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Tony Marshall
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Chelsea vs Manchester City, Premier League

A win for Jose’s men would give them an almost unassailable eight-point lead at the top of the table.

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Hello and welcome to our liveblog of Chelsea vs Manchester City. Here are the teams for this evening’s game.

If you are thinking about having a bet, Chelsea are 6/5, Man City are 12/5 and the draw is 23/10.

Remy starts instead of the suspended Costa, which is a huge loss for Chelsea. Will the Frenchman be able to fill the void of the Spaniard?

Robbie Earle says Kompany is in the City team on reputation at the moment. The Belgian’s form hasn’t been the strongest this season but that is probably a little over the top.

Nice to see Lampard getting a few cheers.

The anchor just announced that ‘no 2nd place team has gone on to win the title after losing to the leaders in the second half of the season.’ Possibly the most pointless stat ever uttered on air.

We are off at Stamford Bridge!

Navas stings Courtois’ gloves with a shot from the right but the Belgian beats it away comfortably.

“What a start by Manchester City. What an opening 15 seconds.”

Graeme Le Saux needs to settle down.

Kompany thunders into Hazard on the left wing and steals the ball. Good start by the centre back, sticking it to Robbie Earle already.

Not much action since Navas’ shot. Both sides struggling in possession at the moment.

Fernandinho gets free on the right and his dangerous cross is deflected out for a corner.

Chelsea are defending well but have been poor in possession. They might be still tired from the 120 minutes against Liverpool on Tuesday,

Hazard goes on a mazy run down the right into the City box and his cross is blocked for a corner.

Terry heads harmlessly over.

Man City have had a lot of possession so far and are dominating without creating much.

Zouma makes a perfect tackle to knock the ball away from Aguero in the box. City have a corner.

Terry heads clear and Chelsea try to break.

Willian tries to take on Clichy but the Frenchman holds firm and City are able to win the ball back and clear.

Willian picks out Remy with a beautiful pass and the Frenchman rounds Hart but the flag was up.

Sergio Aguero buys himself a yard on the left hand side of the box but his shot is straight at Courtois.

Hazard gets hauled down by Navas coming out of defence but no card is produced. The Belgian has been the only Chelsea player to pose an attacking threat thus far.

City have a corner after Milner drives into the box and Terry steps in with the challenge.

Aguero and Azpilicueta go down in the box and the free is awarded to Chelsea. For a second it looked like a penalty was going to be given.

Remy makes a great burst down the left wing and centres the ball to Oscar but the Brazilian’s shot is tame and easily dealt with by Hart.

Matic tries to take Kompany on the outside but the Belgian uses a strong foot to win the ball. You shouldn’t have poked the bear, Robbie Earle!

Ramires is screaming for a penalty after a possible City handball but the ref says play on. Then we are straight down the other end as Aguero is clear on the right but his shot drifts an inch wide. The first real bit of action so far.

If you were hoping that bit of goalmouth action would spring the game into life, you will be disappointed. Still a lot of loose passes in attack.

Hazard makes a run down the left wing and finds Ramires in midfield. The Brazilian struggles to get the ball out of his feet and his pass is intercepted.

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Man City

Chelsea 1-0 Man City

Matic picks out Hazard on the left hand side of the box with a sublime chip and the Belgian volleys the ball across to the unmarked Remy for the easy finish.

Lovely build-up play by Chelsea.

Here’s Chelsea’s opener.
https://vine.co/v/OtwX56gMPhO

GOAL! Chelsea 1-1 Man City

Navas whips in a dangerous cross that Courtois misses and Aguero’s wayward drive is directed to the net by Silva.

You rarely see Courtois make mistakes like that but he was caught out by Navas’ cross.

HT Chelsea 1-1 Man City

The game was poor for long periods but exploded into life right on half time with two quick goals. 1-1 is a fair reflection because City have been very lively so far. Here is Silva’s equaliser.
https://vine.co/v/OtwHHiLx0d6

We are back in the second half!

What have people made of Thierry Henry’s punditry so far?

Not a whole lot happening at the moment. Milner gets fouled by Matic in midfield and City have a free.

First yellow card of the game as David Silva clips Matic as the Serbian charges into the City half.

Zouma was good for Chelsea in midweek and he has put in another solid performance today. He has marshalled Aguero well for the most part.

Milner gets a yard on Zouma but the Frenchman gets back to make a strong tackle to put the ball out for a corner.

The ball comes off Matic’s head and hits the side-net. Courtois probably had it covered anyway.

Then Navas picks out Fernandinho on the edge of the box and his downward header takes a wicked bounce that requires Courtois to tip the ball over.

City work the ball to Milner on the left wing but he strays offside and Chelsea clear.

Matic crunches Silva in midfield with a tough tackle from behind. The Serb is lucky not to get booked there.

Clichy robs the ball and goes spiriting down the left touchline but Matic eats up the ground to win it back. Matic has been excellent for Chelsea this evening.

We need to get Lampard and Drogba on. They will definitely end up swapping goals.

Chelsea have a free kick in a promising area on the left wing but Willian’s floated cross beats everyone.

City have a free kick 30 yards out after Remy fouls Fernandinho.

Chelsea deal with the cross but City are back on the attack.

Ramires loses the ball running out of defence and Fernandinho capitalises on it with a long-range shot but Courtois holds it.

Man City look the more dangerous at the moment. Silva is slipping into little pockets of space around the Chelsea box. The home side are still defending well though.

Fernando gets booked for a foul on Hazard in the centre of the pitch.

Willian cleverly knocks the ball past Sagna and makes a burst up the right wing to win a throw in.

Lampard is on for Fernando. A mix of cheers and boos for the former Chelsea midfielder.

Ramires almost frees Remy with a lofted pass but there was too much on the ball and Hart collects.

Willian is down and Drogba is warming up.

And Drogba is on for the Brazilian. Any chance Lampard or Drogba grab a late goal?

Drogba is immediately fouled and Chelsea have a free on the right about 30 yards out.

Which old boy will be wheeled out next?

Dzeko is on for Aguero now.

Silva slips unnoticed past a couple of Chelsea defenders and slides in Navas on the right but the winger is crowded out excellently by the home side and they scramble clear.

Lampard gets his first attacking touch but his pass is too long for Silva and Courtois catches it.

Chelsea are holding on a bit now and Mourinho has sacrificed Remy for centre back Gary Cahill.

Silva engineers a bit of space for Milner on the left hand side of the box but he drags his shot wide. It is all City at the moment.

Drogba is played in by Oscar but the flag is up. One minute of normal time left to play.

Jovetic is on for David Silva. Surprised with that because the Spaniard has been very prominent in the last few minutes.

Chelsea have been very sloppy in possession in the last few minutes. They can’t hold onto the ball and every clearance is landing at the feet of a City player.

Corner for City.

Navas’ corner was poor and Terry belts the ball clear.

Last chance here as Man City have a free kick.

City have another corner. This will surely be the last play.

FT Chelsea 1-1 Man City

It’s all over here and Jose Mourinho will feel relieved that his side got away with a point as Man City were very dominant in the last 20 minutes. It was a poor game overall though and the only real moment of quality was Chelsea’s well-worked goal.

That’s all for our liveblog this evening. Thanks for joining me and be sure to check the site for reaction to all today’s games.

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