Manchester City Bulldoze Their Way Past Chelsea With a 3 – 1 Win
Manchester City staged an impressive comeback to defeat Chelsea 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, heavily relying on long passes to secure the victory.
Chelsea took an early lead through Noni Madueke, who capitalized on a defensive error. However, goals from Josko Gvardiol, Erling Haaland, and Phil Foden—all stemming from expertly executed long passes—turned the tide in City’s favor.
The victory sees Pep Guardiola’s side climb to fourth in the Premier League on goal difference, a much-needed morale boost following their midweek Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain. Chelsea, meanwhile, slip to sixth place, having managed just one win in their last seven league matches (D3, L3).
Guardiola fielded new signings Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush, with Khusanov enduring a torrid Premier League debut. The Uzbek defender’s nightmare began in the third minute when his poor back pass gifted Nicolas Jackson the chance to set up Madueke for a simple tap-in. Moments later, Khusanov picked up an early yellow card after a clumsy foul on Cole Palmer, adding to his struggles.
Chelsea squandered an opportunity to double their lead on the counterattack. Palmer’s poor pass forced Jackson wide, and though Enzo Fernández eventually found space to shoot, Khusanov redeemed himself with a crucial block. At the other end, Marmoush showed flashes of promise, making incisive runs that unsettled Chelsea’s defense.
City gradually grew into the game. Gvardiol had two chances to equalize, skying one effort and narrowly missing the far post with another. In the 34th minute, Marmoush thought he had scored after following up on Robert Sánchez’s save from Ilkay Gündogan’s shot, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
City finally leveled just before halftime. A long ball from Gündogan found Matheus Nunes in space. Sánchez’s attempt to intercept the play ended in confusion, as Marc Cucurella inadvertently deflected the ball into Gvardiol’s path, leaving the Croatian with a straightforward finish.
Guardiola substituted Khusanov for John Stones early in the second half, stabilizing City’s defense. Marmoush remained lively, narrowly missing the target after being set up by Haaland. Moments later, Haaland put City ahead. Ederson launched a pinpoint long pass to the Norwegian striker, who outmuscled Trevoh Chalobah and spotted Sánchez off his line. Haaland lobbed the ball into the net with remarkable composure.
City sealed the win in the 88th minute with another well-executed long-ball play. Ederson’s pass was flicked on by Kevin De Bruyne to Haaland, who held up the ball before releasing Foden. The young midfielder weaved through Chelsea’s defense and calmly slotted past Sánchez, bringing his tally to six goals in his last four Premier League appearances.
This victory provides a significant confidence boost for City ahead of a crucial week. They face a must-win Champions League clash against Club Brugge before a pivotal Premier League showdown with Arsenal. The performance highlighted City’s resilience and ability to exploit direct attacking strategies effectively.
Manchester City Bulldoze Their Way Past Chelsea With a 3 – 1 Win
