The FA Cup
Man CityManchester City2ChelseaChelsea0

Manchester City 2-0 Chelsea

By Chris BevanBBC Sport at Etihad Stadium
Manchester City celebrate

Manchester City exacted their revenge on a Chelsea side that has beaten them twice in the Premier League this season with a convincing win that puts them in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Stevan Jovetic and Samir Nasri scored the goals that keeps City's dreams of a quadruple alive and the winning margin might have been even more emphatic on a miserable night for Jose Mourinho's men.

If Mourinho's previous visit to Etihad Stadium - a 1-0 victory at the start of February - was a tactical triumph for the Blues boss, then this was something similar for his City counterpart Manuel Pellegrini, who enjoyed only his second success in 10 managerial meetings between the pair.

In truth, the result was rarely in doubt as soon as Jovetic gave City the lead with a fine low finish in the 16th minute.

Chelsea managed just three efforts at goal in the 90 minutes: hopeful shots from distance from Willian and Cesar Azpilicueta that were well off target, and a late Gary Cahill header which was blocked.

With the in-form Eden Hazard shackled by James Milner and Pablo Zabaleta, the Premier League leaders looked short of ideas and City's defensive diligence meant Chelsea never got the chance to break forward in the manner that had proved so decisive in their last meeting.

City began cagily, operating in their usual 4-4-2 formation but understandably wary of committing too many men forward because of their opponents' threat on the break.

That all changed after their first meaningful attack, which saw Jovetic clip the bar after Petr Cech spilled Yaya Toure's drilled shot.

Moments later, City were ahead. David Silva and Eden Dzeko combined quickly in a move that ended with Jovetic, on the overlap, quickly making amends for his previous miss.

Chelsea were set up in the same 4-2-3-1 shape that brought them success here last time out but there was no zip about them when they came forward and City always looked more likely to extend their lead.

Mourinho tried to change the direction of the game at the break, replacing Samuel Eto'o with £11m January signing Mohamed Salah, but both he and Fernando Torres, who was later introduced from the bench, made little impact.

Chelsea did not lack effort but City matched their intensity and simply refused to allow them any space in attacking areas.

With the score at 1-0 the game remained in the balance, but that only lasted until the fit-again Nasri was brought off the bench after a five-week injury absence.

Nasri had only a handful of touches before making his mark after 67 minutes, running at the Chelsea defence, exchanging passes with David Silva, and tapping into an empty net from six yards out.

Joleon Lescott had another effort ruled out for offside before the end but it made no difference to the outcome, with Chelsea ending up well beaten.

City already go to Wembley once at the start of March for the Capital One Cup final and they are now just one game away from a return there in an FA Cup semi-final too.

Things do not get any easier for them from here, however. Mourinho may have been vanquished, this time, but Spanish title holders Barcelona are the next visitors to Etihad Stadium in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Line-ups

Man City

Formation 4-4-2

  • 30Pantilimon
  • 5Zabaleta
  • 4KompanyBooked at 39mins
  • 6Lescott
  • 22Clichy
  • 7Milner
  • 14García FernándezBooked at 84mins
  • 42Y TouréBooked at 62mins
  • 21SilvaSubstituted forNavasat 69'minutes
  • 10DzekoSubstituted forNegredoat 81'minutes
  • 35JoveticBooked at 57minsSubstituted forNasriat 61'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Hart
  • 2Richards
  • 8Nasri
  • 9Negredo
  • 13Kolarov
  • 15Navas
  • 26Demichelis

Chelsea

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Cech
  • 2Ivanovic
  • 24Cahill
  • 4David LuizBooked at 44mins
  • 28Azpilicueta
  • 12Mikel
  • 21MaticBooked at 89mins
  • 7Santos do NascimentoSubstituted forTorresat 61'minutes
  • 22WillianSubstituted forOscarat 71'minutes
  • 17E Hazard
  • 29Eto'oSubstituted forSalahat 45'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Cole
  • 8Lampard
  • 9Torres
  • 11Oscar
  • 14Schürrle
  • 15Salah
  • 23Schwarzer
Referee:
Phil Dowd
Attendance:
47,013

Match Stats

Home TeamMan CityAway TeamChelsea
Possession
Home56%
Away44%
Shots
Home14
Away3
Shots on Target
Home6
Away0
Corners
Home3
Away2
Fouls
Home15
Away17

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Manchester City 2, Chelsea 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Manchester City 2, Chelsea 0.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Jesús Navas (Manchester City) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Álvaro Negredo with a headed pass.

  4. Post update

    Javi García (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Mohamed Salah (Chelsea).

  6. Booking

    Nemanja Matic (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  7. Post update

    Yaya Touré (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Nemanja Matic (Chelsea).

  9. Post update

    Foul by Jesús Navas (Manchester City).

  10. Post update

    César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  11. Post update

    Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Joleon Lescott.

  12. Post update

    Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Javi García.

  13. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Gary Cahill (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Eden Hazard with a cross.

  14. Booking

    Javi García (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Javi García (Manchester City).

  16. Post update

    John Obi Mikel (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  17. Post update

    Hand ball by Oscar (Chelsea).

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Manchester City. Álvaro Negredo replaces Edin Dzeko.

  19. Post update

    Attempt missed. César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

  20. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Edin Dzeko (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jesús Navas.