Key events<\/p>\n
Show key events only<\/p>\n
Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n
86 min Before today, City had won only five of their 12 league games in 2026. But that team is not the same as the one that has returned from spring break. They are playing with a rhythm and a swagger that we took for granted with Pep Guardiola\u2019s City before that astonishing slump in the winter of 2024-25.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n 85 min Ait-Nouri fouls Gusto on the edge of the D. Palmer curls a low free-kick around the wall and Donnarumma holds on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 83 min Cucurella runs onto a neat chip from Lavia and powers a header that is pawed away well by Donnarumma.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 82 min: Double substitution for Chelsea Liam Delap and Dario Essugo, who is making his Premier League<\/a> debut, replace Moises Caicedo and Joao Pedro.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 81 min: City substitution Mateo Kovacic, who has been out since October, comes on for Bernardo Silva.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 81 min Goal difference could be a factor, which is one reason City are hunting more goals. They are now three behind Arsenal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.11 EDT<\/p>\n 80 min Semenyo runs at a backpedalling defence but shoots tamely at Sanchez from 20 yards.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.09 EDT<\/p>\n 79 min \u201cGo on then… will Arsenal blow it?\u201d wonders Max Williams. \u201cI think Arteta\u2019s boys will just slump over the line, primarily because they aren\u2019t as bad and City aren\u2019t as good as recent games suggest. In fact it wouldn\u2019t amaze me if they get a result at the Etihad next week. (And quite possibly drop more points the week after.) Equally, there\u2019s a chance we get a 2023 redux and Arsenal totally fall away, City sealing it with a couple of games to spare. Either way, the Narrative Gods were never going to allow the Gunners an easy run at their first title in 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n This weekend makes City favourites, right? But if Arsenal win at the Etihad on Sunday they will almost end the title race at a stroke. And their run-in, post-Etihad, is pretty good. But yesterday\u2019s performance was alarming.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.12 EDT<\/p>\n 78 min Barring a comeback for the ages, Chelsea<\/a> will finish the day in sixth \u2013 four points behind Chelsea and seven behind both Aston Villa and Manchester United. Their Champions League hopes may be over if they fail to beat Man Utd at Stamford Bridge next Saturday.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 76 min: Double substitution for City Phil Foden and Savinho come on for Jeremy Doku, who scored the third goal, and Rayan Cherki, who made the first two. Cherki is so much fun.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 76 min Khusanov is encouraged to shoot by the away fans. He does, smashing a violent 30-yarder that whooshes not far wide.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 75 min \u201cIs Nico O\u2019Reilly the new Chris Lawler?\u201d wonders Steve Bradfield. \u201cBoth full-backs – Lawler on the right of course – with a goalscoring knack.\u201d<\/p>\n His timing in the penalty box is immaculate. I suppose that\u2019s no surprise given he grew up as a No10, but it\u2019s such an asset for City and potentially England.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 74 min It looks better now: Rodri is back on his feet and the pain has apparently abated.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 72 min Rodri is in serious pain after jarring his ankle while being challenged by Lavia. This doesn\u2019t look great.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 70 min The camera cuts to a Manchester City<\/a> fan who is pretending to swig from an Arsenal water bottle. Where\u2019s Roy Walker when you need him?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.02 EDT<\/p>\n A fine goal from Jeremy Doku, one that that symbolises City\u2019s ravenous hunger. Sanchez rolled the ball out to Caicedo, who farted around 25 yards from his own goal. Doku, with help from Cherki, nicked the ball and charged through to score with ease.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Chelsea 0-3 Man City (Doku 68)<\/p>\n It\u2019s turning into a rout!<\/p>\n J\u00e9r\u00e9my Doku scores after he dispossessed Mois\u00e9s Caicedo. Photograph: Javier Garc\u00eda\/ShutterstockDoku celebrates scoring. Photograph: Nigel Keene\/ProSports\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.11 EDT<\/p>\n 67 min: Double substitution for Chelsea<\/a> Romeo Lavia and Alejandro Garnacho replace Andrey Santos and Estevao.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 66 min Cucurella races down the left and angles the ball back to Palmer, who sweeps a first-time shot that deflcets behind off Guehi. Excellent defending.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 65 min \u201cFor pity\u2019s sake,\u201d sighs Charles Antaki. \u201cAll that\u2019s needed now is for Rayan Cherki to step forward to do a lap of the pitch doing keepy-uppies, nutmegging each opposition player in turn, doing backflips and then spending the last five minutes sitting on the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n Ah, a good excuse to link to one of my favourite goals<\/a>. I love the matter-of-fact way the commentator says \u201cMurray having a seat on the ball\u201d, as if it happened every week. Probably did.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 64 min: City substitution O\u2019Reilly is replaced by Rayan Ait-Nouri. The body language of all concerned suggest it\u2019s at least partially a precaution, and that he could be fit for the Arsenal match.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 64 min Nico O\u2019Reilly is down with a hamstring problem. It looks like a strain rather than a tear, but surely City won\u2019t want to risk him ahead of next week\u2019s match against Arsenal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.52 EDT<\/p>\n 63 min \u201cCherki is such a lovely footballer,\u201d writes Niall Mullen. \u201cIt\u2019s funny that a season that looked like it would be won easily by a meticulously coached team reliant on set-pieces might be decided by a free spirit out there living his best life.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 62 min This is the top of table as things stand.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 61 min City now have an aggregate score of 8-0 in their last three games, all against English football royalty: Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea<\/a>. Talk about hitting form at the right time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Manchester City have been quite sensational since the break. Cherki took a short corner on the left, got the ball back from Doku and embarked on a jaunty run across the line of the penalty area. He beat two players before flicking a sudden pass through to Guehi, who took a touch and finished expertly across Sanchez. Beautiful pass, fine finish.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Chelsea 0-2 Masn City (Guehi 57)<\/p>\n Marc Guehi makes it two with a terrific goal!<\/p>\n Marc Guehi of Manchester City scores his team’s second goal. Photograph: Ryan Pierse\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.50 EDT<\/p>\n 56 min Whatever Pep Guardiola said at half-time has worked, because they are all over Chelsea<\/a> like a cheap cliche.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 54 min City have been brilliant since half-time. Semenyo controls a long pass, chops back inside Cucurella and hits a shot that deflects behind. Cucurella made a really good recovery challenge, though he was then booked for dissent.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 53 min Honestly, I\u2019m struggling to recall a full-back in football history who scored centre-forward\u2019s goals with the frequency and timing of Nico O\u2019Reilly. There have been better goalscorers, of course, but full-backs usually score from weird and wonderful angles and distances. O\u2019Reilly is taking the bread from Erling Haaland\u2019s table!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.43 EDT<\/p>\n This kid is remarkable and he has given City the lead with another excellent goal. After a patient build-up on the right, Cherki teased a lovely ball towards a crowd of players on the six-yard line. O\u2019Reilly fought his way past Andrey Santos and headed emphatically past Sanchez. Wow.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Chelsea 0-1 Man City (O’Reilly 51)<\/p>\n Name a left-back who scores more goalscorer\u2019s goals than Nico O\u2019Reilly? I\u2019ll wait.<\/p>\n Nico O’Reilly of Manchester City scores. Photograph: Catherine Ivill\/AMA\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.49 EDT<\/p>\n 49 min Having seen a replay, I think that shot from Haaland was going well wide.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 48 min Doku wants a penalty after a slight shove from Palmer in the area. Not enough in that.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 47 min: Chance for Haaland! Doku angles a sharp pass into the area for Haaland, who gets away an early shot that is crucially blocked by Hato. I\u2019m not certain Haaland\u2019s shot was on target \u2013 but if it was, Sanchez wouldn\u2019t have saved it.<\/p>\n Moments later, Cherki\u2019s cross-shot takes a touch and flies wide of the farp ost.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 46 min Chelsea begin the second half.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cSo far so good, -ish, for the Arsenal fan,\u201d shivers Charles Antaki. \u201cAfter yesterday, when my lucky rabbit\u2019s foot, four leaf clover, horseshoe and combined prayer wheel\/dreamcatcher utterly failed to deliver a decent result against Bournemouth \u2013 it\u2019s almost as if groundless superstitious practices can\u2019t be relied on \u2013 things are taking a turn for the better here. Of course, this might herald an avalanche of goals from Haaland in the second half, so it\u2019s the voodoo doll out again. He\u2019s a lovely boy, and there\u2019s nothing personal of course, but a dismal afternoon from him and his team is what the witch doctor ordered.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cAs the game wore on, my eyes kept being drawn to the Manchester City kit,\u201d writes K\u00e1ri Tulinius. \u201cNow, I\u2019m not one to hate on all gry football shirts, City have had some nice ones in fact, but something about the combination of light grey and neon green puts me in mind of a cheap 1990s pocket radio. Speaking of that decade, is that the worst Premier League kit since Manchester United\u2019s one-half wonder in 1996<\/a>?\u201d<\/p>\n At least that kit looked good with jeans.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Half-time reading<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Half time: Chelsea 0-0 Man City<\/p>\n Andrey Santos heads a half chance over the bar, the last touch of an interesting if largely uneventful first half at Stamford Bridge. Marc Cucurella had a goal disallowed for offside at one end; Robert Sanchez saved well from Bernardo Silva at the other.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45+1 min Bernardo Silva\u2019s inswinging corner beats everyone and goes out for a goalkick on the far side.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 min Semenyo bursts into life with a typical run across the face of the penalty area. Eventually he reverses a shot that takes a nick off a defender and goes behind for a corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 44 min City have had 68 per cent possession, though their performance hasn\u2019t felt that dominant.<\/p>\n Chelsea’s Joao Pedro and Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku. Photograph: Rob Newell\/CameraSport\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.36 EDT<\/p>\n 43 min Estevao\u2019s first dangerous run is ended by a good tackle from Bernardo Silva. The game needs a goal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 39 min O\u2019Reilly makes good ground on the left and plays a crisp cutback to Cherki. He sweeps a first-time shot from 17 yards that is too close to Sanchez.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 38 min Semenyo is booked for a nothing foul on Neto. After a good start, the match has become bitty.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 36 min Estevao, who has been booked, is penalised for a clumsy tackle on Doku. Careful now.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 34 min Doku finds the underlapping O\u2019Reilly near the byline in the area. His precise cutback is met by Bernardo Silva, whose close-range shot \u2013 taken under pressure and therefore not cleanly struck \u2013 is well blocked by Sanchez.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 33 min Donnarumma runs 20 yards out of his area to stop Joao Pedro running only his own lob forward. Important goalkeeping because Joao Pedro was away.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 30 min Neto, apparently boxed in near the corner flag, nutmegs Nunes magnificently. Rodri has to step across to concede a corner.<\/p>\n