Manchester City moved to within touching distance of Arsenal by beating Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge, cutting the Premier League gap to six points. Pep
Guardiola's team will trim that deficit to three if they defeat Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium next week, and Manchester City also still hold a game in hand.
The scoreline did not reflect Chelsea’s strong opening spell, as Manchester City struggled before half-time. The hosts created the clearer early chances and forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into action, but the visitors regrouped at the break and produced a controlled second-half display that shifted both the match and the title picture.
Chelsea threatened first when Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro both struck into the side netting after sharp moves. Marc Cucurella then finished across Donnarumma from the left channel, though the defender was correctly flagged offside. Manchester City carried limited threat before the interval, with Robert Sanchez denying Bernardo Silva from close range.
The match flipped on 51 minutes as Manchester City finally broke through. Rayan Cherki swung in a measured cross from the right, and O'Reilly rose highest to guide a powerful header beyond Sanchez. The goal settled the visitors, who began to dominate territory and possession after struggling for rhythm earlier.
Cherki’s influence grew further six minutes later, when Manchester City doubled their advantage. The former Lyon player drifted across the edge of the area, drew defenders towards the ball, then slipped a precise pass into Marc Guehi, who converted with the composure of a seasoned centre-forward from inside the box.
PASSION!!! pic.twitter.com/nlsH1Z08caManchester City (@ManCity) April 12, 2026
Any faint Chelsea hope disappeared on 68 minutes when Manchester City struck a third. Moises Caicedo was dispossessed by Doku in midfield, allowing Doku to drive into the penalty area. The winger advanced to the left side of the box and drilled a low shot inside the near post past Sanchez.
Manchester City stats spotlight Rayan Cherki’s creative impact
Donnarumma preserved Manchester City’s clean sheet late on, reacting sharply to push away a close-range Cucurella header. Chelsea’s defeat extended a worrying league run, with the team now failing to score in three consecutive Premier League matches, all losses, for the first time since a four-game sequence in March 1998.
Cherki’s contribution went beyond the scoreline for Manchester City. Two assists in six minutes transformed a tight match and may also affect the Premier League title race. Cherki has now created 10 goals for team-mates in this league campaign, becoming the first player to reach 10 assists in a debut Premier League season since Dimitri Payet for West Ham in 2015-16.
Across all competitions, Cherki has produced multiple assists in four different games this season, more than any player in Europe’s top five leagues. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has managed that feat three times. Both chances Cherki fashioned at Stamford Bridge were converted, underlining the accuracy and timing of Manchester City's playmaker.
Key attacking metrics from the match underlined Manchester City’s control after the break, despite Chelsea’s lively start.
Chelsea finished with 12 attempts to Manchester City’s 18, and produced three shots on target compared with eight for the visitors. Expected goals also favoured Manchester City at 1.89 against Chelsea’s 1.14, reflecting how Guardiola’s side created the better openings once Cherki, O'Reilly, Guehi and Doku seized control of the contest.
