Manchester City - Chelsea did not go as expected.
It was a crazy, topsy-turvy clash and saw Chelsea surge back to win in stoppage time and halt City’s title win, at least for another day.
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A huge game at the Etihad Stadium saw City take the lead through Raheem Sterling but then Sergio Aguero missed a penalty kick right at the end of the first half.
Hakim Ziyech equalized as Chelsea were much better in the second half and Marcos Alonso won it for the Blues right at the death, as Thomas Tuchel’s men took a huge step towards securing a top four finish.
Here’s everything you need to know from Manchester City - Chelsea with reaction, analysis and more from on-site.
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Live analysis, reaction from Joe Prince-Wright at Etihad Stadium
- Player ratings
- 3 things we learned
- Pulisic Watch - Minute-by-minute analysis
- Guardiola, Sterling not happy with no penalty call
- Tuchel admits Chelsea had a little luck
Reaction from players and managers: Pep Guardiola and Raheem Sterling thought he should have had a penalty kick late on, while Thomas Tuchel says he didn’t see it... Tuchel says Sterling was lucky to be on the pitch for his foul on Werner and should have been sent off. Hmmm.
Tuchel also said that luck may have been on Chelsea’s side today, but was delighted with the way his team played in the second half and battled back. He admitted Guardiola’s tactics in the first half were a bit of a surprise but he and his players made a few small adjustments to figure it out.
Guardiola wasn’t too unhappy given all of the changes he made, while Tuchel was delighted with the effort of his players who stood in as Thiago Silva, Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell were all totally rested. This will be a heck of a UEFA Champions League final when they clash a few weeks from now.
FINAL THOUGHTS: What a wild finish! Chelsea were great in the second half and Aguero’s penalty miss right on half time, which would have put City 2-0 up, was pivotal in this game.
City have to wait another day, at least, to win the title. Pep Guardiola made a lot of changes for this game and they did not pay off. Chelsea made changes too, but Tuchel got it spot on and ahead of the Champions League final, that will be a psychological boost.
🔵🙌🔥 Chelsea players and Thomas Tuchel absolute buzzing with that late win. What a comeback! They celebrate on the pitch at the Etihad. #MCFC 1-2 #CFC #MCICHE pic.twitter.com/9Vu59eeESL
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) May 8, 2021
GOALLLLL! They have done it. It was coming. Chelsea snatch it late on as Marcos Alonso shanks home a cross and wins it for Chelsea. What a moment. Thomas Tuchel and his players go wild at the final whistle. Game over. City will have to wait for at least another day to seal the title.
What a great, wide-open game this has turned out to be! Hudson-Odoi has a chance now but his cross is saved by Ederson. City and Chelsea benches are well into this.
NO PENALTY KICK! That looked like a penalty kick. Raheem Sterling had his heels clipped by Kurt Zouma when he was clean through. The Manchester City staff and players are going absolutely bonkers here at the Etihad. No penalty kick. Wow.
NO GOALL x 2! Christian Pulisic is now playing centrally and is ripping Manchester City apart. The USMNT star just surged forward and set up a cross, as Hudson-Odoi tapped home but he was offside. Just. Pulisic is on fire. Before that Werner scored but was offside, again.
GOALLL! Chelsea equalize, deservedly. Hakim Ziyech with a lovely low strike. Ziyech nicked the ball off Rodri, then Christian Pulisic and Azpilicueta combined to tee up Ziyech to hit a super finish home. Champagne back on ice for City...
60th minute: Pulisic lashed a shot way over from a good position as Chelsea push for an equalizer.
55th minute: City dominating play and Chelsea just can’t get going in the second half.
Second half kicks off! City pushing hard at the start of the second half to put this game to bed. Sterling is causing Chelsea a lot of problems.
🔵🔜🏆 Manchester City are 45 minutes away from winning the Premier League title. That was a wild finish to the first half!
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) May 8, 2021
My thoughts from the Etihad and live analysis here ➡️ https://t.co/AMrnGPmhwY#MCFC 1-0 #CFC #MCICHE pic.twitter.com/xkOw2H82VG
HALF TIME + MISSED PENALTY KICK! Billy Gilmour gives away a penalty for a clumsy challenge on Gabriel Jesus as he pulled him back, and Sergio Aguero has the chance to put City 2-0 up right on half time... but he Panenka’s it straight at Edouard Mendy. Wow. That was the chance to pretty much wrap it up. In the middle of all of that, Andreas Christensen has hobbled off for Chelsea and Kurt Zouma is on. Oh, and it is half time. City are 45 minutes away from winning the title.
GOALLLL! Raheem Sterling taps home after a fine move from Manchester City. Gabriel Jesus raced clear of Christensen and set up Aguero who took a touch and Sterling tapped home. City’s players and staff sat on the bench, which is very close to the press box, go wild. They are close to a title.
43rd minute: Hakim Ziyech has a shot from distance, which Ederson pushes away.
40th minute: Chelsea have improved after a tough start, but City still look more dangerous.
31st minute: Timo Werner has the ball in the net... but is clearly offside. He directs Reece James’ shot in. Moments later he is clear again, but looks offside again. He doesn’t make the most of the chance.
24th minute: Timo Werner had a chance over the top which led to a set piece, but he looked offside. Nothing was given and City’s players and staff around me aren’t happy, at all, with that. Chelsea a bit sluggish in attack.
17th minute: Nathan Ake flies in to head a corner towards goal, but it goes wide. Great play by Aguero, Sterling and Mendy to set up a shot for Rodri just before that. City looking more dangerous.
13th minute: Heavy tackle from Raheem Sterling on Timo Werner as Sterling gets booked and gives away a free kick on the edge of the box. Reece James slams the free kick into the wall. Real edge to this game already. Lots of encouragement from the City players and staff sat around me here. Kevin de Bruyne and John Stones (neither involved today) sat just to my left weren’t happy with that foul being called...
8th minute: Man City again break free centrally and Mendy drags a shot wide.
KICK OFF! Manchester City are playing a 3-3-2-2 formation, and are causing Chelsea problems. Ferran Torres was clean through but skewed his shot over under pressure from Rudiger. City dominating early on.
🙌 Teams are out. Scene is set here at Etihad Stadium.
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) May 8, 2021
Can Manchester City get the win they need to win the Premier League title? Will top-4 chasing Chelsea spoil the party?
Turn on @NBC now! #MCFC v #CFC #CHEMCI pic.twitter.com/Vu49qDbGCT
Teams are out, here we go!
🚨 Team news from the Etihad Stadium.
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) May 8, 2021
Manchester City and Pep Guardiola switch it up, a lot, while Thomas Tuchel hands a start to 🇺🇸 #USMNT’s Christian Pulisic in a settled #CFC team. #MCFC need a win to seal the title...
Live analysis on #MCICHE ➡️ https://t.co/XRiiraxds9 pic.twitter.com/AS1ZoaZbvj
Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel go way back and they had a lovely pre-match chat on the sidelines here. Legend has it in 2014, they had a very animated chat in a bar in Munich which involved talking tactics with salt and pepper shakers.
Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel having a lengthy pre-game chat here at the Etihad before Manchester City v Chelsea.
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) May 8, 2021
Your captions, please... 🗣 #MCFC #CFC #MCICHE pic.twitter.com/UeZpCR5nbC
They were pretty much doing that again today! These two coaches square off in the Champions League final in a few weeks and it will be intriguing to see how their teams line up on May 29 compared to today.
Welcome to Manchester! There is a party atmosphere here, as Man City fans are already celebrating in the streets and cheering the team bus on its way to the Etihad Stadium.
🔥🙌🔵 It’s lively here outside Etihad Stadium!#MCFC lighting flares, celebrating the team bus arriving and singing plenty of songs.
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) May 8, 2021
If Manchester City win today, they win the Premier League.
Live updates & analysis from here in Manchester #MCICHE ➡️ https://t.co/XRiiraxds9 pic.twitter.com/2psK566oUo
The equation is simple for City: win today against Chelsea and they win a third Premier League title in the last four seasons. For Chelsea, they need to win to keep themselves in the top four. This is, of course, a tasty preview of the UEFA Champions League final in a few weeks’ time. These two are the best two teams in Europe right now. It will be a treat.
🙌🔵🔥 The party has already started here in Manchester!
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) May 8, 2021
Manchester City fans welcome their team bus to the Etihad Stadium.
Absolute scenes! #MCFC #CFC #MCICHE pic.twitter.com/gmPoBQ5x44
Team news
Manchester City have one absentee and that is John Stones who is suspended.
Your team to take the title! 🏆
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 8, 2021
XI | Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Ake, Mendy, Rodrigo, Torres, Sterling (C), Aguero, Jesus
SUBS | Steffen, Walker, Gundogan, Zinchenko, Bernardo, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Foden, Garcia
⚽️ @HaysWorldwide
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/lWsdGRxQRg
Chelsea also have just one player out, with Mateo Kovacic suffering a small setback in his return from a thigh injury.
Team news is in for #MCICHE! 🤝
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 8, 2021
Here's how the Blues line up... pic.twitter.com/f8EkVYLR8n
Pre-game
Manchester City - Chelsea is a huge game on Saturday (start time 12:30pm ET on NBC and online via NBCSports.com) and is a tasty preview of the UEFA Champions League final.
STREAM MANCHESTER CITY - CHELSEA LIVE
Pep Guardiola’s City know if they win this game they will win the Premier League title and it would cap off an incredible few weeks. After winning the League Cup and then getting past PSG to reach their first-ever Champions League final, Guardiola would love to seal the title this weekend.
As for Chelsea, they are also celebrating reaching the Champions League final for the first time since 2012 and just the third time in their history as Thomas Tuchel continues to work wonders in his first few months in charge. After reaching the FA Cup final (by beating Man City in the semifinal) and now the Champions League final against City in Istanbul on May 29, finishing in the top four is the big target for Chelsea.
A win at City would not only put down a huge marker ahead of the Champions League final, it would also push them even closer to securing a top four finish.
Odds and ends (full odds provided by our partner, PointsBet)
Manchester City are the heavy favorites at -110, while Chelsea are +320 to win. The draw is +235.
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Prediction
Well, this will be very, very interesting. City need a win to seal the title, while Chelsea are pushing hard to finish in the top four. Add in the subplot that this is a preview of the Champions League final in a few weeks and it will be fascinating. I’m going for City to overpower Chelsea and get the win they need to clinch their third title in four seasons. Manchester City 2-0 Chelsea.
How to watch, stream and start time
Kick off: 12:30pm ET, SaturdayTV Channel: NBCOnline: Stream via NBCSports.com