Last Updated on 01/06/2023 by てんしょく飯
The Premier League’s “big match” will be held early in the new year. Chelsea, who have not been able to break into the top half of the table so far this season, are once again trailing the leaders after a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest in their last match.
Meanwhile, Manchester C also finished with a 1-1 draw against Everton in the previous round.
The 19th round of the Premier League season took place on January 5, with Chelsea and Manchester C playing each other.
This week’s game is a chance for Manchester C to close the gap to the top of the standings, as Arsenal drew at the top of the table. Manchester C cannot afford to miss two straight games to win a third straight Premier League title for the first time in the club’s history.
Chelsea made two changes to their starting lineup from the previous game. In midfield, Mateo Kovacic was named in the starting lineup for the first time since the end of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, while Hakim Ziyek made his first Premier League start since August 30 against Southampton in the fifth round. Manchester C, meanwhile, made four changes from the previous game, with Kyle Walker, who returned to the lineup during the World Cup, Phil Foden, and Ilkay Gundogan among the starters.
Chelsea had an early scare in the second minute when Raheem Sterling sat down on the pitch with a right thigh injury, making it impossible for him to continue playing. He was unable to continue and had to be replaced by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Christian Pulisic was also injured in the 18th minute, just after his own shot was blocked, and was replaced by Carny Chukwuemeka, who left the pitch. Chelsea had to make two difficult substitutions in the first half.
The first half started with Manchester C holding the ball, but they were unable to finish the game due to Chelsea’s defense that did not allow them to get through the middle of the field. Chelsea gradually began to attack, with Ziyek and Chukwuemeka both going close in the 24th minute, and in the 44th minute Chukwuemeka received a pass from Kai Hafelez on the left flank, cut in, and swung in a right-foot shot that struck the ball off the crossbar. The shot hit the near post.
Manchester C’s best chance of the half came in the 45th minute when Joao Cancelo, playing on the right wing for the rest of the day, attempted a shot from deep on the right side of the box, but was blocked by a defender. The first half ended scoreless as it was.
In the second half, the game completely turned in Manchester C’s favor, and in the 51st minute, a short left corner kick was connected with a Kevin De Bryne cross ball that was met by Nathan Ake. In the 52nd minute, De Bryne had an effort on goal, but was denied by goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The game was finally broken in the 63rd minute when Manchester C scored on the right side of the box. Manchester C started on the right flank and then moved into the center of the park, and from a De Bryne pass, Jack Grealish sent in a low cross from the left side of the box. Riyad Mahrez, running in on the far side, pushed the ball into the net. The two players who played during the match were both active, and Manchester C took the lead.
Manchester C continued to push forward, and Chelsea tried to counterattack, but the score remained unchanged. The game went to time. Manchester C got their first whitewash in two Premier League games, and reduced the gap between themselves and Arsenal to five points at the top of the standings. Chelsea, on the other hand, finds itself in 10th place at the end of this week’s match, despite the difference in the number of games played.
The two sides will meet again in the FA Cup third round on January 8. The match will be held at Manchester C’s home. Chelsea will then face Fulham on January 12 in a postponed Section 7 match. Meanwhile, Manchester C will play a Carabao Cup quarterfinal on January 11, followed by a derby match against Manchester U in hostile territory on January 14.
[Score.
Chelsea 0-1 Manchester C
Goal scorers
0-1 63 min Riyad Mahrez (Manchester C)
Starting lineup.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1)
GK：Kepa
DF：Aspiricueta, T. Silva, Koulibaly, Kukreja (69 min. Hall)
MF: Zakaria, Kovacic, Ziyek (69 mins Gallagher), Sterling (5 mins Aubameyang) (69 mins Hutchinson), Pulisic (22 mins Chukwuemeka)
FW: Hafertz.
Manchester C (3-2-2-3)
Goalkeeper: Ederson
DF: Walker (46 mins. Akanji), Stones, Ake
MF: De Bryne, B. Silva (60 mins. Mahrez), Rodri (86 mins. K. Phillips), Gundoan
FW: Cancelo (46 min. R. Lewis), Harland, Foden (60 min. Grealish)
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