Manchester City 2-1 Chelsea: 5 Talking Points & Tactical Analysis | Premier League 2019-20

3. Manchester City just edge the midfield battle

Manchester City just got the better of Chelsea in midfield

Manchester City began the encounter with their first-choice midfield triumvirate of Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva and Rodri whereas Chelsea dropped Mason Mount in favour of Kovacic, meaning that the Croatian partnered Jorginho and Kante.

Consequently, the Blues’ pragmatic approach allowed them to physically assert themselves in the middle of the park early as they ran tirelessly, cut out spaces and recycled possession effectively. However, as the game wore on, they lost grip of midfield, a circumstance that coincided with City equalising and then going ahead.

While the Cityzens were outrun in a frenetic first half, they just edged ahead of the Blues in the second period by adopting a slightly slower tempo and unfurling a deeper line, meaning that Chelsea were accorded more of the ball.

Yet, that also enabled the Sky Blues to control the game much more as the visitors’ midfielders weren’t allowed the luxury of finding spaces in between the lines.

Moreover, there weren’t any penetrative passes through the middle, thereby prompting the Blues to explore wider avenues, which eventually played into City’s hands.

For a majority of the game, Silva and Rodri looked a touch off the pace. However, Guardiola’s substitutions meant that the middle third always remained fresh and capable of matching Chelsea’s dynamism.

And, while that might not happen too often under the Spaniard’s watch at the Etihad, it probably was enough to guarantee three points on Saturday.