Manchester City 2 Chelsea 0

FA Cup Fifth Round
Saturday 15 February 2014, 17.15 KO

City: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Kompany (c), Lescott, Clichy, Garcia, Toure, Milner, Silva (Navas 69), Jovetic (Nasri 61), Dzeko (Negredo 81)
Unused: Hart, Richards, Demichelis, Kolarov
Goals: Jovetic (16), Nasri (67)
Booked: Kompany, Jovetic, Toure, Garcia

Referee: Phil Dowd
Man of the Match: Javi Garcia

Jovetic opens the scoring.

Following the defeat to Chelsea less than a fortnight ago, the Blues looked like a team on a missing to avoid their second home defeat in a month. Chelsea – lining up very strongly, despite City’s four changes from their last match. In the end, the visitors couldn’t get a kick of the ball in a meaningful area and the hosts cruised to victory.

Jovetic teased the home crowd with what was to come as he came close to opening the scoring on the quarter-hour mark. Toure kept his feet after a foul by Matic and, with the referee playing advantage, he smashed a shot towards Cech’s goal. The goalkeeper made a hash of dealing with it, fumbling it to the feet of the Montenegrin striker, whose first-time dink towards goal clipped the crossbar.

A minute later, though, the forward hit the frame of the goal again – but this time it also hit the back of the net. Silva and Dzeko linked up well down the left flank and it was good awareness from the Bosnian to slide the ball into the path of the on-rushing Jovetic. He passed it across the sprawling Cech and into the net via the base of the post.

On 24 minutes, the Blues came close to doubling their lead with the same combination – this time in reverse. Jovetic found Dzeko in space on the edge of the box and he belted a curling effort towards the top corner, with only a double-handed flying save from Cech preventing it from going in.

Zabaleta tackles Eto’o.

Clichy played a brilliant cross into the middle that had both Luiz and Cech flapping, but Dzeko was unable to take advantage to knock home, before Jovetic rolled an effort into the goalkeeper’s hands. City were all over their opponents, who were still yet to start the game.

On the stroke of half time, it was a mystery how City hadn’t doubled their lead. Milner broke down the right flank after Jovetic had been ploughed through by Luiz – who later received a booking for the foul – and drove a low cross towards the front post. Dzeko was inches from touching it into the net, but couldn’t quite connect.

After the break, the pattern of play didn’t change. With many wondering if Mourinho’s side would raise their game, it was the hosts who looked more likely to add the next goal of the contest. And, just six minutes after coming on after his return from injury, Nasri did exactly that. He slid Silva in on the left side, and, as the Spaniard drew Cech off his line, he fed it back to Nasri to tap into the empty net.

It looked like it was three for City with 15 minutes left on the clock. Garcia rose highest at a corner and nodded back across goal. It needed a great save from Cech to keep it out, but Lescott turned in the rebound – though the linesman had (correctly) spotted he was in an offside position.

City were able to see the game out comfortably, with Pantilimon easing the pressure in taking several crosses from their air and with the hosts’ forward players keeping possession well – so well that Matic’s swipe at Toure’s legs earned him a late yellow card.

The Blues put another dent in Chelsea’s remarkable FA Cup run – being the only side to have beaten them in the competition without a penalty shoot-out in their last 33 matches – and knock them out for the second season running.

Manchester City 0 Chelsea 1

FA Premier League
Monday 3 February 2014, 20.00 KO

City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany (c), Nastasic, Kolarov, Navas, Demichelis, Toure, Silva, Dzeko, Negredo (Jovetic 57)
Unused: Pantilimon, Boyata, Clichy, Milner, Rodwell, Lopes
Goals: –
Booked: Demichelis, Kolarov, Nastasic

Referee: Mike Dean
Man of the Match: Martin Demichelis

Negredo tries to force a mistake.

City lost their first home match of the season and ended their brief stay on top spot in the process. In truth, the Blues got exactly what they deserved from the game, with too many of the team failing to show up and rise to the occasion.

The hosts actually started the brighter, with some early pressure on the Chelsea goal. Negredo had the chance to shoot, but his strike cleared Cech’s crossbar.

It soon swung in the visitors’ favour, as Kompany and Nastasic got in each other’s way as the Belgian was chasing back towards his own goal – he just got it behind for a corner.

City saw a lot of the ball but were able to do little with it. Toure couldn’t connect to a Kolarov volley through the box, while Silva scuffed wide from six yards.

A four-on-one breakaway saw Nastasic outnumbered, but the young Serbian held up play to force the attack wide. Hart was off his line sharply to deny Ramires, and Willian’s improvised overhead kick was well over.

Just after the half hour, Chelsea’s pressure paid off. A ball into the box was half cleared by the hosts, as Kompany got down well to make a block. Toure didn’t get out to close Ivanovic down quickly enough for the rebound and the full back’s strike came through a crowded box and beat Hart into the bottom corner.

City were lacklustre going into the break, as Chelsea pressed high and the Blues gave possession away cheaply, culminating in Eto’o smashing a shot into the bar. And those hoping for a change in performance after half time would have been sorely disappointed, as the hosts continued to struggle.

Matic came close to doubling the away side’s lead from long range, as his strike beat Hart but crashed into the post. Toure’s scuffed effort at the other end bobbled wide, as the best the Blues could offer.

With 20 minutes to play, City’s goal was leading a charmed life. This time Cahill won a cross to head towards the corner, but, with Hart beaten, the England defender saw his effort bounce off the post and away.

Silva had left his shooting boots at home, as he scuffed an effort wide from eight yards, after he curled a free kick towards the top corner – but it was touched over by Cech. Dzeko was similarly suffering, skewing a shot through the area.

Chelsea settled for their single goal lead – and City did little to change it, with Jovetic’s shot in stoppage time the best they could muster. Cech made a meal of it, pushing it over for a corner, but it was straight at him.

Too many didn’t play well enough for the home side to win, and Chelsea were deserved winners.

Chelsea 2 Manchester City 1

FA Premier League
Sunday 27 October 2013, 16.00 KO

City: Hart, Zabaleta, Demichelis, Nastasic, Clichy, Garcia (Kolarov 80), Fernandinho, Nasri (Navas 70), Y Toure (c), Silva, Aguero (Negredo 86)
Unused: Pantilimon, Milner, Richards, Dzeko
Goals: Aguero (49)
Booked: Zabaleta, Nastasic, Garcia

Referee: Howard Webb
Man of the Match: David Silva

Demichelis slides in on Torres.

It was a nervy start from the visitors. Debutant Demichelis cleared behind needlessly when there was no communication between him, Nastasic and Hart, and, from the resulting corner, Cahill was left unmarked and onside from the second ball in. The centre-back, though, volleyed over.

Torres should have put the hosts into the lead as he beat City’s offside trap to find himself one-on-one with Hart – the volley, with time and space, found the fans behind the goal.

But the Spaniard made amends two minutes later: He walked the ball past Clichy and crossed low into the six-yard box. Schurrle nipped in between Demichelis and Nastasic to tap in past the despairing dive of Hart. It was an awful goal for City to concede, having settled into the game.

Suddenly, it had all changed and the visitors couldn’t get a kick. A poor clearance from Clichy almost gifted Torres another chance, before the striker cut inside Zabaleta to crash a shot against the crossbar. The visitors were being run ragged.

Aguero managed City’s first shot on target three minutes before the break, as he picked up a loose ball in the Chelsea box to turn and fire at Cech’s goal. The goalkeeper parried and Fernandinho blazed the rebound over from 30 yards.

The visitors came out in the second half with a point to prove. A free-kick was charged down from Silva, before Zabaleta skied an effort from the edge of the box. But it was Aguero who dragged City back into the game, continuing his spree of goals: He delayed his run to stay onside and powered a left-footed effort past Cech at the near post to equalise.

Three minutes later, City should have been ahead. Silva decided to pull the ball back towards Aguero when he was one-on-one with Cech, before Garcia peeled off his man to find space for a free header from a free kick. He nodded it straight at the goalkeeper when he should have found the net.

Aguero holds the ball.

Silva forced Cech into a good stop with a left footed drive across goal, before Hazard wanted a penalty for a foul by Zabaleta in the box – but the referee was having none of it; the Chelsea man dived. Torres was felled on the edge of the box by Fernandinho, but Oscar skied the free kick.

All of City’s hard work was undone, though, in the final minute. An awful ball over the top was chased by Torres and Nastasic. The central defender tried to nod it back to his goalkeeper, but Hart had come flying off his line and it left an open goal for the Spanish forward. It was a terrible piece of defending to win the game for the home side.

Chelsea 1 Manchester City 2

FA Cup Semi Final
Sunday 14 April 2013, 16.00 KO

City: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Kompany (c), Nastasic, Clichy, Barry, Y Toure, Milner, Nasri (Lescott 87), Aguero, Tevez (Garcia 73)
Unused: Hart, Kolarov, K Toure, Sinclair, Dzeko
Goals: Nasri (35), Aguero (47)
Booked: Barry, Y Toure, Kompany

Referee: Chris Foy
Man of the Match: Gareth Barry

It was a cagey start to the game, but it was City who were able to get the ball down and get into the match the quicker. After just five minutes, Yaya Toure slid the ball into Aguero on the left side of the Chelsea box and his effort slammed into the side netting. From a corner, Barry had an effort but it found Toure, who had a go himself, redirecting it towards goal. It looked comfortable for Cech, until Aguero flicked it towards the corner and it took a great save from the goalkeeper to prevent the ball hitting the net.

Tevez had a shot well saved at the near post, before Aguero managed to get in behind and it took a great recovery from Ivanovic to block the Argentine’s fierce effort, before Cech’s gloves were needed.

From a free kick, Chelsea almost opened the scoring. Pantilimon came for the cross, but didn’t get there and it was cleared only as far as Hazard on the edge of the area. His volleyed shot bounced down into the ground and over the goalkeeper, but Kompany was on the line to head it away. It was a warning shot for the blues.

And that was the wake-up call they needed. Yaya Toure picked the ball up mid-way into the Chelsea half and he drove towards the box. He slipped it in for Nasri, who tried to square it for Tevez, but the pass was blocked straight back to the Frenchman. One-on-one with Cech, he found the back of the net with a side-footed finish. City had the lead.

A couple of minutes later, it should have been two. Aguero was found by Milner inside the box and he tried to get his shot away, but couldn’t make a clean connection and Cech saved. It bounced straight back to Milner and, after taking a touch to control, he unleashed an effort for the bottom corner, but it was blocked behind the goalkeeper by Aguero, in an offside position.

On the stroke of half time, City wasted another good chance to double their lead, as a Chelsea free kick broke down completely. It was given away in City’s left back position and Milner steamed away with the ball. He shot at Cech’s near post, despite there being three unmarked men in blue shirts in the middle. It was spilled to the back post where Kompany side-footed wide, with the goal at his mercy. It was a horrible miss.

City made up for their slackness in front of goal in the opening minutes of the second half. A free kick from deep was rolled into Tevez and, via Milner, it found Barry on the right flank. He crossed to the back post, where Aguero had peeled from Ivanovic and headed to the top corner. Cech didn’t move, as it hit the post and dropped over the line. It was a brilliant goal.

Chelsea’s response was slow to arrive, though they did begin to grow into the game without testing Pantilimon. With just over 65 minutes played, they changed shape, bringing Torres on to join Ba up front. And the effect was immediate, as the ball bounced to Ba following Torres’s challenge with Kompany, and his swivel and shot flicked the post on its way into Pantilimon’s net. It was the first goal he’d conceded in the FA Cup this season and Chelsea were right back into the game.

The Romanian soon became heavily involved and he proved he was up to the challenge. Mata found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper after Nastasic’s tackle fell kindly for the Spaniard, but as he tried to go round Pantilimon, the City keeper got two hands on the ball and pushed it away. A minute later, Clichy was fouled by Hazard on the edge of the six-yard box, but it wasn’t given and the Belgian squared for Ba to shoot. It took a brilliant reflex save from Pantilimon to keep it out – and he recovered to pounce on the rebound.

Soon enough, the momentum had swung Chelsea’s way. Luiz had a free kick that was inches wide, before Aguero was lucky to stay on the pitch after stamping on the Brazilian with two feet in a challenge on the halfway line. The referee didn’t see it, but if he had, it would have been a red card. Torres was then denied a clear penalty, as Kompany had a fistful of the Spaniard’s shirt to prevent him going in on a one-on-one.

With a backs-to-the-wall finish for City, the blues held firm and confirmed their place in the final to face Wigan.

Manchester City 2 Chelsea 0

FA Premier League
Sunday 24 February 2013, 13.30 KO

City: Hart, Zabaleta (c), K Toure, Nastasic, Clichy, Garcia, Milner, Rodwell (Tevez 54), Silva (Lescott 90), Y Toure, Aguero (Nasri 90)
Unused: Pantilimon, Kolarov, Sinclair, Dzeko
Goals: Y Toure (63), Tevez (86)
Booked: Rodwell, K Toure, Zabaleta

Referee: Andre Marriner
Man of the Match: Kolo Toure

It was a cagey affair to begin with as both sides felt the other out. City, looking to secure second place and close the gap on United, and Chelsea, looking to catch the hosts, were both having large spells of possession, with little end product. Yaya Toure tried a shot straight at Cech, before a Nastasic free header from a corner forced the visitors’ keeper into a good save.

With just over 15 minutes played, City began to step up the tempo and the game was being played in the Chelsea half. Aguero tried to take the ball around Cech, but his touch was too heavy and it bounced behind for a goal kick. It was then Rodwell’s turn to head at goal, but his effort was over the bar, following a Lampard free kick that was well wide of Hart’s goal.

Eight minutes before the break, it was almost the hosts who took the lead. Aguero wriggled free on the left flank and was able to get a good ball back across to the back post where Zabaleta was arriving. He volleyed at goal, but his effort met the head of Cahill, who stopped the goal-bound shot from finding the net.

Rodwell tried his luck from 30 yards and found Cech again in good form to tip his long-range drive over the bar. From the resulting corner, the midfielder managed to win the header, but it was straight at the Chelsea goalkeeper and he was able to hold it. The home side were knocking, but the visitors’ door was remaining firmly shut.

It was normal service resumed in the opening stages of the second half, as it began with City on the attack. Milner’s ball into the middle was just missed by Rodwell and it fell to Aguero to try an ambitious overhead kick, but the acrobatic attempt landed well wide of the target.

But, with just five minutes of the half gone, City were facing a penalty. Ba had got in behind Kolo Toure and, as he faced Hart with a one-on-one, he went down under pressure from the City keeper. The referee pointed to the spot, despite there being minimal contact on the striker from the England international. It didn’t matter, though, as Hart was back up to save the spot kick low to his left, before Kolo Toure scrambled the rebound clear.

It was all livening up on the pitch, as Milner sent Aguero through for a one-on-one with Cech, but the Argentine’s cheeky chip landed onto the roof of the net. Two minutes later, the visitors had a three-on-one breakaway, but Kolo Toure did brilliantly to cut out the first cross and then make a great challenge to get the loose ball away.

Just after the hour mark, the home side went ahead. Silva and Milner found Yaya Toure inside the penalty area and, as he cut back inside onto his right foot, he curled the ball towards the bottom corner. It found the net, past the despairing dive of Cech, and via a little nick of a deflection on the way through.

It was Chelsea’s turn to press and try to find a response. Despite having a large amount of possession, though, they failed to test Hart with anything more than a potshot from Mata from the left edge of the box. Clichy did well to chest a loose ball back to the hands of Hart, and Nastasic and Kolo Toure were in the thick of the action to get their headers clear.

The decisive move, though, came five minutes from the end. Rafa Benitez went for broke and took off Mikel in favour of Torres. The change allowed City to control the ball inside the Chelsea half much more than in the previous ten minutes and, following a brilliant tackle from Garcia, Silva found Tevez on the edge of the box. The Argentine wellied it into the top corner.

It secured City’s win and left the blues seven points ahead of their opponents.