Chelsea win ball control over Manchester City

DBasia.news –  Pep Guardiola praised Frank Lampard after Manchester City won 2-1 against Chelsea in Week 13 of the Premier League. Moreover, Chelsea can excel in possession of the ball.

Playing at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday (11/24) Western Indonesian Time, Man City won 2-1 through goals scored by Kevin De Bruyne (29′) and Riyad Mahrez (37′), replied by N’Golo Kante in the 21st minute. Man City won again after losing 1-3 to Liverpool and Chelsea swallowed the first defeat since September 2019. 

“It has been a very long time since we lost. We know there is a feeling of transition (about this team), but I know if we continue to work then our best performances will appear,” Lampard said after the game ended.

One interesting note from the match was Chelsea’s possession victory over Man City. Chelsea dominate 54 percent of ball possession compared to 46 percent of City. This rarely happens, considering that Guardiola’s team plays the philosophy of offensive football and dominates ball possession. 

“There is always one thing in your life that has never happened. It happened. So, okay, I have another record, I won the game without possession. They are a very great team with Kante, (Mateo) Kovacic, Jorginho, so it happened,” Pep Guardiola in the Guardian said.

“We beat the top teams, Frank is brave – not afraid to play offensively. Chelsea is a very good team, we know that but we beat them. The game was typical at a high level. Our defenders played well.

While Lampard assesses the turning point Man City was created when Mahrez scored in the 37th minute. Mahrez outwitted two Chelsea players before breaking into the goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

“We control the game, we play the game well and feel in control, but you cannot fully control (the match) against Manchester City,” Lampard added.

“Their first goal was bad luck (for Chelsea because of a deflection goal), and it’s clear the quality of Riyad Mahrez for the second goal changed the game,” he concluded.

Manchester City is now in third place with 28 points and Chelsea in fourth with 26 points. Man City is nine points adrift of Liverpool at the top of the table.