• Date: Sat 05 April 2008
  • Venue: City of Manchester Stadium
  • Ref: Foy, C
  • Attendance: 42,594

Manchester City vs Chelsea

Team Lineups

Manchester City

Joe Hart
Nedum Onuoha (Sun Jihai, 59)
Michael Ball
Richard Dunne
Vedran Corluka
Gelson Fernandes
Michael Johnson, M
Martin Petrov
Blumer Elano (Darius Vassell, 65)
Stephen Ireland (Felipe Caicedo, 75)
Mwaruwari Benjani

Chelsea

Carlo Cudicini
John Terry
Ashley Cole
Juliano Belletti (Paulo Ferreira, 86)
Rodrigo da Costa Alex
Shaun Wright-Phillips (Joe Cole, 52)
Frank Lampard
John Obi Mikel
Michael Essien
Salomon Kalou
Nicolas Anelka


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

The final whistle goes, and Chelsea really showed their Premiership credentials after outclassing City in the 2nd half and making the game comfortable.

90

There will be five minutes of stoppage time to be played after that lengthy injury to Onuoha earlier.

87
Substitution
 

Renato Paulo Ferreira replaces Juliano Belletti.

87

The City fans have seem to given up on the game as rows of empty seats begin to appear.

84

Anelka gets down to the byline and pulls the ball back, but no-one is in support and the City defence can clear.

82

Chelsea will be pleased if they secure this result after conceding the lead in Istanbul midweek, this result would also mean Avram Grant's side will move to within 2 points of United.

77

Into the final quarter, and every minute that passes seems to contain less hope for the City fans as Chelsea continue to grind out this result.

74
Substitution
 

Felipe Caicedo replaces Stephen Ireland.

71

Anelka is caught just offside as he attempted to beat the City back line with his pace.

68

Chelsea have taken command of this game now and are playing at an almost strolling pace, City need to change something quickly if they want something out of this match.

65
Substitution
 

Darius Vassell replaces Blumer Elano.

63

Michael Johnson does well to block a strong Kalou shot from the edge of the box.

59
Substitution
 

Sun Jihai replaces Nedum Onuoha.

57

Hart has made a brilliant save from Anelka, who's header from close range was destined for goal after Lampard supplied.

56

Defender Nedum Onuoha has been down injured for some time now, and it doesn't look good for the City player.

53
Goal
 

Salomon Kalou scores! The ball was played right through the centre of the City defence, Kalou latched onto the ball, rounded the keeper, and slotted home.

52
Substitution
 

Joe Cole replaces Shaun Wright-Phillips.

48

Lampard tries his luck from just outside the box, but Richard Dunne gets in the way and blocks the shot.

Second half
 

The game restarts as City look to try and recreate what Fenabache did against Chelsea earlier in the week, and come back from behind to win.

Half time
 

Referee Chris Foy calls for the break, and Chelsea will be pleased that they have the lead despite not being at their best.

45

There will be two minutes of stoppage time to be added.

44
Yellow Card
 

Gelson Fernandes is booked for a bad foul on Wright-Phillips.

42

Only a few minutes until the break, and Chelsea will be looking to keep it tight at the back and hold their lead until that point.

40

Petrov tries his luck from a free-kick near the edge of the area, the strike is a good one, but goes wide of the post.

37

Chelsea, through John Terry, clear the danger after Carlo Cudicini fails to collect the ball from a City free-kick.

35

City have shown that they do have the firepower to trouble the Chelsea backline, but unfortunately for them, it seems to be at fairly irregular occassions.

31

The game has suddenly jumped into life as City have a couple of successive chances on goal, and the City fans will be pleased by this raised tempo.

29

Ireland tries to bundle the ball into the Chelsea goal after a powerful Benjani shot was deflected and bounced around the box, and City win a corner, that at the 2nd attempt, is cleared.

27

The game is being controlled by the away side, as Chelsea play at their own pace and seemingly at ease.

23

Nedum Onuoha makes another great tackle on Anelka as the Frenchman was on hand to shoot inside the box, he concedes the corner, but City will be glad for that.

20

Gelson Fernandes does well inside the City box to control and clear the ball with Chelsea strikers lurking around for the loose ball.

18

City fans will be hoping that the early goal isn't an omen for a repeat of that 6-0 thrasing at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season.

15

Chelsea have dominated early proceedings in the opening 15 minutes here as Hart punches clear a Chelsea corner.

11

Nedum Onuoha makes a great sliding challenge on Anelka as he ran through on goal, the striker was about to pull the trigger, making the tackle even more vital.

9

The game had been very slow up until that point, but that unfortunate own goal from Dunne has given City an early mountain to climb.

6
Own Goal
 

Chelsea have taken the lead! A low cross from Michael Essien is turned into the City net by Richard Dunne, and what a great start for the away side.

2

Chelsea have made 6 changes from the side that played in Turkey midweek, and the selection also proves of interest to Anelka and Wright-Phillips, who face their former clubs.

Kickoff
 

The match gets underway, and City will feel that they have a good chance of victory today as they meet a Chelsea side who have been out of sorts recently.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Goalkeeper Cech fails to shake off an ankle injury and misses out, however, Frank Lampard returns to the starting line-up as Chelsea begin with: Cudicini, Belletti, Alex, Terry, Ashley Cole, Essien, Obi, Lampard, Wright-Phillips, Anelka, Kalou

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Martin Petrov and Michael Johnson both return after recovering from the flu and a groin injury respectively as City start with: Hart, Corluka, Dunne, Onuoha, Ball, Ireland, Gelson, Johnson, Petrov, Elano, Mwaruwari