January 15, (THEWILL) – Manchester City beat Chelsea 1-0 to surge 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League standings, thanks to Kevin De Bruyne’s magnificent solo goal. After a tactical duel between two defensively rock solid teams that yielded few chances, the Belgian’s strike earned City a merited win.
Pep Guardiola’s side had the better chances, with Jack Grealish spurning the best of them. The Blues failed to register a shot in the first half, with Romelu Lukaku squandering a golden chance in a rare attack when he overhit his pass to an offside Hakim Ziyech.
The Belgian striker, who had been denied service despite numerous strong runs, had a golden chance to open the deadlock early in the second half, but Ederson saved his first-time effort.
The second period saw City continue to dominate, with Raheem Sterling sending a shot narrowly wide. Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi were introduced by Thomas Tuchel, but City seized the lead almost immediately when captain De Bruyne raced past N’Golo Kante and curled a stunning shot into the bottom corner from outside the box.
City went on to win their 12th league game in a row, giving Pep an early birthday present on Tuesday, while Chelsea remained in second place. The hosts dominated possession and had the clinical edge when it was most needed to seal victory in a game with limited chances.
City’s next Premier League match is against Southampton on the road next Saturday. Chelsea will play at the Amex Stadium on Tuesday against Brighton and Hove Albion.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
