Manchester, Jan 8
Having reached the last three FA Cup finals, Chelsea were knocked out in the third round for the first time in 25 years by Manchester City’s superb performance in a 4-0 win. It was an injury-ravaged Chelsea’s second defeat in four days by a weakened City who had beaten them 1-0 in the Premier League.
Chelsea are out of both domestic cup competitions and are ten points off the Champions League places leaving their supporters frustrated with the manager Graham Potter who has been there just four months. Under him they have won just one of their last seven games in all competitions.
Potter said: “The results in a small space of time aren’t positive. You can make excuses and look for reasons, say it isn’t good enough. But we have to keep improving and stick together, because clearly we are suffering as a club and it’s not nice at all.”
He added: “This opponent is the worst you can play when you are not doing well. They can make you look like you’re not running and trying. The first half was painful and tough. You can understand the supporters’ frustration, we respect that. But our job is to keep working. There are always other opinions, negativity and criticism – the results have not been positive. That’s part of the job, part of the challenge.”
City’s victory was virtually completed by the end of the first half with a 3-0 lead. While the London side were poor throughout the half, City opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. Lewis Hall fouled Mahrez who took the free kick 25 yards out and curled a marvellous shot in the top corner of the near post slightly grazing the head of Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher.
On the half hour came the second goal with Julian Alvarez converting a penalty. It was awarded after a handball by Kai Havertz who rose to head away a corner and inexplicably leaving his left arm up in the air.
After relentless attack by City, the third goal came eight minutes later. In a fine combined move, Rodri sent the ball crossfield to Mahrez and the Algerian found Kyle Walker in the box who in turn gave a short pass to Foden to send the ball into the net. The three goals had come in a space of 15 minutes leaving Chelsea humiliated.
They improved a little with double substitution at half time but had no answer to City’s domination. The scoring was completed five minutes before end of normal time. Foden had raced on to a pass by Bernardo Silva but was floored by Kalidou Koulibaly in the box and Mahrez drove the spot kick into the roof of the net sending Kepa Arrizabalaga the wrong way.
City manager, Pep Guardiola said about his team: “Really good from the first minute to the end. We made it an incredibly intense game against a top side. When we play in this way, with this incredible hunger, we don’t even give them time to think.”
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