Impressive Blues Kill Off City
Conte made a only a single change to the team that has started the last six games with Fabregas slotting into the midfield role in place of Matic.Yaya was deemed only fit for a place on the bench by Pep who handed Leroy Sane a rare start.
Hazard was hurled down by Fernandinho barely after kickoff that was preceded by a minute silence for the Chapacoense team that lost their lives in a plane crash.
City had a penalty shout waved away five minutes later with the ball striking a sliding Cahill's arm but Taylor who would end up having a lot of big decisions to make waving away the claims.
Hazard sent a shot slightly wide before Otamendi became the first player to get on the referee's yellow book for a foul on Costa.Courtois was on hand to direct an Aguero effort over the post following a through ball by Kolarov.Pedro was involved in a tangle with Aguero while winning the ball back for the blues.After the Spaniard had received medical attention,City found the back of the net but from an offside position. Fernandinho had linked up well with a De bruyne freekick.Hazard found a way past Bravo just subsequently but the angle to goal was too tight that he opted to play a return ball to Pedro who was still making his way into the box.
The referee was convinced that Luiz had not fouled Aguero while City tried to attack resulting in boos from the home crowd on our Brazilian center back although he rarely let those shouts get to him.
City were in front just before halftime as a fabulous goal from Cahill which would have been needed at the other end of the pitch flew past Courtois as we headed into the break one goal down.
Courtois saved from De bruyne four minutes after the restart before Costa sent one wide after being played through by Moses. The striker would however draw us level the next time we went forward.
De bruyne hit the crossbar before Costa drew us level.A lofted Cesc Fabregas pass found Costa who held up excellently well before firing home his eleventh goal of the season just on the hour mark.With City now on the back foot,Willian failed to trouble Bravo on our next attack.The next move however turned the game on it's head.Costa did well to find a way past Otamendi before teeing up substitute Willian who ran one-third of the pitch before finishing brilliantly.
Celebrations afterward paid tribute to the airplane crash victims.
While City sought a way back into the game, they were often caught on the break.Costa who had been impressive on the afternoon came off for Chalobah four minutes before we wrapped up the points.
Cesc cut out a City attack and squared to Marcos Alonso who picked out Hazard with a long pass.Our Belgian attacker did well to control the ball before skipping past Kolarov and slotting home his eight goal of the season.
It would end on a more bitter note for City as Fernandinho and Aguero were sent off after the later made a late tackle on David Luiz.
In the end it was a well deserved three points and four points clear of City.
Well Done Blues!
