MX23RW : Wednesday, November 27 22:03:39| >> :600:335741:335741:
Nov 23, 2019 at 5.30pm UK at ​Etihad Stadium
Attendance: 54,486
Man CityManchester City
2-1
Chelsea
De Bruyne (29'), Mahrez (37')
FT(HT: 2-1)
Kante (21')

Pep Guardiola concerned by Sergio Aguero injury

Pep Guardiola concerned by Sergio Aguero injury
© Reuters
The striker was forced off in the second half against Chelsea.

Pep Guardiola fears Manchester City's come-from-behind victory over Chelsea may have come at a cost after striker Sergio Aguero limped off in the second half.

The Argentinian was replaced by Gabriel Jesus with 13 minutes left, one of three enforced changes for City on a night when first-half goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez gave them a 2-1 win after N'Golo Kante put Chelsea in front.

Aguero's problem comes ahead of Tuesday's Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk, and with trips to Newcastle and Burnley on the horizon before the Manchester derby on December 7.

Sergio Aguero limped off against Chelsea
Sergio Aguero limped off against Chelsea (Nick Potts/PA)

"We will see tomorrow but it doesn't look good," Guardiola said of Aguero. "I think it's muscular...

"He thought it was a kick but maybe he stretched it a bit."

Aguero came off after City had already lost Spanish midfield duo Rodri and David Silva to cramping problems which looked less serious.

"Rodri has been one month without playing many games and David, he needs rhythm and these games are so demanding," Guardiola said.

It certainly looked a demanding match as two teams with problems at the back decided attack was the best form of defence.

The result was at times a pulsating encounter, edged by City as they moved back above Chelsea and into third place.

Chelsea showed the confidence of a team who had won six in a row in the Premier League coming into this match, while City demonstrated the desire of a side desperate to bounce back from their defeat at Anfield a fortnight ago.

The visitors drew first blood when Kante burst through City's defence, in which Fernandinho partnered John Stones, to slip the ball beyond Ederson after 21 minutes, and the hosts needed a deflection on De Bruyne's shot to level eight minutes later.

Mahrez then produced a moment of real quality just before the break, cutting inside from the right, ghosting between Emerson and Mateo Kovacic before firing between Fikayo Tomori's legs and in.

At the time it seemed unlikely to be the winning goal – Aguero would hit the crossbar while shots whistled narrowly wide at both ends and Raheem Sterling had a stoppage-time effort scrubbed out for a tight offside – but City held out for victory.

"We won against a top side," Guardiola said. "Chelsea over the last 20 years have always been a good team but Frank is a courageous manager."

That courage was shown in the amount of time Chelsea had City on the back foot. The visitors limited City to 46.7 per cent possession, the lowest total of any Guardiola-managed side in his 381 top-flight matches to date, but ultimately could not make it count.

"It was not the critical factor," said Lampard. "Coming into the game, with our recent form and how we've been developing quickly, I wanted to come and be brave on the ball and off the ball.

Frank Lampard (left) returned to Manchester City as manager of Chlelsea
Frank Lampard (left) returned to Manchester City as manager of Chlelsea (Martin Rickett/PA)

"In the first half you saw all of that and at 1-0 we had relative control of the game, but that never lasts.

"There were a lot of positives but we lost the games. It shows at this level it's the finer details in both boxes that decide it.

"These teams, Liverpool and City, have been getting results for a long time because these finer details, maybe they get them right.

"I don't think you can come away from that game and say it was anything other than two really strong teams going against each other.

"One wins it because of a deflected goal and a really good goal, and the rest was in the balance."

body check tags ::

Click here for more stories about Pep Guardiola

Click here for more stories about Chelsea

Share this article now:
Instagram - Follow Sports Mole
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard on November 9, 2019
Read Next:
Frank Lampard opens up on Chelsea "love story"
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.

Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool13121030111937
2Leicester CityLeicester139223182329
3Manchester CityMan City1391337142328
4Chelsea138232819926
5Wolverhampton WanderersWolves134721816219
6Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd134631612418
7Burnley135352018218
8Arsenal134631819-118
9Manchester UnitedMan Utd134541915417
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs134542119217
11Bournemouth134451617-116
12Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton134361519-415
13Crystal Palace134361118-715
14Newcastle UnitedNewcastle134361120-915
15Aston Villa134271920-114
16Everton134271320-714
17West Ham UnitedWest Ham133461623-713
18Norwich CityNorwich133191328-1510
19Southampton132381331-189
20Watford13157826-188

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!