EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS | Chelsea 0-1 Man City | Super subs Mahrez and Grealish help blues to big win

But when you're the defending champions and you are seeking yet another title, every game has significance, every point is precious. But with the Blues sitting eight in arrears of the early leaders arsenal, tonight's game at Stamford Bridge seems to have even greater importance. A win tonight will both enhance their pursuit of the Gunners, but will additionally make yet another statement that the team of 2022 are just as determined to be the team of the new year as well. City have just lost the ball and Kukurea comes forward and now there are plenty in this attack for Chelsea and City with a bit of difficulty, well they were, until Stones made a brilliant a-time challenge on Pulisic and concedes the game's first corner. While the Blues were caught out trying to play out, it was a Joao Cancelo-Kyle Walker mistake between the two of them, they lost it to Kukurea and suddenly Pulisic was about to shoot as Paul Stones took it from him. City inside the middle third at the moment with Stones, now Rodri and Gundogan takes it neatly on the half turn on towards Haaland, Haaland! Oh that's his chance and he's prodded it over the bar, he had to take it quickly, he got it from Gundogan, prodded it almost like a toe bung on the edge of his left boot and it fired over the angle of post and bar. First chance for the Blues, the way that City got him in would be a great source of encouragement for them. Pep Guardiola deep in discussion with Rodolfo Borrell about maybe making a tactical tweak at halftime, we're not quite at halftime yet though and Chelsea are coming forward and they've got it with Chukwemeka, comes in field, hits a shot, he flexed off the inside of the post and City escape. It was a mishit really, Chukwemeka's shot was definitely going away from goal but it took a ricochet and now City are on the counter. De Bruyne is tackled though by Koulibaly, Gundogan picks it up, De Bruyne hits one straight at Kepa and that is the closest we've come to a goal and not a great shot from Chukwemeka but it suddenly bounced off a City defender, span away from Edison, hit the base of the post and that made it almost the opening goal but you have to say it was a good moment for Chelsea and a real escape for the Blues. It looks like it's Okamji and Lewis for Walker and João Cancelo. I don't think either of those were injuries, I think both of them were designed to be tactical. Bernardo Silva faced by Kukure and plays it out wide and on it goes now and City have it on the edge of the area with Rico Lewis, back it goes to Bernardo Silva, the cross is too close and gathered in by Kepa, Kepa bowls it out, not a great ball, Ake wins it back, Foden picks it up on the edge of the area, now with Ake again and Foden now, Foden just in and around the edge of the Chelsea penalty area, turns away, gets the letter of Azpilicueta, puts him across, well he was held there, literally held by Azpilicueta who held his shoulder and the referee has indeed given a free kick to the Blues in a very promising position. Foul by Azpilicueta, that's better from City. It's just about a position from which you can maybe hit a ball straight at the goalkeeper but even though they did, it went straight out for a corner of Azpilicueta, so City corner in the opening five minutes of the second half, the Blues have started really well in this second period and they've taken the corner short, Foden, De Bruyne in support, pops in across, it's deep, it's to the far side and City have hit the frame of the net, it was a header from was it Ake, I think he just about got there first, there were two City players on the far post, Ake got to it, a brilliant ball to the far side and Ake got there first, only just there was another City player who was close by, it was Rodri, but Ake beat him to it and then rammed it against the post with his forehead. On it goes with Havertz, Havertz now getting towards the edge of the City penalty area, on it goes to Ziyech, first time ball and now Chelsea win a corner, Akanji getting in a way, this is more end-to-end, this is more like you expect from a couple of heavyweights, slugging it out for three precious Premier League points, it's going to be an in-swinging ball by Ziyech, Ziyech whips it in at pace and City managed to get it away, I think it was Haaland that headed it clear and it goes out on the far, no it doesn't, it's kept in by Chukwemeka, Chukwemeka towards the edge of the area, puts in a good ball and the shot comes in and it goes, one chance for Thiago Silva and he's put it wide of the post, there's a claim I think of a penalty or a corner, they'll claim anything Chelsea, bottom line is the second ball in from Chukwemeka caught City out. Rodri now advanced into Chelsea territory, Haaland with a lay-off, back to Rodri once more, two City players wide to the right, one of them is Bernardo Silva, Bernardo Silva up against Kukerea, gets beyond him, goes towards the penalty area, Kukerea's back at him, still with Bernardo Silva, back to De Bruyne, De Bruyne, oh it's wide, it was a terrific hit, for a moment I thought it had gone in, it was just wider than that, brilliant from Bernardo Silva, terrific hit from De Bruyne, just beyond the frame of the goal, well it's Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva who've made way, on comes Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez, two different wide players now, the changes have been rung, all of them tactical, Mahrez in the right wing position, gets beyond Kukerea, goes into the penalty area and then runs into Koulibaly and now it's going to be cleared by Kukerea, pops a long ball forward, City will win it back through Akanji, Akanji will help it back to Ederson and Ederson under a little bit of pressure from Ziyech plays a casual ball out to Rodri and now City escape the Chelsea press such as it was and now they get to the halfway line and City have it with Lewis and now Mahrez, Mahrez now attacking down the right hand side, plays it back towards Gundogan, Gundogan helps it on to De Bruyne, De Bruyne down the centre, outside to Grealish, Grealish into the area and City score and Riyad Mahrez has only been on the field about two minutes, puts Manchester City in front and you have to say that when a goal is scored by two substitutes, Grealish with a set-up, Mahrez with a finish, you have to say to the head coach, well done, brilliant decision, it's come up trumps already, Michael Brown, that is outstanding. I think that's the difference, the intensity's gone up, the quality of ball from Grealish, it's across that line, we're waiting on VAR and the timing's good and the finish is right there in front of the goal because the run's excellent. Yeah, no question of offside and Riyad Mahrez who scored against Chelsea of course in the Carabao Cup tie just before the World Cup break is on target against them again. Mahrez plays it into the gap, De Bruyne across the face of the goal, Harlan couldn't quite get, well he did get to it but by the time he did he was already sort of sliding out of play and it goes out for a goal kick but it was a lovely incisive build-up from City, Mahrez into De Bruyne, De Bruyne across the face of the goal and even the enormous frame of Harlan couldn't quite stretch out far enough and by the time he got to the ball he was already sort of dragging it out of play and out for a goal kick. Koulibaly on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area, City trying to keep the ball in that part of the pitch but now Chelsea escape and they're coming with numbers and City are back pedalling here, Chelsea getting towards the edge of the penalty area, Hall into the box, oh dear, poor choice, I think he showed his naivety, I think he showed that he's a young player making his way from the academy, he had lots of choices, one of them was to square a ball to advancing teammates, he went for a shot, it was well over the bar and a bit of an escape there for the Blues. That is the end of the match, Paul Tierney's whistle and it is a quite brilliant victory, he just felt that today was a day that City had to just come here, find a way to win and head back to Manchester and they've done exactly that, it's been a magnificent performance from City, don't underestimate its significance either, they've cut the gap at the top, two Arsenal to five points, a brilliant victory for the Blues, Riyad Mahrez with the only goal, Chelsea nil, City won.