Manchester City beats Chelsea and is on track to win the Premier League championship

Manchester City put 13 points between them and second-placed Chelsea in the Premier League table with a brilliant win over Thomas Tuchel's men thanks to Kevin De Bruyne's brilliant goal. Guardiola’s team won their eighth game in a row in all competitions and the 12th straight in the league.

The victors dominated the ball and the chances, producing six shots on goal while Chelsea managed only one. American Christian Pulisic got the start for the visitors but was rarely involved in a mistake-filled match that lacked creativity from the reigning Champions League winners.

The Belgian against Chelsea

Kevin De Bruyne did not have a good time at the Bridge. Relegated by José Mourinho to a secondary role and loaned out to Genk and Werder Bremen, he made just nine appearances (0 goals and 1 assist) in the half-year he spent in blue. He had to leave London to go to Wolfsburg where he became 'big' before landing at Manchester City. And since he has been at the Etihad, having become a star and a sky blue legend, Chelsea is his favorite victim.

KDB has scored five goals against his exes. He is an ordeal for the London side because of his physicality, quality, and effectiveness. At the Etihad, in a close match like the last City-Chelsea clash, De Bruyne found the way to victory and the Premier League. 

He took the ball in the middle, left Kanté on the ground with his power in his run, and faced the defense, who did not anticipate his shot to the net from outside the area. A measured, tight, long-range shot that Kepa could not stop. A stellar play by De Bruyne gave City a 1-0 win to put the Blues out of the way.

City-Chelsea have been short-scoring encounters since Tuchel arrived at the Bridge a year ago. His duels with Pep Guardiola are competitive to the end but do not have the scoring frenzy of other Premier League matches. The script is always the same: the blues wait and hope to strike on the counter and the citizens monopolize the ball in search of a crack.

In the first three matches between Pep and Tuchel, City did not break down the blue wall and the Champions League ended up resting in Chelsea's trophy room. But in this Premier League, the sky blues have found the path to victory twice. Bad news for Chelsea. Guardiola has already got the hang of the German.

Kepa and Ederson, key players

The match was as competitive as it was short of chances. City was the one that proposed the most, playing fast, pressing, and taking the ball away from their opponents. However, each team had one great chance apiece. In the first, in a mistake by Kovacic, Grealish had a one-on-one that Kepa saved with his leg and in the second half, Lukaku was left in front of Ederson and the Brazilian cleared his shot.

Tuchel, without a clean sheet ( one in the last 10 matchdays), has seen his chances of fighting for the title slip away because of his holes at the back. And Guardiola, who did not count on Dias, has designed a team without fissures. A champion team. Let's see what Liverpool does.