Independent:
Nasri strike gives City a lift as Tevez makes his mark
Manchester City 2 Chelsea 1: Argentine sets up winner as Mancini’s side come from behind to stay in touch at the top
SAM WALLACE THE ETIHAD STADIUM
When the winner finally went in last night, Roberto Mancini pumped the air relentlessly with his fists, undoing a career of carefully cultivated Italian cool with one unrestrained dad-dancing-at-a-wedding celebration. It was that kind of goal for Manchester City, it was that kind of night.
Until then, they could see their first title since 1968, the one they believe will give credibility to the unprecedented investment of their Abu Dhabi owners and will be the launch-pad for the whole “project”, disappearing over the hill. Yet when the chips were down they found the strength to rescue this game and, quite possibly, their whole season.
It felt like a pivotal night, not least for the substitution in the 66 minute when Mancini summoned Carlos Tevez from the bench. The Argentine has not been seen in a City shirt since that night in Munich on 27 September when he crossed his arms and refused to budge. This time he acquiesced to his manager’s request and there was a mixed reaction to him from the home support, not least a weariness that this saga is still not over.
But in the moments after Tevez controlled a pass from Samir Nasri into him on the edge of the area, waited while Gary Cahill failed to make a challenge and then rolled it back into the path of Nasri to poke the winner past Petr Cech the mood changed again. There was no division or doubt over Tevez then, just sheer mayhem in the stands.
To come from a goal behind is one thing. To come from behind when your whole season seems to be breaking apart, when the mutineer is back in the team and the inspiration for the early part of the season – David Silva – has lost his mojo, is quite something else. City were below par at times last night but faced with the prospect of giving up the ghost when Cahill scored on the hour, or battling on, they took the latter.
It means that if they beat Stoke at the Britannia on Saturday, Mancini’s team will go back to the top of the Premier League before Manchester United’s game against Fulham on Monday. The title race is not over, in fact it is shaping up for a splendid conclusion which all points to that decisive Manchester derby on 30 April.
The stand-out performances for City came from Nasri, who last night had arguably his best game for the club since his transfer in the summer, and Yaya Toure who was a powerful, surging force from midfield. So too Sergio Aguero who scored the equaliser from the penalty spot on 77 minutes.
Before then this was shaping up to be a remarkable fifth straight win for Chelsea’s caretaker manager. As it turned out, Di Matteo’s team remain fifth in the table with six points separating them from Arsenal in third and five from Spurs who they play on Saturday. A lot of the old problems came home to roost again last night.
Di Matteo picked Fernando Torres to start the game, with Didier Drogba presumably rested in the hope that he will be fresh for Saturday, and although the pnds50m man began relatively brightly he looked all run out by the time Drogba replaced him. Torres’ reaction was telling, a dead-eyed walk past Di Matteo that had the Chelsea caretaker manager scurrying backward to mollify him.
Di Matteo need not have bothered. It should tell him all he needs to know that his team’s goal came from a centre-back. Torres bickered away with Yaya Toure for much of the game, and faded badly.
The Chelsea team looked different again last night with Frank Lampard deployed deeper and Raul Meireles pushed up closer in behind Torres. Ramires was on the right wing in the position usually occupied by Daniel Sturridge, who stayed on the bench. There was no sign of the injured John Terry on the bench.
In the first half Nasri went the closest for City, clipping the bar having taken Yaya Toure’s long ball on his chest and hitting a shot that beat Petr Cech. It was a lovely bit of skill and not much more than a half-chance when the ball left Toure’s foot. But it was as good as it got for City, one chance for Mario Balotelli aside.
That was when he intercepted Lampard’s careless sideways ball and ran at goal with 29 minutes played. Bearing down on Cech, the Chelsea goalkeeper did well to get a faint touch on the shot and push it wide of the post.
As City’s momentum failed to translate into goals, there was also the sideshow of Tevez’s presence on the bench. He was part of the second batch of substitutes to warm up and he rose to his feet just as Balotelli was released on goal which meant that his walk down to the touchline went largely unnoticed. There had been booing when his name was read out at the start of the game, and then again when he came out for the warm-up. But there was also much applause too.
Not that Tevez seemed to care either way.
There was something nervous about the way in which Nasri swung at Yaya Toure’s promising cut-back on 50 minutes and lifted it wildly over the bar. Five minutes later Nasri hit a cross that became a shot and Cech was forced to scamper back and push it against the bar.
Di Matteo brought Essien on for Meireles just before the hour which allowed Lampard to push further forward but within seconds Chelsea had taken the lead. From a corner, Torres challenged Yaya Toure. When the ball broke free David Luiz won the tussle with Barry and Cahill crashed the loose ball in off Yaya Toure.
Tevez’s introduction for Nigel De Jong over-shadowed Silva’s substitution after another average performance. City’s pressure eventually bore fruit. Pablo Zabaleta’s shot from the right channel clearly struck Essien’s raised arm. Penalties are Agueri’s responsibility now, and he made no mistake.
City came back for more and Nasri’s winning goal set the place ablaze. The race is on and City find themselves right at the heart of it.
Booked: Man City Nasri. Chelsea Mata, Lampard
Man of the match Yaya Touré.
Referee M Dean (Wirral)
Attendance 46,324
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Guardian:
Manchester City's Carlos Tevez helps Nasri deliver win against Chelsea
Daniel Taylor at the Etihad Stadium
It was the night Carlos Tevez was reintroduced to the Premier League but, for Manchester City, they will cherish what happened here for different reasons. Tevez's first appearance since September was only a sideshow compared to the real story of what this victory means for Roberto Mancini's team, the consequences at the top of the table and the message it sends to Manchester United.This was the night they set a new Premier League record of 20 straight home wins but, of far greater importance, it was also the moment when they made it very clear they are not just going to crumple now the advantage is with the team from Old Trafford.Alan Hansen had talked of this team being on the brink of "capitulation" after their defeat at Swansea and yet here they were, recovering from a goal down, showing the resolve and strength of personality that any team with genuine championship credentials needs.They had gone behind after an hour, via Gary Cahill's deflected shot, to a Chelsea side that has rediscovered the art of winning football matches and, briefly, there was the inescapable sense of a telling, potentially devastating blow, to their title hopes.Instead, what followed was a demonstration of the qualities that Mancini has been trying to cultivate. City kept pressing forward, Tevez was brought on for his energy and drive and, in the end, they wore Chelsea down. Sergio Agüero equalised with a 78th-minute penalty and then there was the final, frenzied onslaught of the Chelsea goal that eventually saw Samir Nasri poke in the goal which means City have clambered within a point of United.Almost inevitably, Tevez was involved in the game's decisive moment. There were boos when he was introduced, but plenty of applause, too. Many supporters are clearly willing to overlook his transgressions if he can be of use between now and the end of the season. Here was his first contribution. With five minutes to go, Nasri exchanged passes with the Argentinian, carried on running and slipped his shot past Petr Cech.Mancini's victory jig on the touchline encapsulated the emotions of the night. Afterwards, true to form, City's manager was not entirely satisfied.Invited to praise Nasri, he chose instead to say the Frenchman "could do better". There was criticism of Balotelli – "I didn't like how he played" – and he admitted the team "had not played well for three or weeks". But there was relief, too. The fixture list is so obliging to Sir Alex Ferguson's team over the coming weeks that City simply had to win this match.Mancini even borrowed the famous Ferguson line. "It felt like squeaky-bum time," he smiled.For long spells the quality was low, from both sides. City, however, probably deserved to win on the balance of play and their sheer perseverance. Nasri was the most creative player on the pitch, hitting the crossbar with a first-half shot, and Yaya Touré was a key figure, driving forward from midfield.Yet there were moments of carelessness, too. David Silva's usual accuracy with his passing had deserted him. Agüero looks like he is feeling the effects of a long, sapping season and Balotelli did not even make it beyond half-time. The Italian had run clear, courtesy of a horribly misplaced pass from Frank Lampard after 29 minutes, but dragged his shot wide and was scarcely involved otherwise.Chelsea, too, looked weary, lacking structure, misplacing far too many passes, particularly Ramires and Raul Meireles. At times Fernando Torres looked sharper, in short bursts, than we have seen him for the most part this season. At other moments he reverted to being isolated, lacking the old sureness of touch, culminating in his scowling substitution.City were missing both their first-choice centre-backs, Vincent Kompany and Joleon Lescott, and could feasibly have been more vulnerable had Didier Drogba started.Chelsea's goal came from their first shot on target. It originated from a corner and, as City struggled to clear their lines, they felt the referee, Mike Dean, should have stopped the play, first when Torres gave Touré a little nudge and then when David Luiz did similar alongside Gareth Barry, Balotelli's replacement. City had defended the corner poorly and when Cahill swung his right foot at the ball the ricochet off Touré was against them.Mancini reacted by bringing on Tevez but it was City's other Argentinians who combined for the equaliser, Pablo Zabaleta's shot striking the substitute Michael Essien's left arm and Agüero scoring, emphatically, from the penalty spot.The stage was set for one final flourish and, between them, Tevez and Nasri reminded United how difficult it is going to be to shake off the team hanging on their shoulder.
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Telegraph:
Manchester City 2 Chelsea 1
By Henry Winter, at the Etihad Stadium
The noisy neighbours won’t go quietly. Just when it seemed that silence was descending on the Etihad, Manchester City fought back superbly. They kept running, kept believing and kept their title dream alive.
The noisy neighbours certainly left it late to raise the roof. With 12 minutes remaining, City still trailed to Gary Cahill’s deflected strike. Then Sergio Agüero, a figure of calm and confidence, took responsibility for a penalty and the comeback was on. These are the moments that can define campaigns.
City still knew that a point was not going to be enough, not with Manchester United’s more negotiable run-in and Sir Alex Ferguson’s side exuding their usual resilience. City’s fans certainly knew, exhorting the players to seize all the points. Two dropped points would have been deeply damaging for City’s title ambitions. The nerves would have jangled unbearably. The ghost of Devon Loch would have been summoned up into headlines to haunt them.
Criticism of Roberto Mancini would have bubbled up, pointlessly so as the City hierarchy remain fully behind him, and rightly so. Unfolding events on Wednesday night demonstrated how City continue to develop under Mancini’s stewardship.
City really went for it. They had to. This was kitchen-sink time. Carlos Tévez, on as a sub, inevitably played a part, rolling a perfect pass into the box for Samir Nasri, timing his run superbly, to lift the ball elegantly over the diving Petr Cech. The Etihad was in total ecstasy, barring the bemused Chelsea section.
City supporters hugged each other wildly. The fan who had wept at the Liberty Stadium defeat was probably in amongst the writhing throng, claiming that he had never doubted the team. Mancini danced a jig of delight in the technical area. The Italian’s pre-match prediction that “we will win the title’’ would have sounded excruciatingly hollow had City not prevailed. Not now. They are still in the race.
Suddenly, with one touch from Nasri, who delivered one of his best displays for City, the mood lifted. Suddenly the talk was of pushing to within a point of United, of setting a new Premier League record with a 20th home win on the spin. Suddenly, the ripple of boos that greeted Tévez on his return to the fray after six months faded. For all Tévez’s mistakes, he can make a difference. He did here. Suddenly, City look with greater relish at their remaining fixtures.
Mancini’s men now travel to Stoke before home games with Sunderland and West Brom either side of a tough-looking trip to a revitalised Arsenal. April away days at Norwich City and Wolves lurk before the seismic meeting with United at the Etihad. City finish the season with Newcastle away and Mark Hughes’s QPR at home.
If the race goes down to the final Sunday of the season, such a United icon and sacked City manager as Hughes will be fired up. The mischievous imps in the computer calendar must be chuckling at such a prospect.
The likelihood is the title will be settled by then. United boast a far more manageable run-in, including home games against Fulham, QPR, Aston Villa, Everton and Swansea with only Blackburn, Wigan, City and Sunderland away. More and more, that April 30 Etihad showdown looks the date of destiny.
This Etihad occasion had been poor for 45 minutes. The game was too congested in midfield, crying out for some flair. The attention was commanded by a Nasri shot on to the bar, a Mario Balotelli strike that Cech saved and some intelligent running from Fernando Torres. There was also an amusing verbal joust between the fans. When Chelsea supporters broke into “there’s only one team in Europe”, City fans hit back instantly with “you’re just the third team in London”.
With Spurs slowing up, Chelsea might fancy their chances of joining Arsenal in collecting Champions League positions behind the Manchester heavyweights. Their hopes rose even higher when Cahill scored on the hour. In the wake of a Chelsea corner, David Luiz challenged Gareth Barry. The ball rebounded to Cahill, whose shot deflected off Yaya Touré, wrong-footed Joe Hart and flew in, slightly apologetically.
As Cahill slid across the turf in celebration, Mancini was already plotting an attempted recovery. The footballer who had apparently been “treated like a dog’’ was now let off the leash, invited to run at Chelsea. Tévez came on to a mixed reception, two-thirds’ applause to one-third booing. Some City fans had clearly neither forgotten nor forgiven the Argentine for refusing to warm up in Munich six months ago. Chelsea fans certainly remembered. “That Carlos Tévez, he plays when he wants,’’ chanted the visitors.
Instead of making any further point about Tévez, City fans simply made a point about where their loyalties lay, loudly singing Mancini’s name. Chelsea’s contingent responded with songs of praise for Roberto Di Matteo and Eddie Newton. Briefly, Chelsea hinted at a second goal and only Hart’s strong hands kept out a Juan Mata drive. Big save.
City fought hard against the fading of their title light. Tévez was buzzing around, injecting some impetus, distracting Chelsea players, creating space for his City team-mates. He acted like an adrenalin shot on the City system. With 12 minutes remaining, City were level. When Pablo Zabaleta fired the ball goalwards, Michael Essien clearly handled and Mike Dean pointed unhesitatingly to the spot. Agüero also made no mistake, stroking the penalty past Cech.
The force was fully with City now. Nasri has rarely captured his Arsenal form but he twinkled with nimble threat here, taking his goal well, sealing a comeback that could cause concern in the United copyright department. And then came the final whistle, relief mingling with glee. The race continues.
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Richards, Toure, Clichy, Silva (Dzeko 76), Toure Yaya, De Jong (Tevez 66), Nasri, Aguero, Balotelli (Barry 46).Subs: Pantilimon, Milner, Kolarov, Savic.Booked: Nasri. Goals: Aguero 78 pen, Nasri 85.
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic (Bosingwa 21), Luiz, Cahill, Cole, Mikel, Meireles (Essien 58), Ramires, Lampard, Mata, Torres (Drogba 73).Subs: Turnbull, Malouda, Kalou, Sturridge.Booked: Mata, Lampard. Goals: Cahill 60.
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Mail:
Manchester City 2 Chelsea 1: Tevez inspires Blues to crucial comeback victory
By IAN LADYMAN
After an hour at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, Manchester City looked as though they might be finished. If not out of the title race then certainly out of steam, seemingly incapable of mustering a response to a crushing Gary Cahill goal.
But that was before the man Roberto Mancini said would never play for the club again was sent on to the field with a pat on the back from the same City manager. That was before Sergio Aguero levelled the scores from the penalty spot and Carlos Tevez then marked his return to first-team action with the quite brilliant ball that enabled Samir Nasri to win this utterly absorbing contest.
This, the rebellious Tevez should now understand, is what an act of defiance should amount to - not a refusal to warm up but a refusal to sit down, and in City’s case allow Manchester United to run away with the Barclays Premier League title.
A precious victory was down to much more than the reappearance of a player who had the look of someone who has not played a first-team match for six months. But there can be no denying that the man who has been welcomed back like a new signing might have helped give City a new lease of life when they need it most.
Before Tevez’s arrival from the bench in the 66th minute, City were floundering. Players who were setting the League alight earlier this season looked tired. Aguero was struggling, as were David Silva and Yaya Toure.
But, from inside themselves, they also found something extra - in this instance a response to the grim realisation that, for all Mancini’s confidence on the eve of this encounter, there is a difference between saying it and doing it; between saying your side will win the title and actually going out and getting the job done.
Had City followed that defeat at Swansea with the loss of yet more points and another disappointing performance, it would have been difficult to see them arresting their slide and catching a Manchester United side now on something of a roll. It would not have just been an 11-point swing. It would have been the sight of two teams travelling in opposite directions; one forwards and one backwards.
Against a Chelsea side revitalised by the departure of Andre Villas-Boas and able to reflect on four straight wins and progress to the last eight of the Champions League, they were experiencing real difficulties. Even in the absence of John Terry and even after Roberto Di Matteo took the decision to select Fernando Torres ahead of Didier Drogba. In fairness to the Chelsea boss, Torres did all that could have been asked of him even if his angry reaction to being taken off was unnecessary. Chances were limited but the Spaniard worked tirelessly until Di Matteo sent on Drogba’s fresher legs.
But it took something special from City to win this game, and something that will leave United in no doubt that this title race will go to the wire.
If there was any self-doubt developing inside the City dressing room, this would have gone some way to dispelling it. If there was any over-confidence developing at United, it would not be there now.
It was an intriguing game, and one that started with Nasri taking a ball forward from Yaya Toure beautifully before sending a delightful chip against Petr Cech’s bar.
Chelsea had enjoyed a decent chance of their own by then, Torres carving out an opportunity that Juan Mata squandered with a poor effort.
But City seemed to be up for this and really should have secured the lead when a misplaced pass from Frank Lampard suddenly sent Mario Balotelli clear. Much to the very obvious disappointment of the City bench, Balotelli dragged his shot wide with only Cech to beat and was hooked at half-time.
By then Mancini was growing increasingly agitated, the source of his frustration the fact that his side had lost their early momentum. They lacked their usual desire and intensity, with Balotelli most guilty and seemingly determined to lose his place to Tevez.
It was the determination of Torres that earned the corner from which Chelsea scored. Mata delivered from the right and Cahill seized on Yaya Toure’s failure to clear with a shot that took a nasty deflection off the former Barcelona midfielder. Joe Hart had no chance.
Mancini’s response was to send on Tevez for Nigel de Jong but it would be a further 12 minutes before the breakthrough came. Michael Essien did raise his hands to block a shot from Pablo Zabaleta at point-blank range and Aguero did the rest from the penalty spot.
Tevez, understandably, did not look his sharpest. But, while fitness can be temporary, class is permanent and the way he held off Cahill to receive Nasri’s ball and then deliver it back to the fast- advancing Frenchman on the turn was quite superb.
In a split second Nasri was through and clear, guiding his effort beyond Cech in some style.
If there were a few boos and jeers for Tevez when his name was read out before kick-off, and again when he warmed up midway through the first half, there were none after Nasri’s goal.
Not when United’s lead at the summit of the Premier League table had been cut quite spectacularly back to a single point.
IN FOCUS
Samir Nasri: The France forward may have had a modest first campaign at City since his £24million move from Arsenal but he proved his worth with the winner.Stefan Savic: City’s young Montenegrin had a night on the bench after his problems at centre half, with Micah Richards moving into the middle and made captain.David Luiz: Handed another chance to dazzle with his unique brand of defending, but was there really a need for the long-socks-over-cycling-shorts combo?
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Sun:
Man City 2 Chelsea 1
VERY NAS ... Samir Nasri celebrates his dramatic winner
By SHAUN CUSTIS
Carlos Tevez returned from six months in exile since his Munich bust-up with manager Roberto Mancini and produced the pass which put the spark back into Manchester City's title bid.
Mancini's men were a goal behind to Gary Cahill's deflected shot when Tevez was summoned from the bench by the boss with 66 minutes gone — and this time round the Argy was bang up for it.
After his mate Sergio Aguero equalised from the penalty spot, Tevez played a sublime one-two with Samir Nasri with five minutes left and the Frenchman clipped the dramatic winner into the corner.
It marked a record-breaking 20th home Premier League win in a row for City — and the fans in the Etihad Stadium went mad.
They believe once more that they can triumph in this title race as they closed the gap on rivals Manchester United to a single point.
City deserved victory on the balance of play but, until Tevez came on, there was concern that their bid to overhaul United was coming to a grinding halt.
Whatever you think of the barrel-chested striker — and there are plenty of opinions — it is undeniable that he is an extremely gifted footballer.
And when Tevez does actually make it on to the field of play, his work-rate is rarely questioned.
Nobody expected to see Tevez in a City shirt again but now he is, he could be the missing piece in the jigsaw.
Last night, his touch of guile was sorely needed with Aguero getting little change out of Cahill and David Luiz, while Italian hitman Mario Balotelli was so out of sorts he was subbed at half-time.
Mancini had come out defiantly pre-match to claim that his side would win the title and needed a victory to support his brave boast.
To that end, ever the pragmatist, he welcomed back Tevez.
There was muted applause for the Argentina ace as he practised before kick-off but none of the fans will be complaining if Tevez helps win them the title.
And with Nasri playing possibly his best game since his £24million summer arrival from Arsenal, City were unlucky not to take the lead on eight minutes.
Yaya Toure played a raking 40-yard through ball and Nasri expertly chested down and chipped over Petr Cech. The crowd were celebrating as it headed towards goal but there were groans when it struck the bar and bounced away.
Nasri again tried a long-range drive which was just over the bar — and when the Blues' skipper for the night Frank Lampard gave the ball away, it seemed Balotelli must go on and score.
But the striker was having one of those nights and, though Cech saved his shot, it was never going in anyway.
Mancini made no apology for hauling the sulky frontman off and replacing him with Gareth Barry arguing, quite simply, afterwards that his fellow Italian was not any good.
Chelsea had enjoyed a resurgence under caretaker-boss Roberto Di Matteo, winning four games in a row since he took over from the axed Andre Villas-Boas.
It was a big week for the West Londoners, with a home game against Spurs to follow and the trip to Lisbon next Tuesday for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Benfica.
But they were digging in to keep the scores level and Nasri again caused problems when his cross-cum-shot was tipped on to the bar by Cech. From there, the ball was turned back in and David Silva's effort was deflected just wide.
From the corner, Aguero's acrobatic volley flew over.
Di Matteo decided he needed more steel in midfield and replaced Raul Meireles with Michael Essien.
Within a minute, Chelsea were ahead against the run of play as Barry lost out in a tangle with David Luiz and Cahill's shot was deflected past Joe Hart by the unfortunate Yaya Toure.
That meant it was time for Tevez — and he came on in place of Nigel De Jong to more cheers than boos.
City fans might not like what he has done but they are a forgiving bunch.
For Chelsea, Didier Drogba replaced Fernando Torres, who had battled hard up front without reward.
The former Liverpool man retained his place after his double against Leicester in the FA Cup broke a goal drought which had lasted longer than 24 hours of pitch time.
However, you still had to go back to September for his last goal in the Premier League and he was far from happy at being hooked.
It needed a consoling word from Di Matteo to stop him throwing his toys out of the pram.
City looked shattered and without the same purpose they had shown in the first half.
But they got a lifeline when Pablo Zabaleta crashed in a drive which would have gone high into the stands had Essien not blocked it with a raised arm. It happened at close range and, though Di Matteo claimed it was harsh, credit to him for conceding it probably was a penalty.
Aguero tucked away the spot-kick with 12 minutes left and it was game on again for City.
When Nasri collected he knew exactly what to do. The Frenchman played it in to the feet of Tevez, continued his run and took the return pass from which he gleefully converted.
Last term, Tevez lifted City's first silverware in 35 years as his team claimed the FA Cup.
What a twist it would be if he is parading the Premier League trophy at the Etihad on May 13.
DREAM TEAM
STAR MAN - SAMIR NASRI (Man City)
Man City: Hart 6, Zabaleta 6, Richards 7, K Toure 6, Clichy 6, Silva 5 (Dzeko 6), Y Toure 7, De Jong 6 (Tevez 7), Nasri 8, Aguero 6, Balotelli 5 (Barry 6). Subs not used: Pantilimon, Milner, Kolarov, Savic. Booked: Nasri.
Chelsea: Cech 6, Ivanovic 5 (Bosingwa 6), Luiz 7, Cahill 7, Cole 6, Mikel 6, Meireles 5 (Essien 6), Ramires 6, Lampard 6, Mata 6, Torres 6 (Drogba 6). Subs not used: Turnbull, Malouda, Kalou, Sturridge. Booked: Mata, Lampard.
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Express:
HE HAS made plenty of wrong moves over the last six months but Carlos Tevez finally got it right last night.
And after all the acrimony, controversy and fines, he earned instant forgiveness.
When Tevez came on as a 66th-minute substitute, Manchester City were trailing to Gary Cahill’s deflected shot and facing a defeat that would have seriously damaged their title hopes.
Even if his reception from the crowd was mixed, Tevez’s presence seemed to lift his team-mates.
He won the corner from which City earned a penalty, converted by Sergio Aguero, and then played a crucial part in Samir Nasri’s late winner.
In his first appearance since his Munich mutiny, Tevez was twice involved in the move for the goal that sent the Etihad Stadium into meltdown.
But it was his superbly judged return pass that opened the huge gap in Chelsea’s defence that Nasri exploited by chipping his shot over Petr Cech. Many fans believed Tevez should never play for the club again after his bust-up with manager Roberto Mancini in Munich and his unauthorised return to Argentina.
ven if his reception from the crowd was mixed, Tevez’s presence seemed to lift his team-mates
But football fans, like players and managers, are pragmatic creatures and any dissenters were drowned out by cheers at the final whistle.
It was always likely to be the case that if Tevez helps City end 44 years of hurt by pipping United to the title then he will have restored much of his tarnished reputation.
Tevez seems to have a personal vendetta against Chelsea. He had scored six in six Premier League appearances against them for West Ham, Manchester United and City as well as scoring one of United’s penalties in the Champions League final shoot-out in Moscow in 2008.
But last night’s “assist” was as important as any of those goals – not just because it closes the gap on United at the top to only one point but also because of the psychological lift it will give the City squad after the demoralising defeat at Swansea and the Europa League exit to Sporting Lisbon had raised question marks over their ‘bottle’.
Now they can regain pole position by winning at Stoke on Saturday before United take on Fulham on Monday evening. But they had to do it the hard way last night.
After Cahill’s scruffy goal looked as if it might earn Chelsea the distinction of becoming the first team to complete the double over Mancini’s team, City showed the spirit of champions by storming back to preserve their 100 per cent home record for the season and set a new Premier League record of 20 consecutive home wins.
Chelsea may have gone down to their first defeat since Roberto Di Matteo took over as caretaker but they certainly made City work hard for their money.
Tevez’s stunning impact overshadowed the fact that Nasri had his best game for City. He was everywhere in the first half when he strike the bar with one shot and sent another just over, while David Silva and Mario Balotelli missed good chances.
Mancini deserves much credit for his half-time substitution. He dragged off the ineffective Balotelli, sent on Gareth Barry and that allowed Yaya Toure to get further forward. Chelsea had been on the back foot and took the lead against the run of play.
City failed to clear Juan Mata’s corner and when the ball fell to Cahill his shot deflected off Yaya Toure and past the wrong-footed Joe Hart.
It was the signal for Tevez to come on and he was immediately into the action despite being ring-rusty. Pablo Zabaleta won the penalty when his shot was handled by Michael Essien, who could not complain about referee Mike Dean’s decision because his arms were in the air rather than down by his side.
City felt a sense of justice being served because it was an almost identical incident that earned Chelsea their spot-kick winner over City in December, when Joleon Lescott had handled and Frank Lampard converted.
This time Aguero sent Cech the wrong way from the spot for his 22nd goal of the season and City closed in for the kill in a rousing finale.
It was the perfect scenario for Tevez to transform himself from villain to hero. And the moment arrived in the 85th minute when he weaved his magic for Nasri to put City back into the title race.
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Star:
MANCHESTER CITY 2 CHELSEA 1: SLICK CARLOS TEVEZ LETS IN SAM TO STEAL IT
By Jeremy Cross
SERGIO AGUERO and Samir Nasri rescued Manchester City to keep their title hopes alive – with a little help from Carlos Tevez.
Gary Cahill had piled the pressure on Roberto Mancini with a second-half strike at the Etihad Stadium.
The England defender fired Chelsea ahead on the hour with a close-range shot that deflected off Yaya Toure and left Joe Hart stranded.
Cahill’s second goal in as many games came totally against the run of play but City only had themselves to blame after wasting several chances to go ahead.
The goal threatened to end the Blues’ proud homerecord, which has seen them remain undefeated in the league since December 2010.
But Aguero started the recovery when he scored from the spot in the 77th minute after Pablo Zabaleta’s shot was handled by Michael Essien.
Then with five minutes left Nasri struck the winnerafter playing a superb one-two with Tevez. The Argentine turned and played the ball back to Nasri, who ran on to finish in style.
As expected, Tevez ended his six-month exile when Mancini named him on the subs’ bench and he came on for Nigel De Jong after 66 minutes as City tried to turn the game round following Cahill’s goal.
But his well-publicised return went largely unnoticed by fans when he jogged out to warm up, with most people not even realising he was out there.
However, this wasn’t just about the return of the Argentine, but more about the Blues winning to keep the pressure on United at the top.
Time would tell if Tevez could help the Blues achieve their No.1 target, but in the meantime the onus remained on Aguero, Mario Balotelli and David Silva to inspire Mancini’s men.
With Vincent Kompany and Joleon Lescott both missing, Micah Richards was drafted into central defence alongside Kolo Toure.
Chelsea arrived in Manchester high on confidence following four straight wins under Robeto Di Matteo, including last week’s thrilling comeback to overcome Napoli in the Champions League.
But Di Matteo sprang a surprise by leaving Didier Drogba on the bench in favour of Fernando Torres, while John Terry was out with a calf problem.
There was also a lot on the line for the visitors, who needed a win just as badly to boost their hopes of a top-four finish.
It all added up to a mouth-watering contest and Mancini’s men made a bright start when Silva could have fired them ahead inside five minutes.
Ashley Cole misjudged a long ball from Yaya Toure and let in Zabaleta, who squared for Silva, only for the Spanish star to miss the target.
Di Matteo’s men wasted a good chance themselves soon after when Torres turned and charged at the Blues defence before feeding Juan Mata but he also missed the target.
Back came the hosts, with Nasri drifting beyond Branislav Ivanovic, only to see his clever lob over Petr Cech come back off the bar.
Minutes later Toure burst forward and fed Aguero, but his effort was intercepted by Cech with Toure screaming for a return pass instead.
Nasri tried his luck again on 26 minutes with a rasping drive from 30 yards which whistled just over the top. The Blues could sense a breakthrough and were gifted a golden chance to take the lead on 29 minutes thanks to Mata.
His woeful pass in midfield went straight to Balotelli and gave him a clear run on goal.
But with just Cech to beat he saw his scuffed shot tipped wide by the keeper as Di Matteo’s men got out of jail.
Yet despite the exciting start the contest had lost its sparkle as both sides began to cancel each other out.
Mancini took action at the start of the second half, replacing Balotelli with Gareth Barry in a move which allowed Toure to push further forward.
The truth was the Blues needed to win more than Chelsea and this was evident in Mancini’s growing frustration.
His mood wasn’t helped on 51 minutes when Silva and Toure set-up another chance, this time for Nasri, but he failed to work Cech and was off target. At least Cech was forced into action moments later when he tipped Nasri’s cross on to the bar before Aguero volleyed over from the resulting corner.
The Blues’ generosity in front of goal came back to haunt them on the hour mark when Di Matteo’s men went ahead.
City failed to deal with a Mata corner and when the ball bounced to Cahill he unleashed an instant shot which deflected off Toure and gave Hart no chance.
Moments later Mancini sent on Tevez in what appeared to be a move of desperation more than expectation.
He received a mixed reception but his part in the winner may have earned a chunk of forgiveness from those still against him.
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Mirror:
Tevez back to save the day
by Martin Lipton
You don't have to like him
In fact, after what he has done, you can't, no matter how Sky Blue your heart is.
Yet here at the Etihad, the man who has stood all season as the stand-out example of everything that is wrong with football helped transform Manchester City in their moment of crisis - and may, just, have changed the direction of the title race.
Roberto Mancini's treatment of Carlos Tevez after the Argentine's act of public insurrection in Munich last September had emboldened the City boss, made him look a bigger man.
It was Tevez who had to come back, cap in hand, tail between his legs, to ask for forgiveness, for another chance - albeit only because nobody would pay City what they wanted for him.
But as City stared into the abyss, looked over the edge, felt the vacuum sucking them in, their season on the verge of becoming a slow-motion car-crash, salvation came at the hands of the man who had done his best to destroy everything Mancini has built.
Six minutes after Gary Cahill swung his right boot for the ball to deflect off Yaya Toure's back-side and past the stranded Joe Hart, Mancini turned to Tevez.
The last time the Argentine was asked to leave the bench, at the Allianz Arena on September 27, his refusal sparked outrage, disgust and the fall-out that cost Tevez a staggering £10million before his belated return to the fold.
This time, the response was very different, even if there were almost as many boos as cheers as he replaced Nigel De Jong.
Instead of truculence, there was desire, fight, determination, a willingness to toil for the team, the colleagues he had deserted, as well as composure.
In short, everything that had made him such a hero, which made his transformation to villain all the more painful for the City fans to endure.
Even Tevez could not claim to be much more than a spectator for the moment that changed the game, as Michael Essien raised his hands to block Pablo Zabaleta's shot, Mike Dean instantly reacting to his assistant's signal.
It was Tevez's replacement as City's favourite Argentine, Sergio Aguero, who smashed home from the spot, his 24th of the season earning parity.
But Tevez still had a key, crucial, decisive part to play, one he did with five minutes on the clock.
Fittingly, the man to benefit - along with Mancini, his team-mates and the vast majority of those inside the Etihad - was Samir Nasri.
For much of the season, plenty of City fans have wondered why Mancini was so keen to land him from Arsenal in the summer, paying £25million for the privilege.
Last night, they saw the answer, as Nasri first tormented Branislav Ivanovic and then, after the Serb departed with a thigh strain, his replacement Jose Bosingwa too.
Nasri twice hit the bar, first with a suberb lofted effort after ghosting onto Yaya Toure's throughball, then, courtesy of Peter Cech's palm, after making Bosingwa look silly.
In between, only an outstanding save by Cech - after Mario Balotelli, with his one positive contribution before his half-time substitution, latched onto Frank Lampard's misplaced pass and strode goalwards - kept Chelsea on terms, although David Luiz, alongside Cahill, was immaculate at the back and Fernando Torres' efforts up front were unstinting.
And when Luiz bullied Gareth Barry from Juan Mata's half-cleared corner to create the opening that brought Cahill's second Chelsea goal in four days - as the two Toures both tried to charged it down - it looked like a first home league defeat since December 2010 and, more crucially, a four point deficit to United.
Aguero's penalty changed that but then, with time running out, the moment that may prove pivotal when the garlands and baubles are handed out in May.
Nasri received from Gael Clichy, pushed on and played in to Tevez, who swiveled and played the perfect return into the Frenchman's path as he strode on to prod past Cech and into the back of the net.
Bedlam. Sheer, unquestioned, bedlam, Nasri the hero but all eyes, all thoughts, directed towards the Prodigal son.
The last few minutes were all about anxiety, nerves, fear.
But City had the lead, had the win, had what they needed. And, now, they have Tevez back too. Which could be absolutely critical.
