Man City vs Chelsea ends in a draw as Erling Haaland misfires, while Rodri scores late equalizer to salvage a point
Man City vs Chelsea: An Overview
Manchester City hosted Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday, February 17.
The hosts entered this game on the back of a scintillating run of form, recording 10 wins on the bounce. They scored 12 goals in their last five games across competitions, conceding just three in return. Pep Guardiola’s men secured a comfortable 3-1 win over FC Copenhagen in the Champions League round of 16 first leg. They were looking to extend their winning run against the Blues.
Chelsea, on the other hand, entered this contest on the back of a mixed run of form. With two wins, two defeats and one draw in their last five games, they were still bordering on the top half of the table. They scored nine but conceded 10 goals in their last five, showing worrying signs. Their last outing was a spirited 3-1 win away at Crystal Palace as they looked to repeat the same.
The hosts were the clear favourites to win the game prior to kick-off.
Man City vs Chelsea: Match Report
Manchester City and Chelsea played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium. City remain in third place, two behind Arsenal and four behind Liverpool. The Blues retain 10th spot, level on points with Brighton above and Wolves below them.
City made a strong start to the game and looked to take control of the proceedings by controlling possession. They orchestrated several lovely moves from their own half to arrive in Chelsea’s 18-yard box. However, their forwards seemed to all have an off-day simultaneously as they miscued multiple chances. Just two of their 14 first-half attempts were on target.
With 33% of the ball, Chelsea had limited opportunities but grabbed them with both hands when they arrived. Raheem Sterling scored a goal just before half-time, assisted by Nicolas Jackson, as the Blues carried a one-goal lead into the break.
The story of the second half was pretty much the same. Manchester City continued to dominate possession and create chances but were wasteful in front of goal. They attempted 17 shots in the second half, with just three on target.
Rodri was the saviour for his team as he cropped up in the right place at the right time and smashed in an equalizer after 83 minutes. Neither team could alter the scoreline after that and Man City vs Chelsea ended in a 1-1 draw. That said, let’s take a look at the top performers.
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Man City vs Chelsea: Top Performers
Rodri | Manchester City | Rating – 8.5/10
The Spaniard had a solid game in midfield for the defending Premier League champions. He passed the ball with 88% accuracy, including three long balls and one key pass. He attempted five shots but just one of them was on target, which he scored from emphatically.
Rodri was also solid in defence and helped his team thwart multiple Chelsea attacks. He won 11 duels, making three tackles in the process. He also completed two dribbles in a well-rounded performance.
Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City | Rating- 8/10
De Bruyne had a good game in midfield and was the creative spark that made Manchester City tick. He distributed the ball effortlessly and put in a great display. De Bruyne played eight key passes and eight crosses, and had 100 touches of the ball.
The Belgian won two duels, making one clearance in the process. He also completed one dribble and attempted one shot which was off-target.
Raheem Sterling | Chelsea | Rating- 7.5/10
Sterling opened the scoring with a good finish to put Chelsea in front on the cusp of half-time. He passed the ball with 80% accuracy, attempted a total of three shots on target and won three of his seven duels. A bit more support from his teammates up front and maybe they could have won the game.
Man City vs Chelsea: Match Point
For the last few weeks, Manchester City have had the odd game where all their attackers seem to forget how to shoot or score. This was one of them and Chelsea can count their blessings that they conceded just once despite facing 31 shots from a side of that calibre.
Lack of efficiency cost the hosts, while Chelsea did their best with what they had of the ball and arguably earned the best result they could hope for away from home.
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