Manchester City against Chelsea

Zhirkov's cross is poor when McEachran was on the edge of the box waiting for a cut back.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Adebayor is coming on and Tevez trots off after a good game.

City are sitting deep now, as you'd expect, and playing purely on the counter. Chelsea finding it hard to break them down.

Tevez flashes his free kick well wide of the post. A poor effort.

Tevez wins a free kick off Terry now. City free kick, left of the penalty area.

Tevez wants a free kick for a kick by Alex but nothing doing, then as Chelsea break Cole overruns the ball. The replay shows Tevez had a compelling case.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Ramires comes off and Josh McEachran comes on for his Premier League debut.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Sturridge is roundly booed as he gets his first touch then Ramires is booked for a late tackle.

Cole fires a shot into the side netting as Malouda's pass to Anelka runs free.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Silva is limping and goes off, and Adam Johnson comes on.

Zhirkov's ball is met by Alex but the ball flashes off his shoulder and wide. What a good chance.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Boyata sends Zhirkov flying and Chelsea win a free kick wide left.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Sturridge comes on in place of Drogba, who looks surprised.

This is where City's terriers come into their own - protecting a lead. Barry, De jong and Toure are snapping at heels in midfield and forcing Chelsea to shoot from range, as Essien does again there.

Twenty minutes for Chelsea to rescue their 100 per cent record, or just their unbeaten record.

Essien shows how Chelsea are struggling for options in the final third by whacking a shot wide from 35 yards out.

Malouda and Cole combine but the full back slips as he is about to cross.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Mikel goes off and Zhirkov comes on.

Tevez looks for Silva at the back post but Alex gets a little flick on it. Good defending.

Ramires looks like a player as he charges forward again but fails to find Drogba. As City break Yaya Toure gets into the box and swivels, before falling before he can strike on goal.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Mikel gets a yellow for a poor challenge on Tevez. The champions are rattled.

Now Barry and Ivanovic clash, leaving the Serbian on the deck.

Ramires pours towards goal but is stopped by a superb tackle from De Jong on the edge of the box.

That should spark Chelsea into life. They looked happy for a point before the goal but now they'll have to go for it.

That's his fifth goal in successive games against Chelsea and the league leaders go behind for the first time this season.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Tevez fires home from the edge of the box as City break from Chelsea's corner! Silva fed him and the striker went wide of Cole and planted his shot back across Cech. Good finish.

Terry bursts forward but Cole's cross is deep and Zabaleta concedes a corner.

Excellent tackle from Toure as Ramires gets onto Essien's pass. Is the game livening up a touch?

A decent effort from Silva as he gets on the end of De Jong's pass. He fires a shot near post from a tight angle and Cech makes an excellent save.

Mikel advances and tries to find Anelka before Essien clatters into Barry. Vaguely promising signs...

Cech punches clear from Milner's free kick. Come on game, give us something.

Milner's ball for Silva is cut out by Alex but the winger bundles him to the ground with a couple of kciks to the shin.

It's all a bit flat so far, from both teams and the crowd too. We need a goal to spark things into life.

Tevez lacks support as he gets the ball 35 yards out. City have really struggled to open up Chelsea at the back.

A cracking effort from Anelka as he swaps passes with Drogba. Hart gets a fingertip to it and Chelsea have a corner, from which Essien nods over the bar from six yards. A glaring miss.

We begin again..

<b>HALF TIME</b> A decent opening 45 minutes but not many clear cut chances. Let's hope for more in the second half.

Boyata does well to block ANelka off as he looks to get to the byline.

A real opening for Essien as Malouda's cross breaks to him - he fires well wide from the edge of the box on his left foot.

Anelka skips past Boyata and crosses but Toure clears, then Drogba tries to shoot but De Jong blocks and City break.

Zabaleta is down after an aerial challenge with Anelka but City break regardless.

An excellent ball in from Milner, for the first time this half, as he fires one in low towards Tevez but Terry does well to clear.

Tevez tries to flick a ball into the path of sIlva then goes down with a knock. Then Drogba gets down the left and crosses but there is no-one there to profit.

Milner claims a corner after the free kick was cleared. The game has got a little more spicy now.

Ivanovic and Tevez have a little spat and get a talking to by the referee.

Anelka's free kick is clipped by the wall and City clear before Cole takes man and ball as Silva tried to nip into the box.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> It's all getting a bit chunky now as De Jong flies into a tackle on Malouda, then Zabaleta crunches into Ivanovic horribly late and gets the first yellow.

A good opening for City just as I say they've tailed off. A cracking ball over the top for Zabaleta, the full back controls and crosses but his ball is just behind Silva and he can't collect.

Silva's pass to Milner is poor and Ivanovic clears. City have tailed off somewhat as the half has progressed.

Milner's free kick is terrible and hits the wall before City try to rebuild. A chance wasted.

City break from the corner and Tevez skips inside Terry before knocking the ball past Mikel and getting blocked off. No booking. Generous.

Anelka now skips down the right and Boyata grabs Drogba to haul him away from goal before the cross came in. The ref didn't see it and Chelsea have a corner.

Chelsea hit the bar! Malouda's ball is nodded back by Alex and Ivanovic nods against the bar before Hart claims his follow up.

A good tackle from Boyata blocks Anelka then Ramires drives into the box and wins a corner.

Milner prowls the left but the only player ahead of him is Zabaleta and there is no-one in the box. Hard to supply the ammunition if no-one is there to feed off it.

Toure meets Milner's corner but his glancing header loops invitingly for Cech.

Boyata gets one on one with Cole and looks like he has gone past him but the defender gets back and concedes a corner.

Tevez tries another fanciful effort from distance. City struggling to open Chelsea up here.

Another long ball to Cole from Alex is overhit and out of play. Two good teams cancelling each other out at the minute.

Toure and Hart get in another mess with a long ball. Toure heads into the air and goes to nod it again but Hart claims the ball before he can.

Essien tries an effort from distance but it spews wide of the target. It's a case of nearly but not quite for both teams so far.

City break and Tevez tries a little flick for Silva in the box but Terry cuts it out.

At the other end, Anelka swaps passes with Essien before firing wide of the target.

Zabaleta gets a good opportunity to cross but it flies over everyone's head, and as it is turned back in, Milner's shot is blocked and Zabaleta's follow up is right at Cech.

Boyata's cross into the box is at Silva but again can't make it stick.

Silva wanders inside and is found by Barry but his touch is heavy and Chelsea regain possession.

Chelsea enjoying some decent possession now and this is turning into a decent game.

City well on top in the early stages but Chelsea's first break causes a little panic in the box as Drogba tries to take down Anelka's cross. Zabaleta hacks away.

Milner's ball is good and Cech is out to parry it away.

Silva gets in to the area and tries to cross but Cech claims then Zabaleta draws a foul from Ivanovic on the left.

The first opening as Tevez latches onto De Jong's pass and hits the ball early but it was always curling wide.

A quick change of ball may pep up proceedings. The first one was a little flat apparently.

Zabaleta again tries to play in Milner to the byline but Essien blocks him off this time.

Ramires plays a one-two off the ref but his ball forward is too strong for Anelka.

Zabaleta tries to fire a ball down the line for Milner but Ivanovic intercepts.

Silva spreads the ball wide for Milner but Ivanovic does well to shield it from the winger and win a free kick.

An early spell of Chelsea possession is ended when Ramires sprays the ball out of play.

We're off..

As for Chelsea, this is their first real test of the season after some comfortable opening games. Will their confidence see them through, or drain away if they go behind and struggle?

Roberto Mancini's remark that Chelsea will win the title "easily" is either a venture into mind games territory or a big fat mistake. Maybe he wants to load the pressure on Carlo Ancelotti but it could well backfire with his players.

John Terry and the rest of Chelsea's big guns return after being rested midweek but Frank Lampard is still out. Drogba, Malouda and Anelka already have 17 goals between them this season.

So Dedryck Boyata fills City's gap at the back and Yaya Toure will presumably push ahead of Barry and De Jong to support the front three. Carlos Tevez has scored in his previous four games against Chelsea.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, Cole, Essien, Mikel, Ramires, Anelka, Drogba, Malouda. Subs: Turnbull, Zhirkov, Ferreira, Sturridge, Van Aanholt, Kakuta, McEachran.

Man City: Hart, Boyata, Toure, Kompany, Zabaleta, Silva, De Jong, Toure Yaya, Barry, Milner, Tevez. Subs: Given, Adebayor, Adam Johnson, Boateng, Lescott, Vieira, Jo.

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to live coverage of Chelsea's trip to Manchester City. Team news is out, so let's crack straight on.

Mark Lomas <A HREF= http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=293002&cc=5739 target=new>previews</A> the game at Eastlands and outlines City's defensive crisis.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2010/0924/robertomanciniface20100924_275x155.jpg"><br>The pressure is on Roberto Mancini.

Our commentary will begin at 12.30 BST. Can City end Chelsea's fantastic start to the season?

Essien shows how Chelsea are struggling for options in the final third by whacking a shot wide from 35 yards out.

Malouda and Cole combine but the full back slips as he is about to cross.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Mikel goes off and Zhirkov comes on.

Tevez looks for Silva at the back post but Alex gets a little flick on it. Good defending.

Ramires looks like a player as he charges forward again but fails to find Drogba. As City break Yaya Toure gets into the box and swivels, before falling before he can strike on goal.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Mikel gets a yellow for a poor challenge on Tevez. The champions are rattled.

Now Barry and Ivanovic clash, leaving the Serbian on the deck.

Ramires pours towards goal but is stopped by a superb tackle from De Jong on the edge of the box.

That should spark Chelsea into life. They looked happy for a point before the goal but now they'll have to go for it.

That's his fifth goal in successive games against Chelsea and the league leaders go behind for the first time this season.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Tevez fires home from the edge of the box as City break from Chelsea's corner! Silva fed him and the striker went wide of Cole and planted his shot back across Cech. Good finish.

Terry bursts forward but Cole's cross is deep and Zabaleta concedes a corner.

Excellent tackle from Toure as Ramires gets onto Essien's pass. Is the game livening up a touch?

A decent effort from Silva as he gets on the end of De Jong's pass. He fires a shot near post from a tight angle and Cech makes an excellent save.

Mikel advances and tries to find Anelka before Essien clatters into Barry. Vaguely promising signs...

Cech punches clear from Milner's free kick. Come on game, give us something.

Milner's ball for Silva is cut out by Alex but the winger bundles him to the ground with a couple of kciks to the shin.

It's all a bit flat so far, from both teams and the crowd too. We need a goal to spark things into life.

Tevez lacks support as he gets the ball 35 yards out. City have really struggled to open up Chelsea at the back.

A cracking effort from Anelka as he swaps passes with Drogba. Hart gets a fingertip to it and Chelsea have a corner, from which Essien nods over the bar from six yards. A glaring miss.

We begin again..

<b>HALF TIME</b> A decent opening 45 minutes but not many clear cut chances. Let's hope for more in the second half.

Boyata does well to block ANelka off as he looks to get to the byline.

A real opening for Essien as Malouda's cross breaks to him - he fires well wide from the edge of the box on his left foot.

Anelka skips past Boyata and crosses but Toure clears, then Drogba tries to shoot but De Jong blocks and City break.

Zabaleta is down after an aerial challenge with Anelka but City break regardless.

An excellent ball in from Milner, for the first time this half, as he fires one in low towards Tevez but Terry does well to clear.

Tevez tries to flick a ball into the path of sIlva then goes down with a knock. Then Drogba gets down the left and crosses but there is no-one there to profit.

Milner claims a corner after the free kick was cleared. The game has got a little more spicy now.

Ivanovic and Tevez have a little spat and get a talking to by the referee.

Anelka's free kick is clipped by the wall and City clear before Cole takes man and ball as Silva tried to nip into the box.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> It's all getting a bit chunky now as De Jong flies into a tackle on Malouda, then Zabaleta crunches into Ivanovic horribly late and gets the first yellow.

A good opening for City just as I say they've tailed off. A cracking ball over the top for Zabaleta, the full back controls and crosses but his ball is just behind Silva and he can't collect.

Silva's pass to Milner is poor and Ivanovic clears. City have tailed off somewhat as the half has progressed.

Milner's free kick is terrible and hits the wall before City try to rebuild. A chance wasted.

City break from the corner and Tevez skips inside Terry before knocking the ball past Mikel and getting blocked off. No booking. Generous.

Anelka now skips down the right and Boyata grabs Drogba to haul him away from goal before the cross came in. The ref didn't see it and Chelsea have a corner.

Chelsea hit the bar! Malouda's ball is nodded back by Alex and Ivanovic nods against the bar before Hart claims his follow up.

A good tackle from Boyata blocks Anelka then Ramires drives into the box and wins a corner.

Milner prowls the left but the only player ahead of him is Zabaleta and there is no-one in the box. Hard to supply the ammunition if no-one is there to feed off it.

Toure meets Milner's corner but his glancing header loops invitingly for Cech.

Boyata gets one on one with Cole and looks like he has gone past him but the defender gets back and concedes a corner.

Tevez tries another fanciful effort from distance. City struggling to open Chelsea up here.

Another long ball to Cole from Alex is overhit and out of play. Two good teams cancelling each other out at the minute.

Toure and Hart get in another mess with a long ball. Toure heads into the air and goes to nod it again but Hart claims the ball before he can.

Essien tries an effort from distance but it spews wide of the target. It's a case of nearly but not quite for both teams so far.

City break and Tevez tries a little flick for Silva in the box but Terry cuts it out.

At the other end, Anelka swaps passes with Essien before firing wide of the target.

Zabaleta gets a good opportunity to cross but it flies over everyone's head, and as it is turned back in, Milner's shot is blocked and Zabaleta's follow up is right at Cech.

Boyata's cross into the box is at Silva but again can't make it stick.

Silva wanders inside and is found by Barry but his touch is heavy and Chelsea regain possession.

Chelsea enjoying some decent possession now and this is turning into a decent game.

City well on top in the early stages but Chelsea's first break causes a little panic in the box as Drogba tries to take down Anelka's cross. Zabaleta hacks away.

Milner's ball is good and Cech is out to parry it away.

Silva gets in to the area and tries to cross but Cech claims then Zabaleta draws a foul from Ivanovic on the left.

The first opening as Tevez latches onto De Jong's pass and hits the ball early but it was always curling wide.

A quick change of ball may pep up proceedings. The first one was a little flat apparently.

Zabaleta again tries to play in Milner to the byline but Essien blocks him off this time.

Ramires plays a one-two off the ref but his ball forward is too strong for Anelka.

Zabaleta tries to fire a ball down the line for Milner but Ivanovic intercepts.

Silva spreads the ball wide for Milner but Ivanovic does well to shield it from the winger and win a free kick.

An early spell of Chelsea possession is ended when Ramires sprays the ball out of play.

We're off..

As for Chelsea, this is their first real test of the season after some comfortable opening games. Will their confidence see them through, or drain away if they go behind and struggle?

Roberto Mancini's remark that Chelsea will win the title "easily" is either a venture into mind games territory or a big fat mistake. Maybe he wants to load the pressure on Carlo Ancelotti but it could well backfire with his players.

John Terry and the rest of Chelsea's big guns return after being rested midweek but Frank Lampard is still out. Drogba, Malouda and Anelka already have 17 goals between them this season.

So Dedryck Boyata fills City's gap at the back and Yaya Toure will presumably push ahead of Barry and De Jong to support the front three. Carlos Tevez has scored in his previous four games against Chelsea.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, Cole, Essien, Mikel, Ramires, Anelka, Drogba, Malouda. Subs: Turnbull, Zhirkov, Ferreira, Sturridge, Van Aanholt, Kakuta, McEachran.

Man City: Hart, Boyata, Toure, Kompany, Zabaleta, Silva, De Jong, Toure Yaya, Barry, Milner, Tevez. Subs: Given, Adebayor, Adam Johnson, Boateng, Lescott, Vieira, Jo.

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to live coverage of Chelsea's trip to Manchester City. Team news is out, so let's crack straight on.

Mark Lomas <A HREF= http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=293002&cc=5739 target=new>previews</A> the game at Eastlands and outlines City's defensive crisis.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2010/0924/robertomanciniface20100924_275x155.jpg"><br>The pressure is on Roberto Mancini.

Our commentary will begin at 12.30 BST. Can City end Chelsea's fantastic start to the season?