Manchester City rally to defeat Chelsea 3–1 in Premier League

Manchester City rallied from an early deficit to secure a 3-1 victory over Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, moving back into the Premier League’s top four for the first time since November.

Chelsea took a surprising lead in the third minute when Senegalese forward Nicolas Jackson capitalized on a defensive mistake to set up Noni Madueke for the opening goal.

City responded before halftime, with defender Josko Gvardiol equalizing after pouncing on a rebound and slotting it past Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

The hosts pulled ahead in the 68th minute, courtesy of Erling Haaland, who latched onto Ederson’s long ball down the right flank and expertly chipped Sanchez.

The goal was Haaland’s 18th of the season, putting him just one behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot.

As Chelsea pushed for an equalizer late in the game, they were punished on the counterattack.

Haaland turned provider, setting up Phil Foden, who made a brilliant solo run from midfield before calmly slotting the ball into the net three minutes before stoppage time to seal the win for City.

After the match, City manager Pep Guardiola expressed satisfaction with the result, particularly as his team prepares for a key Champions League fixture.

“We weren’t exceptional, but we controlled the ball well and made a lot of passes,” said Guardiola.

“A 3–1 win against Chelsea is really important for us, especially ahead of Wednesday’s decisive Champions League match.”

The loss dropped Chelsea to sixth place in the Premier League standings with 40 points, one point behind fifth-placed Newcastle United.

Despite the setback, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca remained optimistic about his team’s progress.

“In my opinion, we’re a better team than we were one or two months ago,” Maresca said.

“These kinds of moments, these kinds of games, help us grow because we need to live through these experiences.”

Chelsea will next face West Ham United in the Premier League on February 3, with online sportbooks favoring the Blues at -243.9 to beat the Hammers (+618).

Meanwhile, Manchester City turns its attention to the Champions League, where they are heavy favorites at -555.56 to defeat Belgian champions Club Brugge at home on Wednesday with top soccer betting odds.

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