Chelsea don't have to play in Champions League next week while Manchester City have to host Barcelona, but it was clear early that the Citizens were the more ambitious of the two sides in their FA Cup tie. Though Chelsea fielded a strong squad, they rested some key players and were poor from the start, eventually falling 2-0.
Manchester City vs. Chelsea: Final score 2-0, visitors overmatched
Chelsea appeared to have their eye on other honors during their poor performance against Manchester City in the FA Cup.
Clive Brunskill
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Oscar was rested, with Ramires taking his place. Theoretically, it could have been a tactical decision by Jose Mourinho, but Ramires didn't do anything impressive defensively. John Obi Mikel also got a start, with Frank Lampard getting a rest. Mourinho couldn't play the same David Luiz-Nemanja Matic midfield pair that he went with in Chelsea's league win at Etihad Stadium, with the Brazilian needed in defense in relief of the injured John Terry.
Stevan Jovetic started in the second striker spot for City in place of Sergio Aguero and made the most of his opportunity, putting City ahead in the 16th minute. A gorgeous team move was finished off by Edin Dzeko, who found Jovetic in space on the right side of the penalty area, and the Montenegrin placed a shot off the inside of the far post to make it 1-0.
Chelsea introduced Mohamed Salah for Samuel Eto'o at halftime, but he failed to make a serious impact. City's first substitution was much more significant, with Samir Nasri scoring a goal just eight minutes after he was introduced. He played a great exchange with David Silva on the move, making a run to the center of the goal after passing to the Spaniard, then finishing off the return pass. There was a hint of offside on the play, and David Luiz might have been able to stick with Nasri if he wasn't so concerned with appealing to the referee.
City were a bit unlucky not to go three up in the 75th minute, when Joleon Lescott had a goal disallowed for offside. He scored with the follow-up of a Vincent Kompany header on a corner, but moved a bit too early and was caught just beyond the last man when the ball was played towards him.
Chelsea barely made a push to get back into the game, and closed the match with just three shots and no shots on target recorded.
Manchester City: Pantilimon, Clichy, Lescott, Kompany, Zabaleta, Silva (Navas 69’), Toure, Garcia, Milner, Jovetic (Nasri 61’), Dzeko (Negredo 81’)
Goals: Jovetic (16’), Nasri (67’)
Chelsea: Cech, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Luiz, Ivanovic, Mikel, Matic, Hazard, Willian (Oscar 71’), Ramires (Torres 61’), Eto’o (Salah 46’)
Goals: None
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