When the heat came, this Manchester City side went up a gear and didn’t wilt

Manchester City entered halftime of their Premier League match against Chelsea yesterday with the game level at nil-all. Marc Cucurella had seen a goal ruled out for offside in the 16th minute, and Gianluigi Donnarumma made a strong save to keep out Pedro Neto minutes later in what was the best chance of the first half. City weren’t poor by any stretch in the first half of yesterday’s match at Stamford Bridge. With the game locked at nil-all, Pep Guardiola’s side had to up the ante with the pressure on them to capitalize on Arsenal’s defeat to Bournemouth.

City did just that with a powerful second-half display to leave Stamford Bridge with three points and a 3-0 win. When the pressure came, Manchester City stood up and didn’t wilt. In the process, they also showed that they are ready for what lies ahead.

When yesterday’s match was there to be won, Manchester City raised their play to pick up a massive three points.

It was evident as soon as the second half of yesterday’s match began that Manchester City had raised their level of play. There was real intent in City’s play, and they knew the task in front of them. They needed a goal to take the lead and likely knock the stuffing out of Chelsea. It arrived in the 51st minute when Nico O’Reilly headed home a Rayan Cherki cross to give City the lead. From the moment Nico O’Reilly’s header hit the back of the net, it was apparent that there would only be one winner in the match between Manchester City and Chelsea.

Marc Guehi would show the composure and finishing ability of a striker to double Manchester City’s lead in the 57th minute at Stamford Bridge. Jeremy Doku pressed Moises Caicedo into error in the 68th minute and beat Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez with a composed finish to make it 3-0. Manchester City had put the game to bed, and when they needed to raise their game after halftime, every City player had lifted to help their team close the gap on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.

The title race is well and truly on now. Arsenal are wobbling, and Pep Guardiola’s side is riding a wave of momentum and playing their best football of the season. More important than that, when the big moments have arrived in Manchester City’s past three matches, City have raised their level of play. That has occurred against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final, Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final tie, and yesterday against Chelsea. Manchester City’s players haven’t wilted when the heat has arrived, and that speaks volumes about the character in this Manchester City side.

Pep Guardiola was thrilled to see his side go up a gear after halftime.

Speaking after his team’s massive win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Pep Guardiola was thrilled with his team’s second half display. The Manchester City manager praised his team’s mindset and ability to raise their level of play when the situation required it. He explained: “Absolutely nothing (in terms of tactical changes at halftime) we adjusted. One thing was our high pressing but the rest, we told the guys and the players they had to make a step-up.”

“Gigio [Donnarumma] saved to the left side and in the second half we attacked with Matheus [Nunes], Rayan [Cherki] – we were more aggressive.”

“The second half was extraordinary because we had the mindset. It wasn’t tactics. We know each other for a long time and the players showed a good mentality to win here, which is never easy.”

Manchester City had to raise their game to leave Stamford Bridge with all three points against Chelsea yesterday. They did exactly that to blow Liam Rosenior’s side away after halftime. This City side stared the pressure down and overcame it, there was no sign of Pep Guardiola’s side wilting when the pressure was on them to raise their game yesterday. The ability to go up a gear in the face of pressure may be decisive in this season’s title race as Arsenal seem to be doing the exact opposite of Pep Guardiola’s side.