Chelsea Stunned by Manchester City in Etihad ThrillerChelsea Stunned by Manchester City in Etihad Thriller In a pulsating Etihad Stadium encounter, Manchester City dealt a crushing blow to Chelsea’s hopes of recovering from their recent slump, securing a thrilling 4-2 victory in a Premier League classic. From the outset, the match promised to be an enthralling affair. Manchester City, buoyed by their impressive midweek performance in the Champions League, imposed their high-tempo style on the encounter. Chelsea, under pressure to halt their slide down the table, responded with determination. The deadlock was broken just before the half-hour mark in spectacular fashion. Riyad Mahrez, released down the right flank, delivered a pinpoint cross into the Chelsea box. Gabriel Jesus, showing predatory instincts, rose above Thiago Silva to power a header past Kepa Arrizabalaga. Chelsea refused to be disheartened and responded with an equalizer six minutes later. Mason Mount, operating in a more central role, played a teasing pass into the path of Hakim Ziyech. The Moroccan winger made no mistake, finding the bottom corner with a composed finish. However, Manchester City regained the lead before halftime. Kevin De Bruyne, restored to the starting lineup, displayed his exceptional vision to thread a pass through the Chelsea defense. Phil Foden received the ball on the edge of the area and effortlessly chipped it over Arrizabalaga. The second half began with both sides pushing for more goals. Chelsea drew level again on the hour mark through Kai Havertz, who converted a low cross from Callum Hudson-Odoi. But Manchester City were not to be denied. With 15 minutes remaining, De Bruyne unleashed a thunderous shot from outside the box that flew into the top corner. Bernardo Silva added a fourth in stoppage time to seal the victory for the hosts. The win sees Manchester City extend their lead at the top of the table to eight points, while Chelsea remain ninth, 13 points adrift of the Champions League places. Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, praised his team’s performance after the match. “We played with courage and intensity today,” he said. “We knew Chelsea would be a tough opponent, but we showed our quality.” Graham Potter, the Chelsea manager, admitted that his team had been outplayed. “We started well and got back into the game twice, but ultimately, Manchester City were too strong for us,” he said. “We need to learn from this and move on.” For Chelsea, the defeat is a major setback in their bid to challenge for a top-four finish. Potter’s team must now regroup and find a way to rediscover the form that saw them reach last season’s Champions League final.
