Sunday February 24, 2013 Day 27 Finished Etihad Stadium

  1. Premier League - Hart save inspires Man City to win over Chelsea

    Premier League - Hart save inspires Man City to win over Chelsea

    Joe Hart's brilliant penalty save from Frank Lampard helped Manchester City to a 2-0 Premier League win over Chelsea. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Manchester City
    • Chelsea
    • - Don't forget you can watch highlights of this match, along with every Premier League game, from 00:01 on Monday morning (UK only).
    • 90+5' All over! A deserved win for Manchester City that keeps their title hopes just about alive and gives their chances of a top-two finish a major boost.
    • 90+4' City win a free-kick after Mata fouls Nasri. They will take their time over this and savour the victory.
    • 90+3' Chelsea corner, everybody up, but it's too late now. City clear.
    • 90+1' Four minutes of stoppage time to play.
    • 90' Manchester City: Samir Nasri replaces Sergio Aguero, and Joleon Lescott is on for David Silva.
    • 89' Matija Nastasic is down injured. He looks OK, but City are preparing to make some changes.
    • 87' That goal puts the Etihad Stadium into party mode. The title might be something of a distant hope at the moment, but this is a morale-boosting win that keeps their faint hopes alive.
    • 86' GOAL!! Carlos Tevez makes it safe with a rasping shot from the edge of the box! He receives Silva's lay-off and powers the ball into the left corner. Fantastic strike.
    • 85' Time running out for Chelsea - they have not had the necessary precision in their passing today, but is there a final flourish?
    • 83' Yaya Toure blazes a shot wide from 25 yards.
    • 82' Cahill slips allowing Aguero space 25 yards out... he tries a low crossfield ball that Luiz races back to intercept.
    • 81' Here's Fernando! Torres replaces John Obi Mikel as Benitez takes his final roll of the dice.
    • 80' Milner crosses from the right, but it's cut out and Moses tries to start a Chelsea break with a pass to Mata... too heavy, yet again.
    • 78' Chelsea attempt to ping it through City but Oscar's touch is too heavy. He's livened things up, but the accuracy is not there.
    • 77' John Terry looks very sad on the bench. Very, very sad. You almost feel sorry for him. Almost.
    • 76' Cole is brought down 40 yards from the City goal as the visitors try to conjure an equaliser.
    • 75' Crossed from the Chelsea left... the ball bobbles around a little inside the box before Hart claims.
    • 74' David Luiz brings the ball over halfway and gestures for his team-mates to give him options. Chelsea lacking fluency.
    • 72' City work the ball deftly around but the final ball to Milner goes out for a goal kick.
    • 71' Milner looks long for Tevez, but Cahill gets across quickly with a well-timed sliding interception.
    • 70' Chelsea's corner is half cleared, then recycled to David Luiz who gives it away with a terrible pass.
    • 69' Oscar replaces an unhappy Eden Hazard. And still we wait for Torres.
    • 68' And Oscar is about to come on...
    • 68' Chelsea change: Victor Moses replaces Frank Lampard. Still no Torres.
    • 67' Hazard crosses from the right, Zabaleta heads behind and it's a Chelsea corner.
    • 66' And Chelsea are getting Fernando Torres ready...
    • 64' Superb play by Toure - three deft touches and a superb finish. How this game has turned since Hart gave away the penalty!
    • 63' GOAL! It's Yaya Toure for Manchester City! Picks it up at the edge of the box, leaves Mikel standing and curls it into the bottom right corner!
    • 62' Here comes Chelsea on the break, it's two on one... Ivanovic's pass to Ramires isn't perfect and the Brazilian hesitates, allowing Kolo Toure enough time to get back and dispossess him.
    • 61' Kolo Toure is pinned back by his own corner flag, but improbably leaves Mata in a heap and dribbles the ball clear.
    • 60' Chelsea win a corner off Javi Garcia - this game coming nicely to the boil. Well, hopefully it is.
    • 58' The replay suggests Clichy was indeed tugging Mata back, but the ref didn't spot it.
    • 57' Mata tries to find Ba inside the box - he claims he is being held back as he runs inside from the right, but referee Marriner waves his protests away.
    • 56' Nastasic wins a free-kick off Ramires - the 19-year-old defender is having a great game.
    • 55' MAN CITY: Carlos Tevez replaces Jack Rodwell who has had a pretty good game.
    • 54' No goals here, but four at St James' Park where Newcastle are playing Southampton. 2-2 up there.
    • 53' It was a clear penalty, and a big error by Hart - but what a save from Lampard's penalty. Brilliant.
    • 52' SAVED!! FANTASTIC FROM HART!! Lampard absolutely smashes it towards the bottom left corner but Hart springs to his right to palm it away.
    • 51' No card from Andre Marriner - Ba was heading away from goal. Lampard with the penalty...
    • 51' PENALTY CHELSEA!! He brings down Ba as the Chelsea man takes the ball past him!
    • 50' Hazard goes for goal from the edge of the box. Fires towards the bottom-left corner but Hart is equal to it.
    • 48' Silva exchanges passes with Yaya Toure down the left and crosses for Aguero, who attempts an overhead kick but sends the ball well wide.
    • 47' Clichy delivers a pacy cross from the left... Rodwell attacks the ball but Mikel clears at the near post.
    • 46' Second half under way! No personnel changes from either manager.
    • 45+2' That's half-time, and Manchester City are being held to a goalless draw by Chelsea.
    • 45+1' Ramires tries to dribble into the Chelsea box but he is ably dispossessed by Nastasic.
    • 45' Two minutes of added time to be played before half-time.
    • 44' The masked Ba takes on Milner down the Chelsea left, and the City man gets the better of him, winning a foul in the process. The City fans, who feel recent decisions have gone against them, erupt into ironic cheers.
    • 42' Another booking - this time to Pablo Zabaleta for persistent fouling, Didn't look to bad to me, but there you go. Decent opportunity for Chelsea.
    • 41' Rodwell hits a shot from long range, Cech tips it over! Cracking strike from the midfielder, though it might have been going over anyway.
    • 40' Kolo Toure brings Mata down, and the Chelsea number 10 stays down injured. It's an unnecessary challenge and Toure is booked.
    • 39' ZABALETA!! Hits a dropping ball on the volley - it's a powerful effort, bravely headed clear. Great strike.
    • 38' The ball pings around the Chelsea box but City cannot force it goalwards.
    • 37' The move breaks down and Marriner retrospectively books Ramires for the challenge. Toure is still limping - looks like he got a knock on the knee.
    • 36' Yaya Toure rolls in an exaggerated fashion after being brought down but ref Andre Marriner plays advantage.
    • 35' There is something of a lack of urgency now from both sides. Odd, since there is so much to be gained from winning this match.
    • 34' Chelsea repel another City corner... the home side are solid but lack a certain cutting edge. Certainly room for the introduction of Tevez or Dzeko later on.
    • 32' A chance for Rodwell as he tries to get on the end of a pacy Silva cross... headed clear.
    • 30' An interesting half-hour - City well on top early, but Chelsea have grown into this game.
    • 29' Jack Rodwell in the book - seemed a little harsh. He's axctually having a decent game, though.
    • 28' Frank Lampard takes it, has a shot, and boots the ball comically into the crowd. Why haven't they given him a new contact?
    • 27' Another free-kick for Chelsea - nearly 40 yards out but David Luiz looks like he fancies a shot....
    • 26' Chelsea free-kick on the left, just inside City territory... really poor delivery again from Mata, headed clear.
    • 24' Cahill is well forward inside the City box... Chelsea lose it and the ball is worked forward on the break... and it ends up back with the away team. Scrappy.
    • 23' Ramires crosses from the right... headed away, but nice for Chelsea to get the ball forward.
    • 22' Infostrada with a depressing stat: Roberto Mancini has drawn both of the two previous PL matches against teams managed by Rafael Benitez 0-0.
    • 21' Man City continue to apply pressure, with Clichy well forward down the left, now. The home side well on top. Chelsea yet to register an attempt on goal.
    • 19' Rodwell thumps into Ramires - he gets the ball, but it's the sort of lunging tackle that will always result in a free-kick these days.
    • 18' Great chance for City as Ivanovic gets caught... Silva to Aguero, who takes it past Cech but runs the ball out for a goal kick! Should have just had a shot.
    • 16' Not much Chelsea marking at the corner, and Chelsea are lucky Nastasic headed the ball into the ground.
    • 15' Good save Cech! Nastasic meets the corner with a downward header that bounces up and Cech beats it away two-fisted!
    • 14' Another City corner on the right, Silva to deliver an inswinger...
    • 13' Aguero feels Ivanovic roughed him up as the pair jumped for a header... looked like an OK challenge to me.
    • 12' Aguero stays down injured by Chelsea play on... a few jeers ring out, but they've every right to carry on. And Aguero is duly back on his feet before long.
    • 11' The visitors have not got a real foothold in this game. But City yet to properly test Cech.
    • 9' City continue to dominate as Milner clips in a cross from the right... headed away.
    • 8' City win a corner on the left, Mata to take... poor delivery, easily headed clear at the near post.
    • 7' Clichy intercepts in midfield and starts a City move... Silva plays a neat ball to Milner whose cross is headed clear.
    • 5' Silva makes a driving run inside from the left but is eventually muscled off the ball as he gets to the edge of the Chelsea box.
    • 5' A stat from Infostrada: 'City have no wins in their last three PL matches. They last went four without victory between September and November 2009, when they were on a run of seven consecutive PL draws under Mark Hughes.'
    • 4' Milner carries the ball down the left, and is adjudged to have fouled Ivanovic as he tries to bustle his way through.
    • 3' City win the game's first corner on their left - James Milner to take... Ba heads away at the near post.
    • 1' Early shot from Yaya Toure! An indication of how far forward he is playing - he seizes on a loose ball at the edge of the box and sidefoots a shot at Cech.
    • 1' Game on! City kick off, playing from left to right in their sky blue kit. Chelsea are all in black.
    • 13:27 Out come the sides to a rousing ovation. Obviously the term must-win has been overused to the point of meaninglessness, but it's hard to imagine City having any chance of retaining their title unless they win today.
    • 13:25 The teams gather in the wide, airy tunnel at the Etihad. In fact, it's so wide and airy you can hardly call it a tunnel.
    • 13:20 Rafa Benitez tells Sky Sports that John Terry is being rested because he has played 90 minutes twice in six days. "It's the same for Oscar." Benitez keen to avoid suggestions the captain has been dropped.
    • 13:15 It has been a tough week for Rafa Benitez, booed again by Chelsea fans in their Europa League game against Sparta Prague. But, publicly at least, Benitez is putting a brave face on it and continues to target second place in the table. Benitez: This is a massive game
    • 13:10 Roberto Mancini had some pretty stinging criticism for Samir Nasri ahead of the game. The City manager said: "A player of this quality could be one of the best players in Europe. But it’s not happening. Sometimes a player thinks it’s enough what they did the year before and doesn’t understand that every day they should improve ... sometimes you get players who think it is not important to work and this is their worst mistake.
    • 13:05 More from our friends at Opta: Chelsea have been awarded more penalties than any other side this season (8) while City have been awarded 14 since the start of last season, only Man Utd have been awarded more. 30 of Manchester City’s last 33 Premier League penalties have come in home games.
    • 13:00 Some interesting stats courtesy of Opta: Frank Lampard is aiming to score in five consecutive Premier League appearances for only the third time (did it in 2005 and 2010). Lampard has scored 11 goals in his 13 Premier League starts for Chelsea this season.
    • 12:55 As for Chelsea, Fernando Torres has unsurprisingly been dropped after his horror show against Sparta Prague on Thursday. Demba Ba takes his place, though the Senegalese striker is on a six-game scoreless streak of his own. John Terry is on the bench again.
    • 12:50 Interesting selection from Roberto Mancini, playing Sergio Aguero on his own up front - presumably that will free up Yaya Toure to take a move advanced role. Still, it looks a pretty conservative line-up with Milner preferred to Nasri on the flank.
    • 12:45 TEAMS: MAN CITY: Hart, Zabaleta, Kolo Toure, Nastasic, Clichy, Garcia, Milner, Rodwell, Silva, Yaya Toure, Aguero... Subs: Pantilimon, Lescott, Kolarov, Nasri, Sinclair, Tevez, Dzeko. // CHELSEA: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole; Mikel, Lampard; Ramires, Mata, Hazard; Ba... Subs: Turnbull, Azpilicueta, Terry, Bertrand, Oscar, Moses, Torres.
    • 12:45 Hello, and welcome to our live coverage of Manchester City v Chelsea from the Etihad Stadium!

  • Summary

    • 86' GOAL!! Carlos Tevez makes it safe with a rasping shot from the edge of the box! He receives Silva's lay-off and powers the ball into the left corner. Fantastic strike.
    • 63' GOAL! It's Yaya Toure for Manchester City! Picks it up at the edge of the box, leaves Mikel standing and curls it into the bottom right corner!
    • 52' SAVED!! FANTASTIC FROM HART!! Lampard absolutely smashes it towards the bottom left corner but Hart springs to his right to palm it away.
    • 51' PENALTY CHELSEA!! He brings down Ba as the Chelsea man takes the ball past him!
    • 48' Silva exchanges passes with Yaya Toure down the left and crosses for Aguero, who attempts an overhead kick but sends the ball well wide.
    • 41' Rodwell hits a shot from long range, Cech tips it over! Cracking strike from the midfielder, though it might have been going over anyway.
    • 39' ZABALETA!! Hits a dropping ball on the volley - it's a powerful effort, bravely headed clear. Great strike.
    • 18' Great chance for City as Ivanovic gets caught... Silva to Aguero, who takes it past Cech but runs the ball out for a goal kick! Should have just had a shot.
    • 15' Good save Cech! Nastasic meets the corner with a downward header that bounces up and Cech beats it away two-fisted!
    • 1' Early shot from Yaya Toure! An indication of how far forward he is playing - he seizes on a loose ball at the edge of the box and sidefoots a shot at Cech.
    • 12:45 TEAMS: MAN CITY: Hart, Zabaleta, Kolo Toure, Nastasic, Clichy, Garcia, Milner, Rodwell, Silva, Yaya Toure, Aguero... Subs: Pantilimon, Lescott, Kolarov, Nasri, Sinclair, Tevez, Dzeko. // CHELSEA: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole; Mikel, Lampard; Ramires, Mata, Hazard; Ba... Subs: Turnbull, Azpilicueta, Terry, Bertrand, Oscar, Moses, Torres.

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      5.5 7
      Defenders
      Yellow Card 5 6
      Yellow Card 4.9 6
      5.2 8
      4.9 7
      Midfielders
      Yellow Card Substitution Out54′ 4.9 7
      4.7 6
      4.8 7
      Goal 5.4 7
      Substitution Out90′ 5.3 5
      Strikers
      Substitution Out90′ 5.6 7
      Subs
      Substitution In90′ 4.8 -
      Substitution In54′ Goal 7.2 -
      Substitution In90′ 4.7 -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      6.9 6
      Defenders
      6 7
      6.3 7
      5.8 6
      5.4 7
      Midfielders
      Substitution Out81′ 5 5
      Yellow Card 5.8 6
      6.1 6
      Substitution Out68′ 6.4 5
      Substitution Out69′ 6.2 6
      Strikers
      5.8 6
      Subs
      Substitution In81′ 5.1 -
      Substitution In68′ 5.1 -
      Substitution In69′ 4.5 -

Comment 305 - 325 of 325

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  1. Chekleskleshki are a plastic club they're manager­ said so

    From Politician Stole My Money, on Tue 26 Feb 18:06

  2. RAFA need to trust Torrest and play him all the time

    From Politician Stole My Money, on Tue 26 Feb 18:05

  3. RAFA forever for the plastic russian club­ chekleshkleshki

    From Politician Stole My Money, on Tue 26 Feb 18:04

  4. Rafa you've gotta love him really.....especially if­ you hate chekleshkleshki

    From Politician Stole My Money, on Tue 26 Feb 18:03

  5. On the whole a very boring game. Looking on the bright­ side a good save by Hart and two great goals giving Man­ City the points. I would say to both teams being an­ ex teacher " Must do better"

    From Graham, on Tue 26 Feb 12:57

  6. Apparently confused and clueless, Benitez awfully­ goofed again with meaningless and awkward­ substitutions. Eden Hazard and Frank Lampard should­ have remained in the game, while David Luiz and Ramires­ ought to have been substituted shortly after the start­ of second half. Manchester City won not because they­ were a better team, but rather because Chelsea FC does­ not have a 'coach' yet!

    From McYinks, on Mon 25 Feb 13:56

  7. Chelsea were awful and Man City mediocre at best both­ fighting for runners up spot. Advantage Man City

    From Graham, on Mon 25 Feb 10:17

  8. Man city the best

    From Haree, on Mon 25 Feb 10:05

  9. Man City spanked you till the last minute. Where are­ those losers commenting? Man City 4ever.

    From Rahim H, on Mon 25 Feb 8:04

  10. Three cheers for Rafa, now Chelsea's 3rd place is­ in danger, it is vague if CL winners will be admitted­ to next year games?

    From Amir, on Mon 25 Feb 6:56

  11. city totally outclassed Chelsea from the start till­ end,i wonder how they can make top 4 if the play like­ this,i know is not easy but at least Manchester united­ played very well in city pitch,even scored 2 goal in­ less than 30 mins,thats to tell you man u are not a­ team to play around with,last yr,city only manage to­ win by points and lucky,if not we would have won last­ yr and i dont think we can throw that away this time,we­ might not play like city but experinces matters thats­ wat make united superior than other team in­ england.check history.Chelsea problem is not about the­ coach is the players itself,they are very waek and­ unserious in some matches,against city the would have­ come out with draw but the pay for there mistakes,miss­ penalty as always depend on lampard,remirez one one­ with hart,got scared and cannot scores.Ba did very­ well,is good torres didnt play bcos is a waste of time­ players.

    From Steven, on Mon 25 Feb 1:42

  12. Well the Ca$hico ended in a City victory ! Good result­ for Arsenal and Tottenham which will make the North­ London derby all the more interesting

    From Tancredi, on Sun 24 Feb 23:22

  13. just seen the pen on motd, what a dive by ba, from the­ camera behind the goal it loooks like hart didnt touch­ him

    From MICHAEL, on Sun 24 Feb 23:01

  14. As a neutral Newcastle supporter this shows that the­ city of manchester is on their own level of football,­ in which no london team can touch dat :))) lol. with­ all London's money their teams have always shown to­ disappoint when it comes to being apart of the big­ stages. I mean soooo much money and yet london has 1­ champions league tittle combined, and manchester has 2.­ :)

    From Phil, on Sun 24 Feb 22:54

  15. This was complete domination, both on and off the­ pitch.

    From Bob, on Sun 24 Feb 21:09

  16. Nomatter the scores, good game played by Ramirez, Mikel­ and Cole, shame on David Luiz his time is up to fall­ out of the squad, he feel so relaxed when he is with­ the ball, selfish passes all the time..

    From Richard, on Sun 24 Feb 21:05

  17. Hahaha, i would hazard a guess that it's united­ fans rating our players again. 4's and 5's. Oh­ dear, you are a bitter lot aren't you??

    From Darlo, on Sun 24 Feb 20:44

  18. SUPERMAN Everybody who is interested in the Premier­ League , it is still in competition and not as I­ thought United's to lose ,the way City went about­ dominating Chelsea who had a penalty taken by Lampard­ saved by Hart , one of the better players , with­ Y.Torre and Zabaleta and Silva the best of the lot. ­ Alez Fergie cannot have a rest while Mancini and his­ team are ' breathing down their necks' , with­ Van Persil injured and Rooney not fully recovered from­ his asthma/pneumonia , there are still some difficult­ obstacles to overcome......................you can­ relax in May! By the way City beat Chelski 2 - 0 , and­ had full control even without Dzeko and Tevez on the­ subs bench for 65 mins. they did themselves proud , and­ no funny refs. , no funny turns like Fergie's , no­ diving and offside goals scored , no abuse of the­ officials trhat we get when United play etc etc?

    From Stanislaw, on Sun 24 Feb 20:06

  19. boring first half, good second half but no challenge to­ United from either of these two also rans

    From Michael, on Sun 24 Feb 20:01

  20. Time to shoot Benitez and Torres the fans don't­ like him and the team wont play for him....

    From Sadoldgit, on Sun 24 Feb 19:19
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