Man City Win At Stamford Bridge After Chelsea Lose Christian Pulisic And Raheem Sterling To Injury

Man City won 1-0 at Chelsea after an inspired sub by Pep Guardiola. But Chelsea were forced into subs after injuries to Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic.

Manchester City won 1-0 at Chelsea on Thursday night after an inspired substitution by Pep Guardiola.

Chelsea had looked like the better team before City boss Guardiola introduced Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez on the hour-mark.

Three minutes and 43 seconds later, Grealish found Mahrez with a low cross and the Algerian winger scored as a City sub for the ninth time in his Premier League career.

Mahrez's strike proved to be the only goal of the night as City recorded their fourth clean sheet in their last four games against Chelsea.

9 - Since he joined Man City in 2018, Riyad Mahrez has scored more Premier League goals as a substitute than any other player (9). He scored his goal, assisted by Jack Grealish, just 3 minutes and 43 seconds after both players had been subbed on. Impact. pic.twitter.com/RL80MCKI8W

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 5, 2023

4 - Manchester City are only the second side ever to win four consecutive meetings with Chelsea in all competitions while also keeping a clean sheet each time, after Bolton Wanderers from 1958 to 1960. Asserted. pic.twitter.com/eef6Fq71lh

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 5, 2023

As well as losing the game, Chelsea lost two key attacking players to injuries.

Raheem Sterling limped off with a suspected hamstring injury within the opening five minutes.

Later in the first half, Christian Pulisic left the field in visible pain after sustaining a knee injury following an excellent tackle by John Stones.

Eight first-team players are now on Chelsea's injury list, with Sterling and Pulisic having joined N'Golo Kante, Reece James, Edouard Mendy, Wesley Fofana, Armando Broja and Mason Mount, who had picked up a knock in training on Wednesday.

Christian Pulisic pictured leaving the field with an injury during Chelsea's 1-0 loss to Manchester City :: IMAGO/PRiME Media Images/Andy Rowland

Discussing Chelsea's injury crisis, manager Graham Potter told reporters after Thursday's game: "It is just one of those things at the moment.

"I've never experienced anything like it. Obviously I wouldn't like to experience it ideally here but it is what it is and I'll just have to carry on.

"The expectation is where it is so you want to be here and have all your players available and have a fully fit squad and be able to compete.

"You know the demands of our supporters, who I thought were fantastic today, really supportive and got behind the team in a great way but it is frustrating for everyone at the moment."

Graham Potter said of Chelsea's injury issues: "I've never experienced anything like it" :: IMAGO/News Images/Mark Cosgrove