Kevin De Bruyne continues revenge mission against Chelsea as Man City move 13 points clear

Belgian midfielder scores the only goal of the game to ensure a 12th straight Premier League victory

Manchester City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne (R) scores the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on January 15, 2022. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /

Kevin De Bruyne celebrates after scoring the opening goal for Manchester City against Chelsea. AFP

Kevin De Bruyne shrugs off N'Golo Kante on his way to scoring the opening goal. AP

Manchester City forward Jack Grealish takes on Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta. AP

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola issues instructions to his players as Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel looks on. AP

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva runs with the ball as N'Golo Kante attempts to close him down. AFP

Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger tackles Kevin De Bruyne. PA

Manchester City forward Phil Foden reacts after missing a goalscoring chance. Getty Images

Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi attempts to take the ball clear Manchester City defender John Stones. Reuters

Raheem Sterling and Malang Sarr tussle for the ball. Getty Images

Jack Grealish and Phil Foden celebrate with Kevin De Bruyne after his opening goal. AP

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku is fouled by Manchester City midfielder Rodri. Reuters

Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson makes a save from Romelu Lukaku. Getty Images

Rodri and Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic battle for the ball. Reuters

Romelu Lukaku comes under pressure from City defender John Stones. Reuters

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga clears the ball from Jack Grealish. Getty Images

If it seemed Chelsea wanted a stalemate, perhaps Manchester City instead made it checkmate. As they did a double of 1-0 wins over Thomas Tuchel’s team, they registered a 12th straight Premier League victory.

“Thirty six points from 36, hats off,” said City manager Pep Guardiola. City's lead in the title race is now 13 points. They look uncatchable, though Guardiola predictably disagreed. “In January no one is champion,” he said.

But, as Tuchel argued: “We won't give up, but if City keep on winning every game, nobody can catch them.” The Champions League winners have been distanced. Chelsea fans, waving plastic trophies, chorused “Where’s your European Cup?”. Memories of City’s defeat in Porto last summer remain fresh but a fourth Premier League crown in five seasons beckons, courtesy in part of one who acted as though he had unfinished business with Chelsea. This had the air of a revenge mission.

Kevin de Bruyne’s Champions League final was abruptly ended by a fearsome challenge by Antonio Rudiger. In a rematch, and not for the first time, Chelsea could lament Jose Mourinho’s reluctance to pick a young De Bruyne. A player who made two Premier League starts for them now has five goals against them, some decisive, some brilliant. This was both.

De Bruyne raced on to Joao Cancelo’s pass, shrugged off N’Golo Kante, the Champions League final man of the match who is often City’s nemesis, and whipped a shot in from 20 yards. “The goal is typical of him,” said Guardiola. Tuchel rued: “The individual quality of Kevin de Bruyne made the difference.”

In a tight, tactical affair, De Bruyne had looked as dangerous as anyone, arrowing one shot over and curling in a free kick that Kepa Arrizabalaga parried. “We were so patient,” said Guardiola and opportunities were scarce but, after De Bruyne scored, Phil Foden fired over and, just before, Raheem Sterling, who had dominated his duel with a toiling Marcos Alonso, shot just wide.

Yet the two golden chances fell to the two most expensive signings in the history of English football. Arguably misses summed up their lives at new clubs, though each was denied by a fine save and Jack Grealish troubled Chelsea on a series of solo runs while Romelu Lukaku had moments of menace on the counter-attack.

When Mateo Kovacic’s attempted pass was intercepted by De Bruyne and fell obligingly for an unmarked Grealish, Arrizabalaga was swift to react, emerging from his line to push the winger’s shot wide.

The two opportunities bookended half-time and each involved Kovacic, who released Lukaku with a defence-splitting pass. The Belgian aimed to bend his shot around Ederson but was denied by a stunning save. “He had many ball losses and a huge chance,” said an unsympathetic Tuchel. “In 180 minutes against the European champions, we concede one shot on target,” noted Guardiola.

Man City v Chelsea player ratings

It was more important because of Chelsea’s negativity and mediocrity. “We deserved a draw,” said Tuchel; it was not his most credible comment although, as he argued, his side defended very well. It was another matter in attack. “It was about individual quality, and we lacked quality up front,” Tuchel said.

For the first time since May 2018, Chelsea reached half-time in the Premier League without registering a shot of any description. Too often they resorted to long balls. It seemed a defensive gameplan straight out of Mourinho’s handbook but, as City used their wingers high and wide to mean Chelsea’s wing-backs in effect completed a five-man rearguard, Tuchel was irritated and animated on the touchline, frustrated by his side’s inability to keep the ball or get out of their own half.

The City fans chorused “boring, boring Chelsea” but Tuchel’s antics suggested he had greater ambitions. “We could have had much more chances,” he said. “The ball losses were too early and too poor. The decision-making was not on the level we need.” Perhaps, however, that includes his own choices, too.