“This match would have been good for no one to win. What has happened is just perfect.”
These words belong to Jamie Carragher. Chelsea and Manchester City played an intense match at Stamford Bridge yesterday, ending in a thrilling 4-4 draw. The former Liverpool star described it as the “best Premier League game ever.”
In this Premier League clash, both Chelsea and Manchester City scored four goals each. The first half ended 2-2, and the second half continued the goal-scoring frenzy with another 2-2 scoreline. It was the first time in Premier League history, after the fifth round in 2009, that a match featured four equalizers. Both teams were awarded two penalties during the game.
In the 12th round of the league, City took the lead with Erling Haaland’s penalty goal in the 25th minute. Thiago Silva leveled the score for Chelsea in the 29th minute, making him the oldest goal-scorer for the team at the age of 37. City regained the lead in the 37th minute with a goal from their former player Raheem Sterling. However, before halftime, Chelsea equalized again through Manuel Akanji.
The goal-scoring drama continued in the second half. City went ahead for the second time in the 47th minute with another goal from Haaland. Chelsea responded once more with a goal from Nicolas Jackson in the 67th minute, making it 3-3. Chelsea then took the lead for the first time in the match in the 86th minute with Ruben Diaz’s successful penalty kick.
However, Chelsea’s joy was short-lived. In the 86th minute, Reece James received a red card for a reckless foul outside the box. Taking advantage of the free-kick, Silva scored his second goal of the match, securing a 4-4 draw for City in the 90th minute.
The match left a lasting impact on Chelsea coach Maurizio Pochettino, who called it a “fantastic evening.” He acknowledged the exceptional performance of both teams and stated, “This is a good advertisement for the Premier League and an entertaining match. Both teams wanted to win. Chelsea and its players were fantastic.”
With 28 points from 12 matches, City is currently at the top of the league table. Chelsea, with 16 points from an equal number of matches, holds the tenth position. Liverpool and Arsenal follow closely with 27 and 26 points, respectively. Tottenham, with four draws, has 26 points as well.
