The Stamford Bridge team is trying very hard to be able to revive. However, against a better Man City, Chelsea could not do it. Riyhad Mahrez’s only goal made teachers and coaches Graham Potter stand still in 10th place in the Premier League table.
Here are 5 notable highlights revolving around the match.
1. Pressure on Arsenal
Man City has a valuable victory.
Before the game, Pep Guardiola stressed that chasing Arsenal at the top would not be easy – but the gap between the two teams no longer seemed to be insurmountable.
Manchester City know they have the perfect opportunity to increase the pressure on Arsenal, as the Gunners were not originally expected to compete for the Premier League title this season.
It was not an easy game, but Man City completed the task. Victory over Chelsea is necessary for Man City to close the gap with Arsenal to 5 points.
2. Grealish and Mahrez .’s Answer
Guardiola insists he chooses the squad that ‘fans want to see’ before the game following Phil Foden’s return. But it was the arrival of Mahrez and Jack Grealish from the bench that was the turning point.
Grealish struggled to live up to expectations but he proved his worth with an accurate assist for his teammates. And Mahrez also showed the quality Man City expected from him with a shot that defeated Chelsea.
Grealish and Mahrez helped open the game in favor of Man City. Perhaps, only Pep knows his students best.
3. Injury nightmare
Chelsea suffered serious force losses.
Chelsea entered the match against Man City without Mason Mount and many other players. According to Metro, eight Chelsea first team players cannot attend this match. The situation was even worse when Sterling only appeared on the field for exactly 5 minutes.
Next, Christian Pulisic also left the field after 10 minutes of play. It is clear that injury is wreaking havoc on the Chelsea squad. Now, 10 Chelsea first team players are sidelined. This is no different from a nightmare for the Blues.
4. Chelsea lacks sharpness
With only 20 goals, Chelsea are the team to score the least in the top half of the Premier League table before the match against Man City. Unfortunately, they continue to look weak against the champions.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, replacing Sterling after only 5 minutes, led the attack along with Kai Havertz but both were completely missing in this match. Even Aubameyang was withdrawn in the 68th minute.
Young talent Omari Hutchinson is trusted by the Blues. However, against the defending champion, the task seems overwhelming for a player with little experience at the top.
Chelsea need to spend money in January to strengthen the squad, especially in attack.
5. A pending dismissal
Potter is at high risk of being fired.
Since replacing Thomas Tuchel, the situation has not improved much for coach Graham Potter. Chelsea’s form is quite volatile.
The Blues had a 3-game losing streak against Arsenal, Brighton and Newcastle in the Premier League. After the 2022 World Cup, teacher and coach Graham Potter returned with a victory over Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.
However, they were held to a draw by Nottingham Forest and now lost to Man City. Many British newspapers said that Potter was at risk of being fired if this situation persisted.
Xiao Lam | 06:50 06/01/2023
