By Samuel A. November 12, 2023
Cole Palmer netted a stoppage time penalty against his former club Manchester City to rescue a point for Chelsea in a pulsating, end to end eight goal Premier League classic at Stamford Bridge. The 20 year old, who swapped his boyhood club for Chelsea last summer, placed it in the top corner to beat Ederson as Mauricio Pochettino’s side came from behind for a third time in a breathless game.
The draw means City move a single point clear of Arsenal and Liverpool at the top of the table while Chelsea, only five days on from playing out another classic against Tottenham, move up a place to 10th, with hope of bigger and better things to come.
Chelsea came into the game against Man City with a poor record against Man City, having not scored in six attempts since Havertz scored in 2021 to win the Champions League for the club, however, Pochettino had said his side were no underdogs and the message was well and truly delivered, with the intensity and aggression of the London side which seemed to surprise Man City. City threatened back however, after Chelsea almost drew first blood, with Josko Gvardiol heading too close to Robert Sanchez from a corner and Julian Alvarez seeing an angled shot charged down by Cucurella minutes later, just before the Chelsea defender fouled Haaland for City’s spot kick minutes later, which the Norwegian scored, and truly so, igniting a chaos.
The fury inside Stamford Bridge helped to fuel Chelsea’s response minutes later as Palmer blocked off Haaland’s run from Gallagher’s corner, allowing Thiago Silva to send a glancing header into the far corner to make it 1-1. They continued to press high and their second goal arrived just eight minutes later, when Gvardiol’s error allowed James to pick out Sterling for a trademark far post finish.
Stamford Bridge was a cauldron of noise at that point but City swiftly regained the momentum, with Haaland firing into the side netting from close range and Foden then smashing a diagonal shot inches wide before Chelsea switched off for City’s second, with Akanji heading home between two Chelsea defenders from a Bernardo Silva cross to score his third goal in three consecutive games.
It looked like City finally gained full control after halftime when Cucurella got caught out at left back, allowing Julian Alvarez to slide the ball across goal for Haaland to bundle it over the line and make it 3-2.
Hattrick hero Jackson, reacted sharply to tuck home a loose ball after Ederson could only parry Gallagher’s long range effort back into the danger area.
There was a glorious chance for Malo Gusto to make it four and give the hosts the lead for the second time in the game, but the substitute couldn’t keep his cool as he blazed over. It seemed the full back’s miss would prove costly when Rodri’s long range effort bounced in off Thiago Silva for City’s fourth goal, but somehow Chelsea fought back again, Palmer’s penalty, dispatched nervelessly, clinching a deserved point.
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino was delighted with his side’s display, saying: “Very proud and so happy. The players deserve praise because of the performance.
We faced a team that for me is the best in the world. Many circumstances happened during the game that made me very proud. The way we managed the game was really good. Of course, a lot of things to improve, but it’s the process. When you start a project from zero, these types of experiences and games will improve you a lot. Now we need to use it and translate it towards the future.
You face a team like City but it was Chelsea who wanted to win, to be protagonist. I think, after, everyone is so proud to be involved in a game like today. It shows why the Premier League is the best league in the world.” He added that the performance showed the character, mentality, and also that they proved against a team like Man City that they can go for the goal, dominate and have the capacity to create chances.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola on the other hand was rather calmer than expected after a poor defensive display from his side: “A good advert for the Premier League. Quality players, ability to keep the ball, to drive with the ball many metres so you have to defend deep. But in general we are really pleased. Nothing to regret, we did everything, we could do better, some mistakes but they happen when the opponent bring you in these conditions, the high level. We were close but eight minutes extra time is a lot of time and I think it’s a result where we have our momentum, especially winning 3-2 and having two or three transitions that could, not kill the game because still 30 minutes to play, but in that moment we were close. It was control and after we made some bad decisions or good decisions for them and we draw.” Pep also added: “What’s important is we go into the international break top of the league. I couldn’t expect that after that Arsenal game when we lost. We are qualified for the Champions League, where we are top of the league. Where we came from, wow, that is really, really good. Now they can rest, come back fit and the next games are really, really tough.”
City face Liverpool to reopen the Premier League when the Premier League returns in a couple weeks.
