Manchester City finally complete their retribution over Chelsea, securing a narrow 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge this afternoon. The victory takes them to second place in the Premier League table after Manchester United dropped all three points against Aston Villa. Chelsea, meanwhile, slip to third as the league table slowly starts to take shape.
Here at The 4th Official, we will talk about three talking points in Manchester City’s win over Chelsea.
It’s Time To Talk About Joao Cancelo
Manchester City’s 1-0 win over Chelsea was a testament to their defensive prowess and one of their protagonists this afternoon was Joao Cancelo. The former Juventus fullback was once again excellent in his position, as he not only offered support to Jack Grealish going forward but also produced a monstrous defensive effort to defend the clean sheet.
Cancelo’s performances make it quite evident that the Portuguese international, a right-back by trade, is now one of the best left-backs in the Premier League. The sheer ease in his ball distribution, movements and the ability to operate in an inverted role is indicative of how Pep Guardiola can improve certain players, and Cancelo is a testament to that.
Chelsea Too Passive?
The striking criticism about Chelsea’s performance this afternoon is that they were way too defensive, starting from the very first minute. Thomas Tuchel’s men were content on giving the opposition the freedom to dominate the game and operated with only two strikers who were easily isolated, with Timo Werner, in particular, often getting caught in no man’s land.
The midfielders, too, didn’t offer any creativity going forward as neither of N’Golo Kante, Jorginho Mateo Kovacic, produced forward passes on a consistent basis. It allowed City to get their grip on the game and by the time the Blues had stepped up, it was already too late as Guardiola’s men expertly found their defensive rhythm.
Jack Grealish To Become A Man City Icon?
We are still in the early phases of the new season, but it will be ignorant not to acknowledge the brisk start Jack Grealish has made, after joining Manchester City for a record fee earlier this summer.
The former Aston Villa playmaker was not involved in the goal against Chelsea, but he really seems to enjoy the left-wing role that has given him so much freedom out wide. As such, the Englishman was often seen taking on defenders this afternoon and trying to drive in those crosses for the likes of Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus.
Grealish’s early start to the season does suggest that he has what it takes to become one of the club’s biggest assets in the near future. He needs to be consistent about his performances, though, especially with Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez breathing down his neck.
