So it’s true on paper it was not a defeat, but it’s hard to describe how Manchester City surrendered unconditionally to Chelsea Stamford Bridge tonight (Sunday), and despite opening a relatively stuttering season of the Blues, they showed there are still huge level gaps between them And Frank Lampard’s gang.
Also the manager, Pep Guardiola, Did not hide his satisfaction with the display of his players: “We played very well. Unfortunately we conceded a late goal, but the result was fantastic at Stamford Bridge. Today we are back to look like two or three years ago, and it’s an important away win. Everything that happens in the league is weird this season. “Focused on the games themselves, and the rest of the time to be calm. What has changed? It’s the same manager, the same professional team, the same players and the same method of play. We played today the way we won titles in the past. We regained the pace we lost.”
20-year-old Phil Foden (and 220-day-old) became the second youngest player to score and cook against Chelsea in the league after Jermaine Defoe in 2002 (19 and 356 days), and the manager complimented: “I am very proud of him. “He has not lost a drop of energy and he can play in all positions on offense. He has a sense of goals and he has scored a fantastic goal. We can count on him, and also the England team. He will be a player because he is smart and calm. Today was another great performance of his.”
Starting 2021 in the right way !! 💙 pic.twitter.com/Qe5YEcT9eL
– Phil Foden (@PhilFoden) January 3, 2021
Gr8 way to kick this year off! 🎱💪🏼⚽ Amazing work from each and everyone in our team. @ManCity @premierleague pic.twitter.com/DCybFgaSlH
– Ilkay Gündogan (@IlkayGuendogan) January 3, 2021
Like Puden, too Kevin de Bruyne Finished the game with a brace and a goal, which was his fourth against the Blues, making him the ex who has scored the most times against Chelsea. The Belgian, who will serve as an imaginary 9, described the experience: “It was a bit strange at first, I did it a few times in my career. Obviously we have a lot of strikers out there, so the coach asked me to fill that role and I tried to do my best as possible” .
“It’s important that we win a big game,” de Bruyne said of the importance of victory. “This year we had some good games, but we did not win any of them. Today we showed that we can win and that we are still fighting at the top. In the years we were champions, we won big games, but this year it is a little different because everyone loses points. We had a bad start, but we “Come back, so it’s good we’re fighting, that’s all we can do now. In every game the feeling is never going to be easy. You have to be here at 100%, and if you’re only 95%, you probably will not win and that has happened to many teams this year.”
I guess @PhilFoden was happy with my goal! 😆 pic.twitter.com/LlfCEGn3uy
– Kevin De Bruyne (@DeBruyneKev) January 3, 2021
The side that was much less happy, of course, was Chelsea, who since the start of December have already recorded four losses, and only West Bromwich Albion (5) and Sheffield United (6) have lost in the Premier League more than them in that time. “We made mistakes and were punished,” he concluded Frank Lampard Disappointed. “If you want to reach City’s level in recent years, you have to deal with pressure. In the second half we were more balanced, but after 3-0 it was already pretty much over. I am the man who has to face the reality test, there is work and sometimes there is pain. In the first half it was “It hurts in terms of football, because their level showed where we should aim. In the second half I saw a reaction, but the work needs to be completed.”