Manchester Metropolis defeated Chelsea for the second time in 4 days with a 4-0 win within the third spherical of the FA Cup to pile the stress on Blues supervisor Graham Potter.
Metropolis have been three up at half-time because of Riyad Mahrez’s magnificent free-kick, Julian Alvarez’s penalty and Phil Foden’s great crew objective. Mahrez added his second and Metropolis’s fourth from the spot late on to additional underline the gulf between the 2 groups.
Pep Guardiola’s crew can sit up for a tie at house to Arsenal if the Premier League leaders overcome Oxford United on Monday night. As for Chelsea, it’s the first time this century that the Blues discover themselves not among the many golf equipment within the fourth spherical.
The consequence provides to the stress on Potter, who was solely appointed in September. Chelsea have now misplaced six of their final 9 matches in all competitions and haven’t tasted victory away from house since beating Crimson Bull Salzburg in October.
How Man Metropolis blew Chelsea away
It was Mahrez who scored the one objective of the sport when these groups met within the Premier League on Thursday and he broke the impasse once more right here. His curling free-kick from the best fringe of the field arrowed into the highest nook past Kepa Arrizabalaga’s dive.
If Chelsea might do little to cease that, the second was self-inflicted. Kai Havertz led along with his hand when making an attempt to clear a nook on the close to submit and the VAR couldn’t miss it. Alvarez, beginning for the primary time since his World Cup win with Argentina, nearly beat Kepa.
Metropolis had dropped factors in opposition to Brentford and Everton of their final two Premier League video games in entrance of their house supporters however they didn’t go two up then. With that benefit, the arrogance grew and Guardiola’s aspect actually began to purr.
What a objective their third of the primary half was. Kyle Walker’s trickery obtained them transferring, Foden and Rodri buying and selling flicks, Mahrez discovered Walker’s overlapping run and there was Foden from shut vary to faucet in. It was a objective typical of this Metropolis aspect at their best possible.
Although the tempo dropped thereafter, one other good transfer introduced the fourth objective when Kalidou Koulibaly clumsily bundled Foden to the bottom and the referee had little selection however to level to the spot. Mahrez did the remainder, lashing the ball excessive into the online.
There may even be an argument that Metropolis look extra fluid with Alvarez making these unselfish runs up entrance than Erling Haaland, the crew’s prolific striker, stood there banging them in himself. Both manner, it’s the kind of downside that Potter would like to have.
All through the second half, sections of the 8,000-strong travelling assist chanted the title of his predecessor Thomas Tuchel, having earlier sang the title of the now departed proprietor Roman Abramovich. All isn’t nicely at Chelsea. The Man Metropolis machine rolls on.
Participant of the match: Riyad Mahrez
Riyad Mahrez scores Manchester Metropolis’s fourth objective from the penalty spot
Chelsea shall be sick of the sight of Mahrez however Guardiola will be thankful for the video games in opposition to them as a result of they’ve been crucial in reigniting the winger’s season. His objective in opposition to them within the Carabao Cup in November now seems to have been a turning level.
The Metropolis boss had been crucial of Mahrez’s type earlier within the season – and he defended that evaluation of the participant’s contribution even when praising him after the sport.
“He was not the identical. I used to be utterly honest. He was not enjoying on the degree he’s enjoying proper now. Typically I’ve to allow them to see the mirror of who they’re. It’s not concerning the high quality, you need to do extra in soccer.
“However for the reason that World Cup he’s enjoying rather well. A incredible free-kick and he performed an impressive sport, enjoying wider, enjoying slim. A superb sport.”
Guardiola: ‘Unbelievable starvation’
“We made an extremely intense sport in opposition to a high aspect. Subsequent spherical of the FA Cup. Completely satisfied to nonetheless be in there.
“I’ve a sense that we’ve unimaginable human beings and gamers. When we’ve this unimaginable starvation, we do not give them time to consider it. They didn’t have time. When that occurs it’s as a result of we’re alive.
“As a supervisor, you realise one thing is dropping when these actions we’re not doing. It’s straightforward for me as supervisor as a result of I can present them the clips and say, ‘That is what it is advisable to be doing.’ That is what we have to do.”
Potter: ‘First half was painful’
Graham Potter’s Chelsea are out of the FA Cup after a heavy defeat at Manchester Metropolis
“I believed we have been second greatest to a really, excellent aspect. Clearly, we’re not in a fantastic second ourselves and although it was a cagey first 20 minutes we could not assault the backline nicely sufficient, we could not assault in addition to we want. I feel Manchester Metropolis do rather well by way of stopping you doing that. On the similar time, we struggled.
“It was a incredible first objective by way of a strike from a free-kick, and a wierd penalty and you might be caught able the place it’s 2-0 and you need to chase the ball in opposition to Manchester Metropolis. You might be caught between making an attempt to commit extra males and never getting opened up.
“So the primary half was painful and hard for us all. Second half, we needed to reply and I believed there have been some positives there by way of the younger gamers. I believed they gave all the pieces and confirmed their high quality however we’re disillusioned we went out of the competitors. Congratulations to Man Metropolis. They deserved to win, in fact.”
What’s next?
Manchester Metropolis’s subsequent sport is at Southampton within the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday, reside on Sky Sports activities – kick-off 8pm.
Wednesday eleventh January 7:30pm
Kick off 8:00pm
Pep Guardiola’s aspect then journey to neighbours Manchester United for a Premier League conflict on Saturday – kick-off 12.30pm.
Chelsea’s subsequent fixture is away to west London rivals Fulham within the Premier League on Thursday – kick-off 8pm.
The Blues then host Crystal Palace in one other top-flight conflict on Sunday – kick-off 2pm.
