Chelsea inflicted Manchester City’s first Premier League defeat of the season as the champions were knocked off the top of the table by Liverpool.
Maurizio Sarri’s side bounced back from the disappointment of losing at Wolves in midweek to end City’s 21-game unbeaten league run stretching back to April, and a sequence of 14 unbeaten games away from home.
City paid for a lack of ruthlessness as they dominated the first half completely, only to be struck by a Chelsea smash-and-grab right on half-time as N’Golo Kante fired high past Ederson from Eden Hazard’s pass.
Chelsea gained confidence and momentum and improved after the break, securing the win with 12 minutes left when David Luiz’s glancing header following a corner bounced in off the far post.
They closed out the win to give Sarri his first triumph over Pep Guardiola and leave Liverpool top by one point following their convincing 4-0 win at Bournemouth earlier.
City’s multi-talented squad can cover almost all eventualities, but this was a game in which they sorely missed the marksmanship of the injured Sergio Aguero, and also Kevin de Bruyne’s creation.
Guardiola’s side were on another level to Chelsea for the first 44 minutes but when chances presented themselves, as they did to both Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane, there was either hesitation or an inability to provide the final product that proved crucial.
This is not a criticism of either Sterling or Sane but there was a lingering feeling that had the same opportunities to the predatory Aguero, the outcome would have been different.
City could not recover from Kante’s sucker punch and it was Chelsea who were the more dangerous side in the second half.
Guardiola’s men must now regroup after a defeat that will be a major disappointment but one hardly likely to set City back for too long.
Kante’s outstanding performance, including the opening goal, was vindication for Sarri’s decision to play him in a new role this season.
Sarri has been questioned for his decision to use Jorginho as the hub of his team while pushing Kante into a more advanced role out on the right. Why have the player many regard as the finest holding midfield player in world football and not utilise him there?
Sarri has stuck to his guns and this was a game – and performance by Kante – that added significant weight to his argument.
The France World Cup winner was magnificent, typically tireless but also getting into forward positions, most decisively when he arrived on the end of Hazard’s inviting pass to power a finish past Ederson that gave the Brazilian no chance.
It is certainly not the end of the argument, but evidence Sarri can use that he is coming up with the right formula for Chelsea.
This was a vital, some might say unexpected, win for Chelsea given their indifferent recent form, and they certainly lived on their nerves for the first 44 minutes as City’s passing and mobility pulled them all over Stamford Bridge.