Riyad Mahrez’s and Julian Alvarez’s second half strikes were enough to secure Manchester City’s 2-0 victory and crash Chelsea out of the League Cup on Wednesday night.
The Citizens’ dominance paid off after Mahrez’s freekick just outside the penalty area breached the Chelsea wall and past Edouard Mendy in the 52nd minute. Alvarez quickly doubled City’s lead in the 58th minute with a neat in-the-box finish after Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s parry fell kindly for the Argentine.
Our place in the next round of the Carabao Cup is booked thanks to Mahrez and Alvarez’s second half goals! 🤩
Here’s all of the best bits of our victory over Chelsea! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/TqYzulVDhw
— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 10, 2022
City had the better opportunities in the first half with Jack Grealish providing a constant threat to the Chelsea defence and Ilkay Gundogan lofting the ball just above the crossbar from a freekick in the 19th minute.
Chelsea were not without their chances however but failed to be clinical enough in front of goal. Youngster Lewis Hall had two golden opportunities at close range on either side of half time but failed to convert and Christian Pulisic’s close effort in the 71st minute was saved brilliantly by Stefan Ortega who saved City’s blushes throughout the match.
Chelsea managed to get the ball in the back of the net in the 90th minute after a scramble in the box fell to Pulisic who converted, but the American was deemed offside in the build-up.
The result leaves Chelsea manager Graham Potter under more pressure following consecutive defeats in the Premier League which ended the Tuchel-replacement’s honeymoon period at Stamford Bridge. Pep Guardiola meanwhile will be hoping to win his fifth League Cup in six years after eliminating one of the competitions’ favourites.
