at Stamford Bridge.

Match statistics:

Chelsea:
Shots 12
On target 4
Possession 46%
Corners 3
Fouls 11

Man City:
Shots 15
On target 6
Possession 54%
Corners 6
Fouls 15

Was the result fair?

The game was a very open one, particularly in the second half, with both sides looking likely to get something out of it. However, it must be said that Chelsea took more risks and were ultimately rewarded for their persistence. Manchester City will feel frustrated that they did not come away from Stamford Bridge with at least a point, but they sat back for the final 10 minutes and paid the price.

Chelsea's performance

Jose Mourinho's side started the match in blistering fashion before allowing the visitors a way back in. That said, Chelsea looked solid in defence whenever the slippery City attack put them under pressure. They also posed plenty of danger themselves at the other end thanks to a combination of quick passing and movement. It was not always happening for Chelsea, but they refused to settle for a point and managed to come out on top.

Man City's performance

This was yet another display of contrasts from Manuel Pellegrini's side as they looked threatening going forward while appearing vulnerable at the back. There was a lot to be impressed by from City when they got into Chelsea's half as Samir Nasri, David Silva and Aguero all linked well. Though, if they are going to win the title back, they need to shore up their defence quickly because this was well below the standards they undoubtedly set for themselves. Gael Clichy in particular had a poor 90 minutes being frequently torn to shreds by Torres.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Fernando Torres: The Chelsea striker made amends for a shocking miss earlier in the match when he set up Schurrle for the opening goal of the game before scoring a late winner. The Spaniard is a constant source of speculation in terms of his supposed decline, but this was Torres nearing his best.

Biggest gaffe

It would have been Torres's miss at the start of the match but for the defensive mix-up between Joe Hart and Matija Nastasic late on that gifted Chelsea the points. There was a total lack of communication between the pair as they allowed Torres to tap in the decisive goal after Nastasic had headed past his goalkeeper. Dreadful.

Referee performance

In what was a high-pressure fixture, Howard Webb did well to maintain control and make the football the spectacle.

What next?

Chelsea: The Blues travel to Arsenal on Tuesday in the fourth round of the League Cup.

Man City: City make the trip to Newcastle United on Wednesday for a fourth-round tie in the League Cup.