Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea

Chelsea's first League loss of the campaign came in a tense, close encounter decided by a second-half Carlos Tevez goal.
In a goalless first half with few chances at either end, Carlo Ancelotti's side did hit woodwork, and Nicolas Anelka tested Joe Hart early in the second half, but this was not the potent attacking machine seen in every game this season up to this point.
Trailing in the second-half, the Chelsea manager was not afraid to take off some of his major players this season who were underperforming on the day. Didier Drogba and John Mikel Obi were two to make way, and there was a late Premier League debut for Josh McEachran.
There were two changes to the side which lined-up against Blackpool, with Branislav Ivanovic returning to right-back instead of Paulo Ferreira and Anelka back instead of Salomon Kalou.
Michael Essien and John Mikel Obi were back in midfield following a midweek rest against Newcastle, while a young contingent of Josh McEachran, Gael Kakuta, Patrick van Aanholt and Daniel Sturridge took their positions on the bench.
Ancelotti selected his main attacking trio, with Didier Drogba flanked by Florent Malouda on the left. Anelka took up his position on the right.

Ramires started in midfield and was involved from the off, dispossessing David Silva with a neat tackle from the side before feeding Malouda on the left flank.
But it was the hosts who had the first shot when Carlos Tevez broke down the centre and drilled goal-ward, only for the ball to skim across the face of Cech's goal and go wide.
Our keeper was then forced to collect a hanging Silva cross, intended for Tevez, as City made a break down the left, and soon Zabaleta won a free-kick after colliding with Ivanovic.
The resultant free-kick went nowhere but Manchester City could boast the better of the opening exchanges.
The tables began to turn when Anelka twice sent searching balls into the box, the first landed for Drogba who couldn't find space to shoot, while the second was deflected from danger.

It was the Frenchman who would produce Chelsea's first real chance on goal when he curled a shot inches past the top right from just outside the box. That was with 18 minutes gone.
City retaliated well, hindered only by the accuracy of their final ball, but when Alex nodded a Malouda cross on for Ivanovic to head off the bar, the tempo of the game changed.
City continued to pressure but Chelsea looked a lot more threatening on the attack, and soon Ivanovic won a free-kick for which Zabaleta was shown a yellow 30 yards out from goal.
Drogba took the set piece, which was cleared from danger before City broke down Chelsea's right once more and Cole coolly put the ball out for a throw.
With 35 minutes gone the game was still 0-0. It was end-to-end football with Cech the more tested keeper.
After shots from Malouda and Essien both went astray, a tense first half ended 0-0 but City fans would not have been blamed for feeling optimistic.
Ancelotti made no changes before the second half and within minutes Chelsea were showing their intent once more when Anelka forced Hart into an acrobatic save to tip his 25-yard shot away for a corner.
Chelsea had control in the early stages of the second half, although Cech's quick reactions did come into play when Silva's left-footed strike towards the near post was pushed away for a corner.

But with 58 minutes gone, the hosts took the lead. When Tevez collected a Yaya Toure ball, he ran deep into Chelsea's half of the pitch, cut outside Cole and drilled into the far corner via the inside of the post.
It was against the run of the play for the second half and a well-taken goal by the Argentine, although he was gifted space as the Blues failed to close him down. It was the first time Chelsea had conceded the opening goal this season.
The visitors immediately tired to pull one back, with Ramires latching onto a Malouda through ball before being denied by Nigel De Jong.
Frustrations began to show as Gareth Barry collided with Ivanovic before Mikel was shown yellow for a late challenge on Tevez, resulting in the goalscorer briefly receiving treatment on his ankle.
Despite the deficit, and the noise from a buoyant home crowd, Chelsea continued the hunt for an equaliser, as Ramires edged further and further forward with each move. He wanted a debut goal.
Lifted by the support, City began to threaten further, while Mikel made way for Yury Zhirkov in midfield after 68 minutes on the pitch.
Essien then sent a ball screaming past the post from 25 yards before Drogba was replaced by Sturridge in the 74th minute. Anelka moved into the centre and the young number 23 moved out on the right.
Referee Andre Marriner then brandished yellow at Ramires for knocking Yaya Toure to the ground. It was the last thing he'd do in the game as McEachran came into midfield.
Emmanuel Adebayor was next to make an appearance, replacing Tevez while Yaya Toure took the armband for City. Jerome Boateng then replaced Dedryck Boyata with two minutes left.
City's changes made little difference to the remainder of the game. Sturridge looked bright on the right and teamed up well with Anelka but the host's tight defence denied Chelsea a path through.
By Christian Collison
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry (c), Cole; Essien, Mikel (Zhirkov 68), Ramires (McEachran 80); Anelka, Drogba (Sturridge 74), Malouda.
Unused subs Turnbull, Ferreira, van Aanholt, Kakuta.
Booked Mikel, Ramires, Alex.

Manchester City (4-3-3): Hart; Boyata (Boateng 88), K Toure, Kompany, Zabaleta; Y Toure, De Jong, Barry; Silva (A Johnson 78), Tevez (c) (Adebayor 86), Milner.
Unused subs Given, Lescott, Vieira, Jo.
Scorer Tevez (59)
Booked Zabaleta, Boyata
Referee Andre Marriner
Attendance 47,203
Shots on Chelsea 4 Man City 3
Corners Chelsea 4 Man City 3
Fouls Chelsea 13 Man City 11
Offside Chelsea 1 Man City 2

Chelsea 3-4 Newcastle

Plenty of entertainment but plenty of mistakes at Stamford Bridge as a much-changed Chelsea side suffered a first home domestic cup defeat for two years.
Patrick van Aanholt, one of the four young starters revealed yesterday by Carlo Ancelotti, gave the Blues an early lead against the club he represented on loan last season, but we were 2-1 down by half-time.
Matters got decidedly worse after the break as Newcastle quickly scored a third and then two senior squad players were forced off through injury. Salomon Kalou's departure had required a third sub used as two changes were made at the break so when Yossi Benayoun was also forced off, Chelsea were down to 10 men for the final half-hour.
Still they fought back and first Anelka finished well from a good move before he converted the calmest of penalties inside the final five minutes.
Yet Newcastle, who had proved a physical test all game, finally won it from a set-piece, Shola Ameobi heading in a corner with two minutes on the clock.
There were mixed fortunes for young and old on the pitch, Ancelotti selecting juniors in defence and attack but an experienced midfield of Ramires, Benayoun and Zhirkov. It was Josh McEachran, a second-half sub, who impressed more.
Among the unused subs for the first time were 17-year-old right-back/right midfielder Billy Clifford and 15-year-old central defender/midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah who would, had he come on, have taken Ian 'Chico' Hamilton's record as Chelsea's youngest player.
Zhirkov's was the first shot of the game, after three minutes, hooked wide. The second Chelsea attempt gave Van Aanholt his first Chelsea goal.
Continuing the recent happy habit of early Chelsea goals, this one took just five minutes. Of all the young players starting tonight, the 20-year-old Dutch left-back was probably the least fancied to score but he robbed a dozing Nile Ranger, exchanged passes with Kakuta, and although shooting close to fellow Dutchman Krul, the Newcastle keeper's save was a weak one and the ball was diverted high into the net with Van Aanholt leaping away in triumph.


That should have settled some nerves but Sol Campbell from a corner wasn't too far away from a rapid equaliser.
Ryan Taylor, who would later make a more positive contribution to his team, was the game's first booking on 10 minutes when he sent Kakuta flying with a chop across the shins.
Chelsea's passing in the final third wasn't quite reaching its targets with Kakuta, perhaps trying too hard to impress, failing with a couple of difficult passes.
However on 24 minutes the 19-year-old struck the delivery of the game so far, from wide on the left and fired in with such velocity that Krul did well to push it away, Anelka poised to capitalise.
Newcastle equalised two minutes later in what was proving an open first half. It was a goal of several Chelsea mistakes, Ferguson allowed to advance from left back and hit a cross unchallenged that Terry couldn't head away. Van Aanholt was there at the far post but was unaware of Ranger just behind him, the young Englishman turning the ball in.
Ranger could have had a rapid second from a near identical position but kicked air. The Tynesiders needed only wait until the 32nd minute to take the lead.
Bruma was being tested by Ameobi and was booked for pulling back the striker. The free-kick was in a dangerous location and Taylor's strike was sweet and wide of the wall, although not heading for the very corner. Turnbull was beaten and Newcastle were suddenly looking strong.
Van Aanholt did well to slide and save a cross reaching near-certain scorers after Ameobi had powered away from Bruma and beaten Turnbull with his ball across.
The Newcastle man was then the next name in to the book for a wild challenge, his on Ferreira.
The Blues improved in stoppage time but were lacking control in midfield. Ancelotti had some work to do.

One of his changes was a planned one - Alex for Terry; Kalou for Kakuta was due a back injury obtained in Taylor's early foul challenge.
The response was not the one wanted as the Blues went 3-1 down just three minutes into the second half. This time it was the experienced Ferreira first at fault, carelessly passing inside. Ameobi latched on to it and although the shot was low, it was no rocket but still it beat Turnbull.
The bad news kept coming. Kalou, sprinting into the area clutched his thigh and dropped to the floor. It was a muscle injury bad enough for him to be carried off on a stretcher. Seventeen-year-old McEachran was the sub for the sub, and soon launched a 20-yard shot at the keeper.


On 62 minutes it was Benayoun's turn to go down, the Israeli instantly signalling his night was up. Chelsea would play on with 10 men.
Sturridge had earlier hit a free-kick into the wall and when another was won, Bruma had a go with the same result but Alex cracked the rebound and Krul had to save well.
Lovenkrands should have made it 4-1 after the Chelsea defence was outmanoeuvred but the former Rangers man shot wide and then Nile Ranger scooped over as Turnbull dived at his feet.
Chelsea's second, scored on 69 minutes was the goal of the game so far, the ball played down the left to Van Aanholt, a willing forward runner all game, who swept it to Anelka for a perfectly placed shot across the keeper.
Now it was the Blues on the front foot. McEachran, comfortable with the ball at his feet and making himself available, had given the team something they had been missing in the centre of the park.
Into the final 10 minutes and there was still much to play for, Sturridge slipped unfortunately as he chased a Ferreira pass into the area and then Turnbull blocked and then grabbed a Ranger header.

Anelka was next to show, drifting in from the left and testing Krul with a thunderous shot. How different that was from his penalty that levelled scores with five minutes to play. Alex, to Newcastle disgust, was judged to have been fouled by Williamson as he turned away from goal. Anelka simply rolled the spot kick gently into the bottom corner.
Extra-time looked inevitable but with 88 minutes played the Geordies won a corner and Ameobi, one of the few players who could beat Alex to the ball, did so to power a header in.
McEachran, with tight control, worked a shooting opportunity in the six minutes stoppage time played, but his effort went wide, although the real hearts-in-mouth moment came from a howitzer volley from of all people, Paulo Ferreira before Newcastle's winner.
Last year in this competition at Blackburn, the Portuguese was on-target late on to send a 10-men Chelsea (after another Kalou injury) into extra-time. This time it bounced off the outside of the post and we would go out of the Carling Cup.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Turnbull, Ferreira, Bruma, Terry (c) (Alex h-t), van Aanholt; Benayoun, Ramires, Zhirkov; Sturridge, Anelka, Kakuta (Kalou h-t) (McEachran 56).
Unused subs Cech, B Clifford, Chalobah, Mellis.
Scorers van Aanholt 5, Anelka 69, 86 (pen).
Booked Bruma 32.
Newcastle (4-4-2): Krul; Taylor (Tiote 63), Campbell, Coloccini (Williamson 63), Ferguson (Barton 90+3); Ranger, Smith (c), Vuckic, Gutierrez; Ameobi, Lovenkrands.
Unused subs Soberberg, Ben Arfa, Nolan, Carroll.
Scorers Ranger 26, Taylor 32, Ameobi 48, 88.
Booked Taylor 10, Ameobi 42.
See the full 90 minutes on Chelsea TV from midnight.
Attendance 41,511.
Referee Phil Dowd.
Shots on Chelsea 6 Newcastle 5
Corners Chelsea 1 Newcastle 3
Fouls Chelsea 7 Newcastle 9
Offsides Chelsea 3 Newcastle