manchester city 0-1

Independent:

Tevez puts brakes on Chelsea juggernaut to sheikh up title race
Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0: League leaders wilt under Mancini's Italian job as City come up with the perfect formula to stop Ancelotti's goalscoring machine

By Steve Tongue at Eastlands

"Good team, eh?" Chelsea's manager, Carlo Ancelotti, had said with a smile when taking the unusual step of publicly naming his side 24 hours before yesterday's game. Good, yes, as 21 goals against one in five successive League victories had illustrated; but second best here as Manchester City ended that run by again beating the team their own manager had said would win the Premier League "easy".
It had been billed as the champions' first real test of the season against a side who did the double over them last term, and they flunked it. If the defence was sound, with John Terry untroubled by the predictable abuse on Wayne Bridge's home ground, the real difference and disappointment was at the other end.
Three forwards who went into the game with 17 goals between them did not once threaten another one. Didier Drogba had one of those frustrating days, spending too much time on the floor, and ended up being hauled off with quarter of an hour to play; and a header by the right-back Branislav Ivanovic against the bar was the only moment of concernfor Joe Hart between City's posts.
Chelsea weigh in as the biggest and heaviest side in the League but City stood up to them in some shuddering collisions, no one more so than Nigel de Jong, whose challenges this time were generally more legitimate than for Holland against Spain in the World Cup final. Carlos Tevez rivalled his team-mate for individual honours and claimed more headlines with the only goal, scored following an exciting burst from his own half that finally brought the game to life.
That was the first time this season Chelsea had been behind and the response was surprisingly muted. By the end they were reduced to withdrawing Drogba, and sending on a 17-year-old waif in Josh McEachran. Still Hart was not given a save to make.
Blackpool last weekend had tried, initially, to defend against them, Wigan to take them on. City, with greater quality at their disposal thanks to Sheikh Mansour's generosity, came up with a winning blend of the two ideals, all backed up by Roberto Mancini's work ethic. Invited afterwards to make all sorts of promises about how City could challenge for the title, his key point was: "This can help us understand that if people work hard they work well."
Chelsea therefore found themselves pressured all over the pitch in a manner that future opponents would do well to replicate. Marseille in the Champions' League at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday have the first opportunity and will find Ancelotti's squad again lacking Frank Lampard, Yossi Benayoun and Salomon Kalou. Although all three should be fit after the next international break, Lampard's goalscoring potential would have been invaluable yesterday with the attack misfiring so badly; or, more precisely, not firing at all.
Mancini has not changed his mind that they are the most likely title winners, but Manchester United, who can cut Chelsea's lead to one point today, will take heart from this result. For City themselves, the principal doubt about a work still in progress concerns the number of goals they will score. Tevez might chant at Chelsea "Can we play you every week?" – he has six goals against them in his past five appearances – but while Emmanuel Adebayor is left in the dugout, he is still too often the only man in the opponents' penalty area. Mancini, blessed like England with an abundance of wide men, is keen to use two of them, so Tevez needs help from a midfield trio who are essentially defensive.
For a long time, all this pressing did not make for much of a spectacle, since the home side were finding little room to work in either half. By half-time, there was only one highlight for Sky Sports to dwell on, which came in the 27th minute. Florent Malouda received a short corner from Drogba on the left and feinted to return it before chipping beyond the far post where one tall defender, Alex, nodded across goal for another, Ivanovic, whose header rebounded to him off the bar. Unable to put sufficient power into the second one, he allowed Hart a comfortable catch.
Fear that both managers would be happy enough with a draw were allayed by a brighter period immediately after the interval. Nicolas Anelka's one shot of the afternoon against his former club was probably going wide before Hart pushed it for a corner, from which Michael Essien headed over. Then Petr Cech was required to make an authentic save low at his near post from David Silva, and four minutes later came a goal.
Tevez was in his own half when the busy Yaya Touré won possession and sent him away. Chelsea unwisely backed off and when Ashley Cole attempted a block on the shot that arrived from some 20 yards out, the ball zipped through his legs and past a possibly unsighted Cech.

Attendance: 47,203
Referee: Andre Marriner
Man of the match: De Jong
Match rating: 7/10

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Guardian:

Carlos Tevez inspires Manchester City to victory over Chelsea

Manchester City 1 Tevez 59 Chelsea 0

Louise Taylor

Roberto Mancini's belief that Carlos Tevez can be his Diego Maradona looks a little less fanciful after the Manchester City captain's goal destroyed Chelsea's hitherto perfect start to the Premier League season.
Tevez's impressively opportunistic second-half strike secured a victory of the chillingly efficient rather than thrill-a-minute variety. If it still might not be quite sufficient to convince neutrals of City's ability to challenge for top spot, those who suspected Carlo Ancelotti's title defence could turn into a procession may want to revise such opinions.
Afterwards Mancini was still tipping Chelsea to finish ahead of everyone else but could not disguise his delight at closing the gap on a compatriot. "Carlo is one of the world's best managers," he said, evidently exhilarated by his team's containment of previously unstoppable looking opponents.
"If Chelsea find space they score but if they do not have it, it is too hard. Our players defended well," he added. "But, after today, we must not think we've done it all."
Ancelotti regarded his players' collective stumble as a bad afternoon at the office. "We didn't play well and suffered in midfield, we were not able to play our football," he said. "I'm disappointed. We were not at our best, it wasn't good. But you can't judge our team on one defeat."
With Chelsea's midfield creativity foundering on the rocks of a home engine-room comprising three holding players, attacking service was sporadic and an uninterested looking Didier Drogba disappointed hugely.
Even so Ancelotti's decision to withdraw Drogba in the second half against opponents who beat Chelsea twice last season proved controversial. "This is not a very good place for us and I wanted more speed up front," he shrugged. "But Manchester City are very good, there's a possibility they can run us close in the title race."
If so, hopefully in slightly more dashing fashion than this reminder that, while wealth can guarantee many things, excitement is not always among them. Pushed nose-to-nose, two of the world's richest, most expensively stocked sides produced a thoroughly anticlimactic first half.
Admirers of the defensive arts may have relished John Terry's tremendous block on Tevez when City's Argentina international slid in to connect with James Milner's low left-wing cross and Dedryck Boyata's brilliant tackle to deny Nicolas Anelka as the Chelsea striker shaped to shoot, but the goalkeepers were woefully underworked.
The nearest thing to an early goal arrived when Mancini's rearguard almost undid much high class defending by losing concentration at a corner. It led to City's Pablo Zabaleta, filling in at left-back, appearing mightily relieved to see his attempted headed clearance rebound off a post and fall kindly for Joe Hart.
Although Anelka gave Kolo Touré a reasonable workout, attacking improvisation remained elusive. While Chelsea badly missed the injured Frank Lampard's late dashes into the box, Mancini's deployment of three orthodox holding midfielders did not exactly promote dynamism.
Mark Hughes's willingness to embrace attacking risk may have contributed to his Eastlands downfall but, behind the optimism generated by today's win, there is a real fear that his successor's innate, Italianate conservatism could eventually take City backwards.
Mancini's safety-first, counterattacking, tactics proved fruitful but the real test will come against less illustrious opponents when attacking gambles will be required to dismantle packed, draw-seeking defences.
In mitigation a lengthy injury list combined with the need for several new faces to bed in must be factored into the equation but playing on the counterattack at home with a formation that frequently seems more 4-5-1 than 4-3-3 can be a bit of a thrill killer.
Adam Johnson's penchant for what Mancini perceives as cheap thrills – the England winger raised managerial eyebrows when he paid several thousand pounds for a charity auction date with Katie Price – was perhaps one reason why he began on the bench, having been replaced by David Silva.
The Spaniard started by once again suggesting that his transition to English football will be of the slow-burn variety but, after spending the best part of an hour being unceremoniously bundled off the ball, Silva finally exacted revenge.
It came in the form of a highly intelligent decoy run which confounded Ancelotti's defence while permitting Tevez, who had assumed possession in the centre circle, to accelerate towards goal. Finally, Tevez pulled right before unleashing a shot which flew through Ashley Cole's legs and reached the bottom corner via the inside of a post.
If that was an example of shocking defending on the part of Terry – roundly booed by City fans who will not let him forget the reason for the breakdown of his friendship with (the absent, injured) Wayne Bridge – it also proved a case of dead-eyed finishing from Tevez. He now has 25 goals in his last 29 Premier League appearances. Small wonder Mancini trusts his captain can emulate Maradona's feats in the 1980s at Napoli where the Argentinian inspired unprecedented glory.
"Carlos is a fantastic player not just because he scored the goal but because he fights for the ball every time," said City's manager. "Even against bigger players."
Put Tevez in Drogba's body and you might just have the world's most formidable striker.

THE FANS' PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT

KEVIN CUMMINS, Observer reader We were like two heavyweight champions slugging it out, and City were the stronger team, which I believe showed that we can win the title. We played a very tight game but one of the reasons we have admired United is that they are able to break away and score and Tevez did exactly that. Gareth Barry was absolutely outstanding and for us to outmuscle a Chelsea midfield including Essien and Mikel was a great statement of intent. In Kompany and Kolo Touré I have no doubt that we have the best centre-halves in the league, and watch out for David Silva: he has a great understanding with Tevez already.

The fan's player ratings Hart 9; Boyata 8 (Boateng, 88), K Touré 10, Kompany 10, Zabaleta 8; Y Touré 9, De Jong 10, Barry 10; Silva 8 (A Johnson, 77 6), Tevez 9 (Adebayor, 86), Milner 7

ROB BARKLAMB, Observer reader Most fans would have taken a draw before the game and it seemed both managers shared that view. Naturally the match seemed very Italian – City set themselves to defend and nick a goal and had their tactics absolutely spot on. I was surprised to see Drogba go off – it hadn't been his greatest game but we were behind and it didn't make sense for Ancelotti to keep Ramires on for as long he did. It's early days but he looked woefully off the pace. I thought the defeat in midweek would be a wake-up call to those who thought we would win the title at a canter. If they didn't know then they should do by now.

The fan's player ratings Cech 6; Ivanovic 7, Alex 6, Terry 7, Cole 6; Mikel 6 (Zhirkov, 68 7); Essien 6, Ramires 5 (McEachran, 80 7); Anelka 7, Drogba 6 (Sturridge, 75 6), Malouda 6


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NOTW:

TERRIFIC TEVEZ BLOWS BLUES 100% RECORD

Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0

By Neil Ashton

CARLOS TEVEZ should have been lifted shoulder high, chaired out of the stadium by delirious supporters.
No question, the captain's carrying this Manchester City team.
Quite where he's taking them no one is certain but the top four has to be on after this.
Tevez rules the roost at Eastlands, a rare bird ruffling the feathers of last season's Double winners.
Isolated up front, stationed in front of the enforcers in City's midfield, this guy had everything.
Enthusiasm, endeavour and most of important of all, end product.
He can barely speak a word of English and yet his message to the champions is crystal clear.
The truth is, if you can beat Chelsea, you can beat anyone.
They can gorge on AC Milan, Inter, Barcelona and Real Madrid in future but the Premier League is their staple diet for now.
Champions League football is the minimum target and City will have no excuses after putting down this marker.
Tevez raised the bar, setting the gold standard for City to maintain after this thrilling performance.
He had a message for his mum, 'Happy birthday' scrawled underneath his sky blue shirt after scoring the winner.
Then there was the warning for Chelsea, screaming out at Carlo Ancelotti's team from the giant scoreboards at each end.
Chelsea are on notice now, crumpled and crushed after their first league defeat since Tottenham in April. They are still top but City shaved their lead with a performance laced with power.
Nigel de Jong, Yaya Toure and Gareth Barry formed a protective shield in front of City's impressive defence.
That trio tackled anything that moved, squaring up to the physical presence of John Obi Mikel and Michael Essien.
Then there was the slight figure of Ramires, outstaying his welcome in the centre of Chelsea's midfield.
Frank Lampard is unlikely to be back until the next round of international matches have taken place in mid-October.
The sooner he returns the quicker Chelsea can settle into their rhythm again, a more rounded unit whenever he is fit.
Eastlands was no place for Ramires, suffocated by the body builders in the centre of City's midfield.
They may not be the most dynamic individuals but what they lack in finesse they make up by what they can bench press.
Pound for pound they took Chelsea on, beating up Brazilian Ramires and more than a match for Essien and Mikel. Ramires could not cope, floundering in the centre when City began flexing their considerable muscle.
Chelsea's new boy has ability in abundance but it will take a while to acclimatise to the rough and ready of the Premier League.
He was bundled off the ball for the umpteenth time when Tevez scored, losing another 50-50 to the swashbuckling James Milner.
With Mikel out of position, Yaya Toure prodded the ball into Tevez's path just inside the City half and the Argentinian did the rest.
Ashley Cole stood off him, jockeying until Tevez reached the outside of the area and doing nothing to prevent his angled effort beating Petr Cech.
Eastlands erupted, a trip down memory lane for the 40,000 who witnessed them beat Chelsea in the driving rain last season.
At times it was a free-for-all, with Barry smashing into Branislav Ivanovic and Mikel taking retribution on Tevez's ankles.
With the captaincy comes maturity, Tevez flying the flag for the club now that he is responding to Mancini's methods.
Tevez deserved to be the match-winner, a lone wolf up front supported by a team hunting in packs.
Dedryck Boyata, a surprise pick at right-back, was superb, linking well with David Silva down the right.
Whenever he was on the ball he passed it on to his Spanish team-mate, a simple and effective solution.
It was 19-year-old Boyata's first league start this season, delivering an accomplished performance in front of his anxious manager.
Mancini remains convinced the title is beyond them, despite another £150million outlay.
His reasoning will not wash for long, especially if they can beat Newcastle and Blackpool in their next two league fixtures.
Expectations have been raised again after this result, keeping another clean sheet as they continue to climb the table.
They still live dangerously at times but this was an unexceptional day to be a Chelsea player. Victory would have bumped City out of the title race, extending their lead over the new kids to 10 points.
Instead, they are just four points behind, causing confusion and self-doubt after wrecking the Londoners' impressive start.
Didier Drogba, their most potent weapon, headed a long list of subdued superstars.
Florent Malouda, Nicolas Anelka, Ivanovic, Essien, Ramires, Alex and Cole were a long way short of their best.
They knew they were in for a battle, a team preparing to mix and match Chelsea's midfield.
Instead, they were rationed, restricted to a first-half chance that hit the upright when Alex's header fell neatly to Ivanovic.
Essien nearly went into double figures, with most efforts heading into the stands instead of troubling Joe Hart.
Mancini's team have to be a match for anyone, concentrating on their league programme in the weeks ahead.
That's where the manager will be judged.
So long as Tevez is in the team there's a chance they can lead the high life.

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Mail:

Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0: Tevez's magic moment lights up £1.4b drudge match

By Rob Draper

Premier League titles are never won in September, no matter what Roberto Mancini claims. The Manchester City manager was sticking to his line that Chelsea would win the League easily afterwards, despite this impressive collective display from his own side.
But not like this they won't, and possibly not with this squad. Carlo Ancelotti is well aware that when he names his starting XI he can be as confident as any man in football that his team are potential victors; when he digs down into his reserves, his self-assurance wavers.
Seldom will you see a Chelsea team outmuscled and outfought and even more rarely will you see them reduced to long-range shots from outside the area.Yet City achieved both feats yesterday, with Gareth Barry, Yaya Toure and Nigel de Jong acting like a mountain range protecting their back four.
And Chelsea never looked like scaling such heights.'This is not a good place for us,' sighed Ancelotti. 'Or a good team,' he added, bemoaning his third successive defeat by City. As when they lost 4-2 at Stamford Bridge in February, Chelsea were undone by the counter-attacking of Carlos Tevez.'They played how we expected,' conceded Ancelotti, not that his side could do anything about it. 'We saw the power of Manchester City in midfield and we lost a lot of ball.
'We weren't able to play our football, we were too complicated and gave them the opportunity to counter-attack.'
Indeed, and how bizarre to see the usually physically-imposing Chelsea shirk that combative challenge.
Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel both struggled but no one suffered like poor Ramires, who looked like a little boy lost, transported from Brazil via Benfica to be thrust into the frenzy of aggression that is a typical day in the Premier League.He already looked a serial offender at being caught in possession when James Milner snapped at his heels on the hour and took the ball off him to release Yaya Toure.
From there, the ball was delivered directly to Tevez who, darting this way and that, utterly bewildered Ashley Cole and John Terry.
The Argentine sized up his opportunity upon reaching the edge of the area and shot through the legs of Cole to beat Petr Cech at the far post.
'He is a fantastic striker,' said Mancini, the tension between the manager and his captain seemingly dissipating with time.'Not just because of the goals he scores but because of the fight he shows.'
That said, City need to show more collective fight when the opposition are less exciting. Inspired when they take on the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal, they need to master the art of matching the likes of Blackburn and Sunderland.
'This is why football is a fantastic sport,' said Mancini, which suggested such aberrations were simply inevitable consequences of the fickle wheel of fortune.
Yet his side possess a psychological weakness and he himself hinted at it last week when he noted that his team seemed less well prepared for lesser games.
Yesterday, even though they were more focused on the task in hand, there was little to inspire from either side in the opening exchanges.
Milner's free-kick on 10 minutes had Cech scrambling in vain to collect the ball, but no City player could direct it in.
There were periods of sustained possession from City, who were wresting control of the midfield, but with little end product.
For all City's early momentum, it was Chelsea who threatened the most. On 28 minutes, Florent Malouda neatly tricked Tevez and found Alex at the far post.
The Brazilian's header back across goal was met by Branislav Ivanovic, whose own header rebounded off the crossbar.
Chelsea might have had a penalty when Didier Drogba, advancing off the ball, was shoulder-charged to the ground by Dedryck Boyata.
City were also fortunate when Pablo Zabaleta lifted his foot as he slid in late on Ivanovic; referee Andre Marriner, who struggled throughout to control the game, saw it as a yellow-card offence.
David Silva was City's most inventive player and his shot from a tight angle on 55 minutes forced a smart save from Cech.
A second opportunity for the Spaniard was only denied by a crucial header from Alex. When Drogba was withdrawn for Daniel Sturridge on 75 minutes, it seemed a curious change.
Drogba trudged off with a sad shake of the head as though even he suspected the game was up.

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Telegraph:

Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0:
By Duncan White, at Eastlands

Manchester City brought Chelsea’s sprint out of the blocks to a grinding halt at Eastlands, an accurately struck Carlos Tevez goal in the second half ending the champions’ 100 per cent start to their title defence.
It was a ferociously competed game as City took on Chelsea’s customary physical superiority and, while Chelsea hit the post in the first half, there were very few clear chances for either side.
It took a special goal to separate the teams. Just shy of the hour mark, James Milner stole the ball off Ramires with most of the Chelsea team committed up field for a corner. Milner found Yaya Toure who set Tevez off from about the half way line. Ashley Cole backed off the City captain willing to let him shoot from range; Tevez accepted the invitation and steered a low shot across Petr Cech and in off the far post.
Before that, it was Chelsea who had come closest, Branislav Ivanovic hitting the post in a tight first half. Dider Drogba, subdued by his standards, took a corner short which Florent Malouda feinted superbly, making room for a cross. The Frenchman found Alex at the far post and the Brazilian nodded back into the box where Ivanovic headed against the post and then nodded the rebound into the arms of a relieved Joe Hart.
Otherwise City fought aggressively to stop Chelsea imposing themselves on the game. Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry were outstanding as they snapped into challenge after challenge. Ramires, especially, appeared lost. Chelsea are not used to this sort of treatment.
There were times when City nearly went too far. Dedryck Boyata body-checked Drogba off the ball in the penalty area in the first half when Vincent Kompany had the ball covered - high risk indeed but a permissive Andre Marriner let this physical game play out.
David Silva had brought out a sharp near-post save from Cech shortly before the goal and, once they had taken the lead, they finished strongly.
Aside from a mistimed Alex header, and a couple of miscued long-rangers from Michael Essien, Chelsea could not break Roberto Mancini’s team down.


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Mirror;

Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea:
By Simon Mullock

Manchester City haven’t won a trophy since Roberto Mancini was at junior school.
But after beating Chelsea for the third successive time, maybe they should get to keep Carlo Ancelotti.
Carlos Tevez’s second-half strike sentenced the champions to their first defeat of the season and established City as genuine title contenders.
It was a victory built on Mancini outmanoeuvring ­Ancelotti, a man he regards as a close friend. The City boss knew that to have any chance his team would have to neutralise the talents of Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda.
Man-of-the-match Vincent Kompany took care of Drogba to such an extent that the Ivory Coast striker was substituted with 15 minutes to go and Chelsea chasing the game.
Malouda fared little better against Dedryck Boyata, even though the 19-year-old was plunged into an unfamiliar right-back role by an injury crisis.
Once City had taken the sting out of the free-scoring Londoners – 21 goals in their opening five matches – during a dour first half, they began to take control. And when James Milner won possession deep inside his own half with a 59th-minute challenge on Ramires that typified City’s aggression, it brought the winning goal.
There still seemed little danger when Yaya Toure moved the ball on to Carlos Tevez just inside his own half. But the ­Argentine has past form with John Terry and Co.
The was only one thing on Tevez’s mind as he powered down the middle and when both Terry and Ashley Cole started backing off it was fatal. Tevez was on the edge of Chelsea’s box before Cole decided to make a move and as soon as he did the City striker unleashed a low shot that flew through the legs of the full-back and bounced in off Petr Cech’s post.
Tevez has now scored six goals in his last six games against Chelsea wearing Mancunian blue and red.
And he celebrated his latest strike by pulling up his shirt to reveal a Happy Birthday message to his mother back in Buenos Aires. Mancini said: “Carlos is a fantastic striker, not just because of his goals but because he of the way he always fights for the ball.
“He was against two very strong defenders today, but he always works so hard for the team.”
Those words illustrate Mancini’s mantra. He may have once been one of Serie A’s most gifted forwards, but his teams are built on graft and a level of organisation rarely seen in England.
Last season he failed to deliver Champions League football despite City twice humbling a Chelsea team that won the Double. This time, City have already beaten Liverpool and the champions and have conceded only two goals in the Premier League.
The closest Chelsea came to scoring was when Branislav Ivanovic’s header bounced back off the angle of post and bar before Joe Hart saved the defender’s follow-up.
Michael Essien wasted their best chance when he found space 18 yards out just before the break only to blaze over with his weaker left foot.
Ancelotti said: “We suffered from the power of City in midfield and lost a lot of tackles.
“We complicated our game and that gave them the ­possibility to hurt us on the counter-attack.”

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