{"id":23185,"date":"2021-09-25T09:56:27","date_gmt":"2021-09-25T13:56:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23185"},"modified":"2021-09-25T09:56:30","modified_gmt":"2021-09-25T13:56:30","slug":"manchester-city-leapfrog-chelsea-after-victory-at-stamford-bridge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23185","title":{"rendered":"Manchester City Leapfrog Chelsea After Victory At Stamford Bridge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus (right) celebrates scoring their side’s first goal of the game (PA)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gabriel Jesus fired an early Premier League warning shot as defending champions Manchester City toppled title rivals Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brazil forward Jesus angled a deflected finish in the 53rd minute to help City leapfrog Chelsea in the table on goal difference, ending the Blues\u2019 unbeaten league start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

City offered far the greater enterprise, with Jesus\u2019 winner helping Pep Guardiola avoid an unwanted first of losing to the same rival manager four matches in succession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blues boss Thomas Tuchel and his team had sunk City three times last term, culminating in the 1-0 Champions League final triumph in Porto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in a new campaign that promises a mouthwatering title tussle between holders City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool, Guardiola\u2019s men have delivered the first real statement victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

City\u2019s ferocious press stifled Chelsea throughout, and the visitors to west London coped easily with the hosts\u2019 formation tweak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tuchel packed the midfield with all three of N\u2019Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic, but that 3-5-2 left Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku too often too isolated up front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mason Mount\u2019s injury absence robbed the Blues of a major pressing threat at the top of their tree however, handing the visitors time to build from the back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chelsea could do little more than contain the visitors in a first half where the home players found possession greatly limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Blues certainly sacrificed a creative edge for that central stability, with Werner and Lukaku often isolated up front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Werner did beat the City line once, but could not pick out Lukaku in the middle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kevin De Bruyne\u2019s cutback found no one in the area for City, leaving Chelsea to breathe a sigh of relief, before Jorginho produced an important clearance after a Phil Foden corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, at the end of the half, Jesus hooked well wide from the best chance to that point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The City forward smartly lost Antonio Rudiger in the box and teed himself up well \u2013 but undid the good work with a botched finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For once Tuchel resisted the temptation to make a half-time change, and no sooner had the second half started than the home boss would have wished he had twisted instead of stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jack Grealish offered a warning shot by curling one wide, before Jesus finally broke the deadlock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joao Cancelo\u2019s low effort found its way to Jesus in the box, the Brazil forward spun in traffic and his low shot took a slight deflection en route to finding the Chelsea net. Edouard Mendy was left with no chance, as City gained just reward for boasting the greater attacking endeavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grealish almost doubled City\u2019s lead minutes later, but the former Aston Villa man angled his effort just wide after neatly stepping beyond Cesar Azpilicueta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just before the hour Tuchel finally made the first change, with Kai Havertz replacing Kante. France\u2019s World Cup-winning midfielder had struggled to settle in his new role in Chelsea\u2019s three-man midfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

City pressed on undeterred however, and Silva had to clear Jesus\u2019 shot off the line after Grealish again left Azpilicueta for dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lukaku thought he had equalized for Chelsea from Havertz\u2019s square pass, only for the Germany star to be rightly ruled offside in the build-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chelsea continued to press but with no clear incision, despite greatly raising their tempo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But City could have wrapped up the win when Grealish ghosted through on goal, only for Mendy to stand him up and produce a fine save.<\/p>\n

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