Chelsea vs. Manchester City score: Riyad Mahrez winner sees Guardiola’s side cut Arsenal’s lead to five points

Manchester City have closed the gap on Arsenal at the Premier League summit to five points with a 1-0 win away at Chelsea on Thursday. The Gunners’ draw with Newcastle Unkted opened up an opportunity which the Citizens managed to take in West London. Riyad Mahrez scored the only goal of the game just after the hour mark and three minutes after coming on. Fellow substitute Jack Grealish assisted for the goal as Pep Guardiola’s men seized on their second-half momentum with some timely changes.

The Blues had fared well in the first 45 despite Graham Potter’s men losing Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic to first-half injuries. However, City turned the screw in the second half and could have scored more than once as they hit the woodwork through Nathan Ake before finally breaking through via Mahrez. 

On top of the injury headaches, Potter will feel that Chelsea could have done much better given City’s below-par first half. The Blues were more than in the game for the opening 45 and actually looked the better side at the break.

Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland were not at their best at Stamford Bridge, but that did not matter as Guardiola’s changes made the difference. Grealish notched his third assist since the post-FIFA World Cup break as Mahrez got his second goal in that spell.

The hosts’ Pierre Emerick Aubameyang also suffered the humiliation of coming on as a substitute to replace Sterling inside the opening five minutes only to be replaced himself in the second half after a poor display. Potter is now well and truly under pressure as Chelsea go to City in the FA Cup third round this weekend surely fearing a premature domestic cup exit.