- Essien (18)
- Date:2009-03-15
- Kick-off:13:30
- Venue:Stamford Bridge
- Attendance:41810
- Referee:Riley, M
Live Commentary
90mins
Full-Time: CHELSEA 1-0 MAN CITY. Chelsea maintain their fine form to keep the pressure on Manchester United at the top of the table.
90mins
Lampard is fed the ball on the left hand side of the area. He turns on to his right foot and then back on to his left to find space but his shot is always rising and well over.
90mins
There will be 3 minutes of added time for City to try to get the equaliser.
89mins
Ball forward for Anelka, but he's just beaten to the ball and Given clears the danger.
89mins
Ireland tries to release Etuhu down the right with a long angled ball. It's just too long and out for a throw-in to Chelsea.
88mins
Ball out on the City right finds Etuhu in space but he's well overhit his cross and it drifts well over the bar for a Chelsea goal kick.
87mins
Almost 2-0 again. Another good ball in by Bosingwa. It finds Malouda at the far post but his shot is cleared away by Dunne.
86mins
Bad ball back into the defence by Wright-Phillips straight to Anelka. Anelka plays the ball out left to Malouda but his shot is towards the near post and into the side netting for a goal kick.
84mins
Corner comes in and Terry meets the ball with his head under pressure and the ball goes well over.
84mins
Great cross in from the right by Bosingwa and Dunne does extremely well to beat Malouda to the ball and head clear for a Chelsea corner.
83mins
That effort from Bojinov, with 7 minutes left was City's first effort on target and it looks like being another 3 points for Chelsea.
83mins
Bojinov shoots from the left hand edge of the area but it's headed clear. City retain possession and Bojinov finds himself with another chance to shoot from 20 yards, but it's straight at Cech.
81mins
Man City substitution: The below par Robinho leaves the game and is replaced by Bojinov.
81mins
Foul on Ballack and Chelsea have a free-kick just inside their own half.
80mins
Cross from Lampard on the left hand side. Header from Ballack, but it's well blocked and City survive again.
77mins
We're creeping into the final stages of this match and although Chelsea have been the better side the one-goal margin leaves this still far from over.
76mins
Cross from the left by Malouda. The ball is just behind Anelka and his flick just fails to fall for Lampard.
75mins
It's a yellow card for City's Evans. Dunne comes through the back of Anelka to give Chelsea a free-kick as his protests were not welcomed by referee Mike Riley.
74mins
Ball in from the right hand side towards Drogba but it's headed clear by City.
72mins
City break down the left with Bridge. He plays the ball inside and the ball is switched out to the right to Etuhu but Cole challenges and the ball comes off Etuhu and out for a goal kick.
71mins
Chelsea substitution: Malouda replaces Drogba in the Chelsea attack.
70mins
Lampard plays the ball in, down the left for Cole, but Richards recovers and the ball ricochets back off Cole for a goal-kick.
69mins
Drogba is back on the field after his treatment but Malouda looks like he may be ready to come on.
67mins
Drogba is down injured again, holding the back of his knee and he'll need the physio to come on again.
66mins
First touch for the City sub Etuhu. He drives forward on the right hand side but his shot is dragged wide of Cech's far post and it's a goal kick to Chelsea.
66mins
Man City substitution: Elano goes off to be replaced by Etuhu.
64mins
Corner to Chelsea on the left hand side. Ball comes in and is fumbled by Given but City block Belletti's follow up and the ball is out for another corner.
64mins
Chelsea hit the post and it could have been 2-0. Chelsea break with Bosingwa. His shot beats Given but it strikes the upright.
63mins
City break again down the right with Richards. Ball back to Ireland, but his ball into the area is intercepted and Chelsea break themselves.
60mins
City just starting to have a spell of possession as they try to get back on level terms.
60mins
Corner again to city. Wright-Phillips takes on Cole down the City right and Cole is forced to put it out of play.
59mins
Break down the right hand side by Richards for City, but it's a great tackle by Cole to dispossess him and Chelsea clear.
58mins
Elano takes, but it hits the wall and Chelsea clear.
57mins
Foul by Terry on Elano and City have a free-kick in a good area. It's 20 yards out but slightly wide on the right hand side. Elano shapes as if he will shoot.
56mins
Shot from Robinho 30 yards out. Cole sticks out a leg and it's deflected wide for a corner. It's City's first of the game.
55mins
Man City substitution: Bellamy comes on for Caicedo.
55mins
City wasteful in possesion again. Elano in the centre circle, tries a long ball forward but it's well over-hit and out for a goal kick and Man City are going to make a change.
53mins
Another poor ball from Robinho. He attempts to play it wide but his pass is easily cut out and Chelsea break again. Ball finds Essien on the edge of the area, but his shot is wide.
51mins
Great chance for Chelsea again. Good work from Bosingwa down the right hand side. He feeds Drogba inside the area but his shot from 6 yards out is saved well at the near post by Given.
48mins
One-two between Lampard and Drogba and the Ivory Coast man is almost in again. Ball ends up with Anelka 25 yards out, but his effort goes wide.
47mins
Great ball from Essien in to Drogba. He's about to pull the trigger and would surely score, but a great double challenge by Dunne and Onuoha saves City from going further behind.
47mins
Good opening from Chelsea again and Essien wins a throw-in for them on the right hand side 15 yards out.
46mins
Man City get the second half underway as they search for an equaliser against a dominant Chelsea side.
45mins
Half-Time: CHELSEA 1-0 MAN CITY. Essien's goal separates the sides at the break.
45mins
Great run by Ireland. He starts inside his own half and ends up on the edge of the penalty area. He tries to play in Caicedo, but Chelsea manage to crowd him out and Terry is eventually fouled for a Chelsea free kick.
45mins
There will be one minute of first-half stoppage time.
44mins
Long ball forward by Ireland, but again it's overhit and the ball goes out for a goal kick.
43mins
Chelsea break down the left hand side with Anelka. Ball played to Ballack about 30 yards out. He shoots but it's charged down by City and the danger is cleared.
42mins
Chelsea substitution: Deco goes off to be replaced by Belletti.
41mins
Robinho plays the ball out to Micah Richards in space down the right hand side, but the ball goes out for a goal kick.
39mins
Half chance immediately at the other end for Chelsea. Lampard cross right footed from the left. Drogba gets on the end of it but he can't get over the ball and it's headed well over.
38mins
Half chance for City. They break with Caicedo. The ball ricochets between several players and finds Robinho on the right hand side about 8 yards out. He attempts a cross come shot towards the far post, but it's cleared away by Boswinga.
36mins
Great play again from Chelsea and it could have been two nil. Ball in to Drogba finds him in the area he back heels to the edge of the area for the onrushing Ballack but Dunne does just enough and Ballack fires wide.
36mins
Short spell of possession from City. It ends with a deep cross from the left hand side from Elano but it's straight into the arms of Cech.
34mins
Good one touch play in the Chelsea midfield rom Lampard, Ballack and Essien. Ball goes out to the left hand side towards Cole but the ball is out for a goal kick.
32mins
Penalty claim for Chelsea. Anelka is played in by Lampard down the right hand side. It looks like Anelka is in on goal but Onuoha tussles with the Chelsea man and as both players go to ground the ball is collected by Given and the play goes on.
31mins
Corner to Chelsea taken by Lampard. Ball is headed clear but only as far as Essien. He turns onto his left foot and creates space for a shot but his 25 yard effort is dragged wide.
30mins
Chelsesa attack down the right hand side. Ball goes to Essien and he plays it off his man for a Chelsea throw 15 yards out.
29mins
Elano is booked by referee Mike Riley for the foul on Ballack.
29mins
More pressure from Chelsea and City finding it hard to clear. Ball goes to Ballack in the centre circle and it's a petulant foulf from Elano.
28mins
Drogba has gone off the pitch and is receiving treatment again from the Chelsea physio. Will we see much more action from the big Chelsea centre forward this afternoon?
27mins
Long ball through from the City backline, but it's overhit and runs through to Cech in the Chelsea goal.
25mins
Essien is fouled inside the centre circle after dispossessing his man and it's a free kick to Chelsea. Ballack and Robinho are exchanging heating words.
24mins
Chance for City. Ball played in from the left hand side to Caicedo. He's unmarked on the edge of the area and turns to shoot but he drags his effort tamely wide.
23mins
Chelsea starting to dominate possession in the middle of the park. Some great passing and movement from Lampard, Essien and Deco looking to open City up.
21mins
Cross in from the right hand side and Drogba goes down and it looks like the Chelsea striker will need some treatment.
20mins
Micah Richards is in acres of space down the right hand side. Robinho attempts to pick him out, but the ball is overhit and out for a Chelsea throw.
18mins
CHELSEA 1-0 MAN CITY. Free-kick to Chelsea on the halfway line. It's taken low by Lampard in towards ESSIEN who finds himself unmarked. He turns and hits it first time and the ball loops over the keeper into the top corner. It's a great finish.
16mins
Poor kick from Given, headed back through by Ballack, but Drogba is well offside.
15mins
Long corner taken this time. Carvalho wins the header but it's wide and out for a goal kick.
15mins
First corner of the game, played short and City are caught napping. Lampard gets a chance to shoot at the near post, but it's out for another corner to Chelsea.
14mins
Great football from Chelsea, one-two on the egde of the box, but City clear for a corner.
14mins
Drogba gets the ball in the left hand channel and attempts to go past Dunne. The City defender does well and the ball is out for a City throw.
11mins
Break for City down the left hand side. Lovely ball inside the full back from Robinho, but Bridge has strayed just offside.
10mins
Ball in on the right hand side from Anelka, looks for Drogba on the edge of the area. The ball is cut out and City look to break themselves.
9mins
Essien breaks forward for Chelsea again. His pass picks out Drogba, but he's adjudged to be offside. It looks a close decision, but the correct one.
8mins
Essien attacks through the middle for Chelsea, but the play is broken up and the danger is over.
6mins
First shot of the game for City. Richards attacks down the left hand side. He plays the ball inside to Caicedo, but his shot from the edge of the area is harmlessly wide.
5mins
Lampard attempts a pass in behind the City defence down the right hand channel but the pass is overhit and the ball is out for a goal kick.
4mins
Cole attempts to break down the left hand side, but his one-two with Lampard ends with an overhit pass and the ball goes out for a throw-in to City.
3mins
Free kick to Chelsea at halfway. Kick is taken early and Chelsea atttack down the left hand side.
3mins
Good early possession for Chelsea, who look to have settled the best of the two sides early on.
1mins
Early chance for Chelsea. Ball in from the right from Bosingwa. City struggle to clear. Essien strikes from the edge of the area and Lampard turns it home, but the flag is up for offside. Let off for City.
1mins
It's Chelsea who get the game underway. The sun is shining and the pitch looks in perfect condition for a good game of football.
0mins
Mark Hughes will be hoping his side can get the win that would see them leapfrog Fulham and Wigan and put them on the coat tails of West Ham in 7th place.
0mins
After Man Utd's heavy defeat at home to Liverpool, Chelsea will be looking for the win that gets them right back in the title race.
0mins
Man City team line-up: Given, Richards, Onuoha, Dunne, Bridge, Zabaleta, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Elano, Robinho, Caicedo
0mins
Chelsea team line-up: Cech, Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry, A. Cole, Ballack, Deco, Essien, Lampard, Drogba, Anelka
Match Preview
Chelsea can turn their attentions to domestic matters again after securing a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in midweek.
The Blues were made to fight all the way in Italy to earn a 2-2 draw at Juventus, which completed a 3-2 aggregate success.
The match in Turin saw striker Didier Drogba score his fourth goal in five games to confirm his return to form following a below-par start to the season.
"He's very important, how he's showing his commitment and how he's always busy," Blues coach Guus Hiddink said after the game.
"He doesn't give you, as a central defender, an easy night. When he scores, it's even better.
"He's doing very well. For the second goal he came just ahead of his marker. That's a sign that he is sharp."
A major boost in midweek also came with Michael Essien coming through unscathed after a long-term knee injury, while Nicolas Anelka also featured after overcoming a toe injury.
However, both Joe Cole and Paulo Ferreira are both out for the rest of the season.
Manchester City have also been in European action this week, taking on Danish side Aalborg in the first leg of their UEFA Cup round of 16 tie.
Record signing Robinho shrugged off an ankle injury to feature in that game, but January recruit Craig Bellamy is currently sidelined by an ankle injury and Vincent Kompany is a doubt due to a toe injury.
Dutch midfielder Nigel De Jong will be available for selection again after being ineligible for the UEFA Cup clash.
Manager Mark Hughes is still hopeful of seeing the Citizens finish the campaign on a positive note, saying: "Seventh has to be realistic for us and we will work to that end.
"We have targets. We are still in the UEFA Cup and we have high hopes of progressing further.
"But our bread and butter is the Premier League and I would like to think we can achieve something in it this season."
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Match Report
Michael Essien scored the only goal as Chelsea beat Manchester City at Stamford Bridge to open up the title race even further.
After Liverpool had shocked Manchester United on Saturday, Chelsea leapfrogged the Reds and moved into second place on goal difference with this win and are now just four points behind the leaders.
Essien's return to the side following his cruciate ligament injury in August has been a major boost for the Londoners who were also able to start with Ricardo Carvalho and Deco.
In the clash of the two richest clubs in the world, it was Roman Abramovich's outfit that looked best equipped to mount a tilt for titles.
Chelsea dominated from the off and Frank Lampard had the ball in the back of the net within a minute but was adjudged to be offside.
The Chelsea breakthrough came on 18 minutes when Lampard sent in a clever free-kick and Essien popped up, unmarked just inside the City penalty area, to clip an exquisite right-footed half-volley over the stranded Shay Given.
City almost equalised five minutes later when Stephen Ireland fed the ball to Felipe Caicedo, His first time touch and turn ended with a low left-footed drive that just went wide of Petr Cech's left upright.
Chelsea looked to have won a stonewall penalty on 32 minutes when Nedum Onuoha appeared to tug Nicolas Anelka's shirt twice as the frontman ripped into the City penalty area, but referee Mike Riley waved play on.
Chelsea almost nabbed a second goal nine minutes before the break when Michael Ballack won possession before passing to Lampard who fed Didier Drogba.
The Ivory Coast international then back-heeled the ball into the path of the onrushing Ballack, who stretched to get to it but failed to guide his effort towards goal under pressure from Richard Dunne.
Deco's return lasted just 40 minutes when he appeared to suffer a recurrence of his hamstring injury before being replaced by Juliano Belletti.
A fine counter-attacking move on 51 minutes saw Lampard give the ball to Jose Bosingwa who quickly passed it on to Drogba. He took one touch before rifling the ball on target only to see Given make a smart diving save.
City boss Mark Hughes had seen enough and replaced Caicedo with Ched Evans.
Gradually City increased their share of possession and forced several corners although none troubled the Chelsea goal.
It was Chelsea who could have scored their second when another quick counter-attack on 63 minutes saw Belletti start the move and end it with a 20-yard left footed daisy-cutter which beat Given but not his left post and the ball bounced clear.
Dunne cleared Florent Malouda's effort off the line with six minutes left as Chelsea professionally played the clock down before securing another vital three points.
Chelsea Team
Manchester City Team
Chelsea | Manchester City |
Corners
| 4 | 3 |
Fouls
| 7 | 8 |
Goal attempts
| 18 | 6 |
Shots off target
| 11 | 3 |
Offsides
| 6 | 2 |



90mins
Time running out for City. The 3 minutes of stoppage time are up and no sign of them creating the chance to nab a late goal.