Manchester City bounced back from an early setback to secure a 3-1 victory over Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Despite conceding an initial goal due to a defensive error, City rallied to claim all three points and move up to fourth in the league standings.
City’s new defender, Abdukodir Khusanov, had a challenging debut. In the early moments of the game, the 20-year-old allowed the ball to bounce over him and then misjudged a header back to goalkeeper Ederson. This mistake gifted Chelsea’s Noni Madueke an easy opportunity to open the scoring.
Just a minute later, Khusanov was booked for a foul on Cole Palmer. Struggling to find his footing, he was substituted early in the second half, making way for John Stones.
Meanwhile, fellow newcomer Omar Marmoush made a positive impact on his debut. The Egyptian striker kept Chelsea’s defense busy throughout the first half, helping to shift the momentum in City’s favor.
The equalizer came just before halftime when defender Josko Gvardiol reacted quickly to slot home a rebound in the 42nd minute. The goal energized the home crowd and set the stage for an exciting second half.
In the 68th minute, City’s star striker Erling Haaland capitalized on a long ball, noticing Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez off his line. Haaland expertly lobbed the ball over the stranded keeper to give City the lead.
Haaland wasn’t done yet. Demonstrating his playmaking abilities, he held up the ball near the halfway line before releasing Phil Foden. Foden sprinted through the center and calmly slotted the ball past Sanchez, sealing the victory for City.
"When we had the start like we did, it’s difficult, but we played really well and kept on going," Haaland told the BBC. "We need to lock it in the back and keep going attacking-wise."
Manager Pep Guardiola remained supportive of Khusanov despite his tough start. "The players were together. That was massively important. Any player can make a mistake. The fans always support the new players. He’s so young. He will learn," Guardiola said.
The win places Manchester City fourth in the table with 41 points, narrowing the gap to leaders Liverpool and positioning them ahead of Chelsea, who have slipped to sixth.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
