Two weeks from their Premier League opener and new head coach Enzo Maresca’s official debut, Chelsea were once again all out of sorts deep in midfield and in defense as they fell 4-0 behind Manchester City before pulling two goals back late in Saturday’s preseason friendly in Columbus, Ohio.
Oh, and the side they’ll face on opening day? These same four-time reigning, defending PL champions.
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Erling Haaland had Man City 2-0 ahead before the clock read 5:00, as he converted from the penalty spot (he also won the penalty) in the 4th minute and waltzed his way through Chelsea’s defense to beat Robert Sanchez again in the 5th minute. Haaland’s second goal was the first of three that came as a direct result of Chelsea needlessly giving the ball away inside their own half.
They were guilty again in the 55th minute, when Oscar Bobb went all by himself after a poor giveaway, and then a minute later again it was Haaland (again) who benefited. The lone bright spot for Chelsea was another dangerous performance from winger Noni Madueke off the bench. The 22-year-old set up Raheem Sterling for Chelsea’s first goal in the 59th minute and scored it himself in the 89th.
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Chelsea vs Manchester City final score: 2-4
Goalscorers: Erling Haaland (4', 5', 56'), Oscar Bobb (55'), Raheem Sterling (59'), Noni Madueke (89')
Below you’ll find lineups, video highlights, and live updates from the Chelsea vs Manchester City preseason friendly in Columbus.
That’s two goals in two games for Noni Madueke, who raced in behind Manchester City’s defense and took a fantastic through ball from Romeo Lavia all the way. The 22-year-old winger is making a very strong case for starter’s minutes in two weeks’ time.
It has to be said that Noni Madueke has been fantastic since coming on at halftime (just as he has been throughout Chelsea’s USA tour), working the right attacking channel to get into the penalty area and play balls back across goal. That’s exactly what he did to set up Raheem Sterling for a beauty of a consolation goal.
🎥 (4-1) @sterling7 finds the net after a beautiful move by @NoniMadueke_ 🎯@mancity 4@chelseafc 1#FCSeries pic.twitter.com/309Mf5YXU7
— FC Series (@FC_series) August 3, 2024
This time it was Malo Gusto who wasn’t on the same page as his Chelsea teammates. A couple of quick passes later, Haaland is in all by himself to complete his hat trick.
HAT TRICK FOR HAALAND! MAN CITY ARE DESTROYING CHELSEA 😮 pic.twitter.com/aKS920qCMe
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 3, 2024
Chelsea simply cannot get out of their own way right now.
🎥 (3-0) @OscarBobb2 with a fantastic finish! 😱@mancity 3@chelseafc 0#FCSeries pic.twitter.com/cPRb9LkT41
— FC Series (@FC_series) August 3, 2024
Chelsea can’t stop handing opponents the ball on a silver platter and Manchester City are missing six players from their imperious defensive unit, so it comes as little surprise that both sides have had a handful of scoring chances in the first half.
More Keystone Cops at the back from Chelsea, as Moises Caicedo passes the ball to no one in particular, straight back toward his own goal. Erling Haaland was first to react, race in on goal and beat Robert Sanchez again.
HAALAND GETS A BRACE IN FIVE MINUTES VS. CHELSEA ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/nN7KstfYaG
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 3, 2024
It wasn’t abundantly clear that Levi Colwill even touched Haaland before the big Norwegian stumbled to the ground inside the six-yard box, but the referee pointed to the spot immediately and stuck with his call.
🎥 @ErlingHaaland opens the scoring from the penalty spot 🎯@mancity 1@chelseafc 0#FCSeries pic.twitter.com/fZiTW0jiQu
— FC Series (@FC_series) August 3, 2024
Regardless, as was the case against Celtic, Chelsea continue to struggle to pass the ball out of their own defensive third, let alone into the attacking part of the field.
Heading out. 🧤#BluesInTheUSA pic.twitter.com/OTzCcssRgS
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 3, 2024
Chelsea in the house. 🏡 #BluesInTheUSA pic.twitter.com/l2RZdgEU3j
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 3, 2024
Columbus is READY! 😤#ManCity pic.twitter.com/L0BFLxS5Eb
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 3, 2024
📌 Ohio Stadium#ManCity pic.twitter.com/k0bU09WYm9
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 3, 2024
- Chelsea vs Manchester City - Aug. 18
- Manchester City vs Ipswich Town - Aug. 24
- West Ham vs Manchester City - Aug. 31
- Manchester City vs Brentford - Sept. 14
- Manchester City vs Arsenal - Sept. 22
- Chelsea vs Man City - Aug. 18
- Wolves vs Chelsea - Aug. 25
- Chelsea vs Crystal Palace - Sept. 1
- Bournemouth vs Chelsea - Sept. 14
- West Ham vs Chelsea - Sept. 21
- Man City 3-4 Celtic - July 23
- Man City 2-3 AC Milan - July 27
- Man City 2-2 Barcelona - July 30
- Man City vs Chelsea - Aug. 3
- Man City vs Manchester United - Aug. 10 (Wembley Stadium - FA Community Shield)
- Chelsea 2-2 Wrexham - July 24
- Chelsea 1-4 Celtic - July 27
- Chelsea 3-0 Club America - July 31
- Chelsea vs Man City - Aug. 3
- Chelsea vs Real Madrid - Aug. 6 (Charlotte)
- Chelsea vs Inter Milan - Aug. 11 (Stamford Bridge)
Ortega - Lewis, Phillips, Gvardiol, Wilson-Esbrand - O’Reilly, Kovacic, MaAtee - Bobb, Grealish, Haaland
Subs: Ederson, Carson, Doyle, Katongo, Simpson-Pusey, Samuel, Mbete-Tabu, Mfuni, Galvez, Wright, Suosho, Perrone, Fatah, Knight, Heskey, Ndala, Oboavwoduo, Hamilton
Sanchez - James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Gusto - Caicedo, Lavia, Fernandez - Dewsbury-Hall, Mudryk, Nkunku
Subs: Jorgensen, Bettinelli, Chilwell, Acheampong, Fofana, Chukwuemeka, Ugochukwu, Veiga, Gabriel, Broja, Guiu, Madueke, Sterling