A stubborn Chelsea beat Manchester City in second with a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge on Thursday that also sealed the Liverpool Premier League title.
Christian Pulisic, once a Jurgen Klopp signing at Borussia Dortmund, hit the first game when he broke free on the counterattack and calmly placed the ball alongside Ederson. Kevin De Bruyne leveled with a spectacular free kick before a few wild minutes during which Raheem Sterling hit the post and Pulisic saw a remarkably cleared effort from the line by Kyle Walker.
Another stir in the mouth of the goal led to the winner of the local team. After Fernandinho was shown a direct red card for handling Tammy Abraham’s shot at goal, Willian went ahead to emphatically dispatch from the penalty spot, sending Chelsea and Liverpool fans ecstatic.
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Positive
Chelsea could have ridden their luck at times, but they were rewarded for their efficiency in front of goal. They have kept the chase group at bay and built up pressure on Leicester by closing the gap in third place just one point behind.
Negative
If the home advantage remains an influence in the absence of supporters, Chelsea did not make it count for the opening half hour when they were under a lot of pressure. Olivier Giroud, meanwhile, struggled for some influence and, unsurprisingly, was replaced by the hour.
Manager rating 10
6 – Frank Lampard was known for his tenacity in midfield as a player, and there was plenty of that to be seen in the performances of Ross Barkley and Mason Mount. Make no mistake, this was a great victory.
Player Ratings (1-10; 10 = Better. Players submitted after 70 minutes do not earn a rating)
GK Kepa Arrizabalaga, 5 – He nearly gave the visitors a goal with a punt that didn’t clear Sterling’s head, but then redeemed himself by tilting Fernandinho’s header on the bar. Kepa was well beaten by De Bruyne and grateful to see a shot from Sterling in the post.
DF Cesar Azpilicueta, 6 – The captain remained alert early against a City team that lacked a natural striker but was full of rhythm. Sterling and Benjamin Mendy asked many questions, but Azpilicueta was unharmed.
DF Andreas Christensen, 6 years old – The center-back displayed excellent composure to pierce Sterling’s body and knock the ball out of play, then threw his body at Mendy’s hit. Christensen was also close to opening the scoring with a powerful header that was defeated by Ederson.
DF Antonio Rudiger, 6 years old – He was a bit lucky when he allowed Mendy’s mocking crusade from the left to run through his body, but the City player had bet on delivery. Rudiger survived a VAR check when, stretching, he gave De Bruyne a painful blow to the leg.
DF Marcos Alonso, 6 years old – The full back was limited to his own half for big spells, but he took the opportunity to charge upfield when he could and nearly scored a goal with a cross-center from the left that gave Barkley a shot-at-goal opportunity.
MF Ross Barkley, 7 years old The former Everton man did well to focus for Pulisic after finding space on the left, and saw a shot blocked by Fernandinho after a good job by Alonso.
MF N’Golo Kante, 6 years old A typical performance of the fighting midfielder, who was once again a vital tooth, but was guilty of tripping over Riyad Mahrez and that allowed De Bruyne to level with an excellent free kick.
MF Mason Mount, 7 – He covered a lot of ground, was involved in a telegraphed liaison game with Barkley, and always ready to put on the tough yards to regain possession when his team was under pressure. He was close to scoring at 1-1, but could only shake the side net.
Willian, 8 – Regardless of where his future is, the Brazilian international made an excellent exhibition. Its highlight came after he beat De Bruyne to cross from the right, leading to chaos in the penalty area and eventually the penalty kick from which he hit home the winner.
FW Olivier Giroud, 4 years old – He kept his place after impressing at Aston Villa, but his participation against City was spectacularly spectacular. Giroud made a lovely turn at one point, only to get the ball out of play on the left flank. Summarized his night.
FW Christian Pulisic, 8 years old He opened the scoring with an excellent break from his own half that ended with a composite finish. He was inches from reaching a second similarly, this time surrounding Ederson only to have Walker block the ball at the goal line.
Substitutes
FW Tammy Abraham, 7 – At Giroud, Abraham was a catalyst for action in the city’s penalty area. He saw a close-range effort magnificently saved by Ederson before Fernandinho blocked the follow-up effort with his hand. VAR saw it to establish the Willian winner.
MF Mateo Kovacic, NR – He replaced Barkley and didn’t have much of an opportunity to make an impact, but still helped his side get over the line.
MF Billy Gilmour, NR – He replaced Pulisic at the time of the arrest and almost had an immediate impact when he played for Pedro, who shot wide.
FW Pedro, NR – He replaced Mount in halftime and almost added a third with a great effort from the left that was pushed out.
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