Chelsea stops City after a goal festival at Stamford Bridge
An exceptional match at Stamford Bridge, full of intensity, goals, errors and alternatives, closed with a penalty goal from Cole Palmer in the fifth minute of added time. The young midfielder saved a point for Chelsea against Manchester City, the club where he trained for 15 seasons. A tie with which Pep Guardiola's team remains at the top of the Premier League, ahead of Liverpool and Arsenal. [Narrative and statistics (4-4)]
Under the London rain, the last chapter of the show was signed by Palmer, with formidable aplomb against Ederson. “I had to wait a long time, but I felt confident. “I stayed focused and calm,” admitted the England Under-21 international.. “It was very strange to play against them for the first time,” added the great protagonist, very precise from 11 meters after the resounding penalty committed by Ruben Dias against Armando Broja, substitute for Moisés Caicedo just five minutes earlier.
The tie is a respite for Mauricio Pochettino, coach of the blues, who puts his team in the top 10 of the league after 11 points in the last six days. And City, who had won the last six matches since the 2021 Champions League final, took the initiative midway through the first half.. A grab by Marc Cucurella on Erling Haaland was enough for the Norwegian to easily beat Robert Sánchez from 11 meters.
“I don't forget that it was my club”
The visitors' advantage barely lasted five minutes, because Thiago Silva, 39, imposed his aerial power after a corner kick taken by Conor Gallagher. The delirium of the home fans multiplied shortly afterwards, when the omnipresent Raheem Sterling crowned a cross from Reece James. In the action, Josko Gvardiol, City's star signing, was identified as ineffective against the English full-back. “Scoring is always something nice, although I don't forget that City was my club,” Sterling explained when asked why he didn't celebrate that 2-1.
Just before the break, in the first minute of added time, Manuel Akanji restored equality with a good header, after an assist from Bernardo Silva. By then, the fast pace and exchange of blows had already conquered neutral fans.. “We played at the pace that best suited them.. They are better in quick transitions, because they are faster and stronger. We tried to play our game, but it cost us,” Rodri admitted.
Rodri's self-criticism
And as soon as he returned from the break, Haaland put City ahead again, with his thirteenth goal of the season in the Premier. With no time for a truce, Pochettino took his risks by bringing on Mykhailo Mudryk instead of Enzo Fernández. Perhaps spurred by their recent 1-4 against Tottenham and forgetting their scoring drought in September, Chelsea once again established equality thanks to an action by Nicolas Jackson.
City, who had already lost away to Wolverhampton and Arsenal this season, believed they were winners in the 86th minute, with a shot from the front by Rodri. The ball, deflected by Thiago Silva, an impossible trajectory for Robert Sánchez. When the citizen fans were celebrating the most, Dias' clumsiness arrived and Palmer's final 4-4. “It wasn't our best game. Individually we needed to do a little more, because conceding four goals is not normal for us,” Rodri concluded.