Man City vs Chelsea as it happened: Champions recover from disaster start to beat Blues

Manchester City vs Chelsea LIVE

Manchester City bounced back after conceding an early goal to beat Chelsea 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, sparing the blushes of their debutant defender Abdukodir Khusanov whose error gifted the visitors the lead.

The win lifts Pep Guardiola's side to fourth in the table on 41 points, 12 adrift of leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, and one point ahead of Chelsea, who slip to sixth.

Uzbek Khusanov, signed this week from French side Lens, got his City career off to the worst possible start when his mistake in the third minute allowed Nicolas Jackson to steal the ball and square it for Noni Madueke to put Chelsea in front.

City struck back though, with defender Josko Gvardiol levelling three minutes before halftime and Erling Haaland putting the hosts in front after 68 minutes before Phil Foden's breakaway goal in the 87th wrapped up the three points.

Man City vs Chelsea latest updates

• GOAL! Foden seals the win two minutes from time

• GOAL! Haaland takes advantage of Sanchez error

• GOAL! Gvardiol levels it up after Nunes denied

• GOAL! Khusanov howler gifts Madueke early goal

Full-time!

19:24 , Alex Young

95min: There’s the whistle!

A deserved win for the champions.

19:21 , Alex Young

92min: Madueke tries his luck from the angle but his shot flies out for a throw in.

19:20 , Alex Young

91min: Five minutes added on.

19:19 , Alex Young

89min: Sanchez will rightly be criticised after the game, but Chelsea have barely laid a glove on City since their third-minute goal.

GOAL!

19:17 , Alex Young

88min: They’re not nervous anymore!

Foden runs through a slots past Sanchez to seal all three points.

19:16 , Alex Young

86min: Into the final five minutes and a sense of nervousness has enveloped the Etihad.

19:13 , Alex Young

83min: Now Kovacic booked for a foul on Palmer. The City man looks bewildered, but he should see the replay.

19:11 , Alex Young

81min: Chalobah does well to hold off Haaland on the halfway line. Chelsea trying to push City back.

19:08 , Alex Young

79min: Bernardo booked for a late lunge on Fernandez.

19:03 , Alex Young

73min: De Bruyne is on for Marmoush.

James and Sancho replaced by Gusto and Neto.

19:02 , Alex Young

72min: Madeuke tries to float a cross towards the back post, but he’s offside.

19:00 , Alex Young

69min: How long can Maresca keep defending Sanchez?

GOAL!

18:58 , Alex Young

68min: City lead and it’s Haaland and it’s another shocker from Sanchez!

The keeper goes walkabout, comes out for the long ball but then changes his mind and Haaland just lobs him from 25 yards.

18:57 , Alex Young

67min: Marmoush with a glorious chance to open his account, but blazes over from the edge of the area.

18:54 , Alex Young

64min: It’s all very cagey at the moment. City perhaps edging it.

18:50 , Alex Young

60min: Jackson replaced by Nkunku.

Malik Ouzia reports

18:48 , Alex Young

Nicolas Jackson’s decision-making - aside from the very simple one in passing for the goal - has been a bit muddled today. Perhaps feeling a bit of pressure on this scoring drought.

18:48 , Alex Young

58min: Another chance for Jackson as he stands up Stones but then goes for goal on his own rather than wait for Fernandez.

It’s a weak shot. Easy for Ederson.

18:45 , Alex Young

55min: Meanwhile, Chalobah is still requiring some treatment after a clash. He’ll be fine to continue, it looks like.

18:43 , Alex Young

54min: Khusanov’s debut is over, replaced by Stones.

The City fans applaud him, which is great to see.

18:41 , Alex Young

51min: Chelsea survive as Haaland gets the better of Colwill to test Sanchez with a fierce drive.

The next goal is huge, here.

18:38 , Alex Young

48min: James finally makes some headway down the right, sprinting across the halfway line, but there’s Gvardiol to stop him.

18:37 , Alex Young

47min: No changes, by the way.

18:34 , Alex Young

46min: Back underway for the second half.

18:31 , Alex Young

Does Maresca make changes at the break? Madueke would be at risk.

18:25 , Alex Young

Madueke scored an early opener but the hosts looked the more dangerous thereon, eventually scoring a deserved equaliser.

City really doing a job on James, and Madueke isn’t helping out his captain.

Half-time

18:18 , Alex Young

48min: Plenty for both managers to ponder.

18:17 , Alex Young

45min: Two minutes added on.

Malik Ouzia reports

18:15 , Alex Young

An example there of what I was talking about with Madueke.

He was ball-watching and didn’t make any sort of urgent attempt to get back in front of Gvardiol while Nunes was bearing down on goal. When the loose ball broke, it was too late.

GOAL!

18:14 , Alex Young

41min: It’s been coming!

Gvardiol finally gets his goal, tucking home the rebound after Sanchez saved Nunes’ first effort.

18:12 , Alex Young

40min: Oh, Gvardiol is inches away again!

Makes a fantastic run, loses James with ease, but can’t direct a shot on the move on target.

18:11 , Alex Young

39min: Even more time-wasting by Chelsea. Colwill is really treading a tightrope.

18:08 , Alex Young

36min: Marmoush is very lively on that left-hand side. James is having a right old time trying to contain him and Gvardiol.

Malik Ouzia reports

18:07 , Alex Young

A huge let-off for Robert Sanchez, who is right in the spotlight again after his flap against Wolves on Monday and then a not exactly bullish defence by Maresca yesterday.

NO GOAL!

18:06 , Alex Young

34min: Marmoush thinks he has opened his City account, but he’s offside.

Sanchez’s blushes saved.

Malik Ouzia reports

18:04 , Alex Young

Levi Colwill needs to be a bit careful here. Referees tend to shirk the second yellow for timewasting but the home crowd are making sure John Brooks is well aware of it.

18:04 , Alex Young

32min: It’s whipped into Foden by Marmoush, but the cross is a little over his head so cannot direct a header on target.

18:04 , Alex Young

31min: Another free kick for City, this one about 30 yards out, after Marmoush is fouled.

18:01 , Alex Young

29min: Jackson twists and turns inside the area, but fails to beat Ederson, and then the offside flag.

Chelsea a real threat.

Malik Ouzia reports

17:59 , Alex Young

Another opportunity missed there by Chelsea to play Jackson in behind early. There is so much space beyond a jittery City back-four.

17:59 , Alex Young

27min: A good chance for Chelsea as Madueke drives the ball into the area but waits too long to find a team-mate.

17:57 , Alex Young

26min: Colwill booked for time-wasting already. Deary me.

17:56 , Alex Young

25min: Gvardiol picks up the ball at the back post, cuts onto his right but blazes a shot over.

A huge, huge chance.

17:55 , Alex Young

23min: James gives away a really sloppy free kick on the edge of the area. Marmoush fancies this... but hits the set-piece straight into the wall.

Malik Ouzia reports

17:54 , Alex Young

You’ve seen the difference in terms of defensive awareness from Chelsea’s two wingers already in this game. Jadon Sancho is tracking those Nunes runs from deep but Madueke hasn’t realised the Gvardiol threat.

17:54 , Alex Young

21min: As I typed that, again Gvardiol has acres of space down the left and almost puts it on a plate for Marmoush... who stretches but can’t reach.

17:52 , Alex Young

20min: City bossing possession, but doing little with it. Chelsea happy to let them have it, they look ready to pounce.

17:50 , Alex Young

17min: Kovacic looks for Nunes with a ball forward but the latter fails to beat the offside flag.

Play has calmed.

Malik Ouzia reports

17:47 , Alex Young

Chelsea have to take advantage of Khusanov’s obvious nerves here. They need Nicolas Jackson running off the back of him at every opportunity.

17:45 , Alex Young

13min: Gvardiol having plenty of luck down the left at the moment. James struggling to track him.

17:42 , Alex Young

10min: Straight up the other end and Foden cracks the post from inside the area.

A blistering shot.

Attack vs attack at the moment.

17:41 , Alex Young

9min: Why didn’t Palmer shoot?!

He runs through and has just Ederson to beat, but goes to find Jackson instead and the pass is too heavy so the move breaks down.

Malik Ouzia reports

17:38 , Alex Young

A dream start for Chelsea, though. Noni Madueke has scored in back-to-back games with two of the simplest finishes you could ever wish to see.

17:38 , Alex Young

6min: City desperately need to calm things down. Chelsea have their tails up.

Malik Ouzia reports

17:36 , Alex Young

I’ll level with you, I’ve not watched Abdukodir Khusanov play before. There will, presumably, be thousands of others in the same position and on his first four minutes here he looks like a pub player.

17:36 , Alex Young

4min: Oh dear, Khusanov is struggling here. Is now booked for a foul on Palmer.

GOAL!

17:35 , Alex Young

3min: Oh, well then!

Khusanov’s pass back to Ederson is poor, and Jackson is on hand to put it on a plate for Madueke to tap into an open goal.

17:33 , Alex Young

2min: Looks like Marmoush off the left, then.

Kick-off!

17:31 , Alex Young

1min: Underway at the Etihad.

17:29 , Alex Young

A tribute to Denis Law before we get underway.

17:25 , Alex Young

Here they come!

17:22 , Alex Young

Not long to go now. Teams back in their dressing room.

17:17 , Alex Young

This is the first time James, Colwill and Chalobah have all started a Premier League game for Chelsea.

Guardiola on Marmoush and Khusanov debuts

17:14 , Alex Young

"They haven't trained much, but they bring energy as they come having played regularly [at their former clubs]."

17:05 , Alex Young

Chelsea haven’t beaten City, Arsenal or Liverpool since the start of the 2022-23 season.

That’s a very poor record.

16:59 , Alex Young

Liverpool and Arsenal have both won.

Time for focus on the Etihad.

Man City regret obvious as Palmer returns again as key Chelsea leader

16:49 , Alex Young

The battle of fourth and fifth at the Etihad on Saturday could prove a crucial chapter in deciding which of the two sides seals Champions League football for next season. It is, for both Chelsea and Manchester City, a very important match indeed.

But it is also a ‘here’s what you could have won’ moment for Pep Guardiola and City — Cole Palmer’s return to his former club a subplot that is impossible to overlook.

The contrasting fortunes of the two sides’ attacking midfielders is no doubt a contributing factor to their diverging seasons. Chelsea are enjoying a relatively blissful first campaign under Enzo Maresca, certainly when compared to the previous two; City are champions four seasons on the trot but this term can so often be found playing like they have collectively seen a ghost.

While Phil Foden is only now beginning to show signs of life this season by complementing Erling Haaland’s goal supply, Chelsea fans are being treated to another season of scintillating creativity from their own playmaker, Palmer. That, City, is what you could have won.

Following 25 goals and 15 assists in his first season at Chelsea, the 22-year-old has 20 goal contributions from 22 league games for the Blues this term. The presence of Foden was the main obstacle between Palmer and the quantities of game time he longed for at City. Already, Palmer has usurped Foden as one of the Premier League’s truly great talents.

As he returns to face the club that so bizarrely sanctioned his sale in September 2023 for just £40million plus £2.5m in add-ons, it need not be said that he could have the deciding say in how Saturday’s meeting pans out.

“I don’t think so,” said Maresca on Friday after a pause and a ponder, when asked whether City might regret having ever sold Palmer to Chelsea.

Read more here!

16:45 , Alex Young

It will be really interesting to see how Marmoush gets on today. Comes with a huge reputation after some blistering form in Germany.

A big step up, this, though.

16:34 , Alex Young

Another big game for this guy.

16:25 , Alex Young

Manchester City hand debuts to new signings Omar Marmoush and Abdukodir Khusanov for tonight’s home visit o Chelsea in the Premier League.

Marmoush arrived this week in a deal wroth £64million and goes straight into Pep Guardiola’s attack, and is joined by Khusanov in the starting XI. Fellow new arrival Vitor Reis is on the bench.

Chelsea welcome back captain Enzo Fernandez from injury, as Noni Madueke keeps his place and Jadon Sancho comes in for Neto.

Confirmed team news

16:19 , Alex Young

Man City XI: Ederson, Nunes, Khusanov, Akanji, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gundogan, Bernardo, Marmoush, Foden, Haaland

Subs: Ortega Stones, Grealish, De Bruyne, Reis, Savinho, O'Reilly, Lewis, McAtee

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; James, Colwill, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson

Subs: Jorgensen, Gusto, Acheampong, Disasi, Tosin, Dewsbury-Hall, Neto, Nkunku, Guiu

Chelsea XI

16:16 , Alex Young

...and the visitors!

Man City XI

16:15 , Alex Young

Two debuts for City!

16:13 , Alex Young

Sounds like Gundogan starts for the hosts.

15:57 , Alex Young

Team news to come in 15 minutes.

15:49 , Alex Young

It’s a cold, but beautiful, day in Manchester.

Maresca: Palmer can be our Salah

15:41 , Alex Young

Enzo Maresca said Cole Palmer can be Chelsea's answer to Mohamed Salah.

The head coach reiterated his praise for Palmer's display during Monday's 3-1 victory over Wolves which ended a five-match winless run, in particular the way in which the 22-year-old took charge of a potentially hazardous situation to help his side see out a much-needed result.

"He is improving a lot but not just in terms of numbers of goals and assists," said Maresca. "The second half against Wolves for me was one of the best moments since I arrived here. He was showing personality, he was asking for the ball in any moment that the team needed it.

"Liverpool when they have some (difficult) moment, Salah is asking for the ball. Arsenal when they have some problem, (Martin) Odegaard is asking for the ball.

"We need that kind of player when we are in some difficult moment, who is turning to his team-mates and saying 'give me the ball, don't worry, I will be in charge'.

"This kind of personality that we have to show in a difficult moment. Against Wolves in the second half he was top."

Pep: Teams no longer scared of City

15:35 , Alex Young

Guardiola says teams have changed tactics because they are no longer intimidated by Manchester City.

"Everyone came to the Etihad and stayed back," he said on Friday. "The first team I saw man-marking was Neil Warnock at Cardiff. Now everybody does it. Everybody comes here, it doesn't matter, man-to-man.

"They just jump on (City's goalkeepers) Ederson or Stefan (Ortega). You have to adapt, you have to be better with the ball, otherwise you will not qualify for the Champions League.

"Speed is important, but against PSG we ran more than they did. Our problem is with the ball. That is what we have been lacking this season.

"When you have the ball and you don't pass it properly to your partner, everything is so difficult."

Match odds

15:29 , Alex Young

Despite their struggles, Man City are the clear favourites to win today.

They haven’t lost to Chelsea since the 2021 Champions League final.

• Man City to win: 11/10

• Draw: 29/10

• Chelsea to win: 9/4

Score prediction

15:23 , Alex Young

This should be a really entertaining game under the lights at the Etihad. Neither team are known to put the brakes on, especially City at home, so Chelsea will sense an opportunity against their leaky defence.

Chelsea, too, have struggled to keep clean sheets of late, so goals should be a guarantee. Can Enzo Maresca get one over on his former mentor? Will City be boosted by their trio of January signings?

Draw, 2-2.

Chelsea team news

15:15 , Alex Young

Chelsea will be without Romeo Lavia and Joao Felix today.

Belgian international Lavia, who endured a torrid first campaign at Stamford Bridge last term due to injury, has a muscle problem.

He picked up the issue against Bournemouth last week and missed Monday night’s 3-1 win over Wolves.

On Friday, Blues boss Enzo Maresca revealed Lavia has failed to recover from that injury and will be out for weeks, but that Levi Colwill (knock) and Enzo Fernandez (muscle fatigue) are both in line to return against City after also missing the Wolves win.

There will be no Felix for Chelsea at the Etihad, with the Portuguese forward having flown home after being granted compassionate leave following a recent family bereavement.

Trevoh Chalobah could start again after his man-of-the-match display against Wolves, which was his first appearance for Chelsea upon returning to the club following his early recall from a season-long loan spell at Crystal Palace.

Fellow centre-backs Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile are both still sidelined, while winger Mykhailo Mudryk remains unavailable.

Man City team news

15:10 , Alex Young

Manchester City could hand new signing Omar Marmoush a swift debut this afternoon.

The Egyptian forward completed his £64million transfer from German side Eintracht Frankfurt this week and is expected to go straight into the matchday squad, with fellow new arrivals Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov also in contention.

Ruben Dias asked to come off during Wednesday night’s chaotic 4-2 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

The Portuguese defender had only just returned from a muscle injury but will miss out against Chelsea on Saturday evening, alongside winger Jeremy Doku.

John Stones is fit again, although none of Nathan Ake, Oscar Bobb or Rodri are expected back for City at this stage.

How to watch Man City vs Chelsea

15:03 , Alex Young

TV channel: The game will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra HDR. Coverage starts at 5pm GMT ahead of a 5:30pm kick-off.

Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers will also be able to watch on a live stream online via the Sky Go app.

Welcome

14:58 , Alex Young

Good afternoon and welcome to the London Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Premier Leauge clash between Manchester City and Chelsea.

Two giants of English football but, currently two very unpredictable sides meet at the Etihad.

Will we see one, two, three or zero debutants for City today? Will Palmer turn up against his for former side?

Kick-off is at 5.30pm. Stick with us.