Maurizio Sarri became the third consecutive Chelsea manager to win his first Premier League fixture against Manchester City and, like the others, in memorable style. The players’ performances complemented his tactical adjustments for a well-earned win.
Maurizio Sarri did a few things he said he would not do – play Eden Hazard as a false-nine, pragmatically adapt his tactics – en route to doing the thing he said he did not know how to do: defeating a Pep Guardiola team. Chelsea and Sarri made it through a dodgy first half, before creating a showpiece second half en route to a 2-0 win.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, Goalkeeper: 7
Arrizabalaga earned his clean sheet with four saves, none on overly threatening or worrisome shots but all necessary. Especially in the first half he kept the Blue blood out of the water, which prevented City from getting their usual foothold in the game. His calm presence at the back and burgeoning leadership – things as simple as directing defenders on set pieces and communicating with the midfielders to direct the play as the Blues tried to play out – was another reminder of why he is one of the world’s most expensive goalkeepers.
Cesar Azpilicueta, Right back: 9
This was Azpilicueta at his most imperious. He won 13 tackles, more than any Premier League player since N’Golo Kante won 14 against Liverpool two seasons ago. He was undefeated on the ground and in the air, blocked two shots (including what may have been City’s most dangerous shot of the day) and absolutely snuffed out Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane. He was just as in control moving forward. The Blues had their most effective offensive thrusts up their right side, and those moves had Azpilicueta at their base, whether he was starting the advance, covering the pass sequence or supporting the midfielders and wingers.
Azpilicueta also had the second-most passes for Chelsea, sandwiched between the two centre-backs. That’s a telling statistic of Maurizio Sarri’s tactical adjustments to send more movements up the side rather than through the centre with Jorginho, and Azpilicueta made it possible.
Antonio Rudiger, Centre-back: 8
Antonio Rudiger had one of his strongest games of the season, and it may go overlooked because of the performances of the players on either side of him. As usual and as necessary, Rudiger was the more conservative / defensive of the two centre-backs. In the first half, this kept Chelsea in the game. In the second, it enabled David Luiz to be his best. Rudiger’s clearances and positioning in his box and presence on set pieces in City’s box were a key part of Chelsea’s commanding defence.
David Luiz, Centre-back: 9
David Luiz was the epitome of Chelsea for the day. The Blues were on the knife’s edge for the first half. They kept City at bay, but only just, and did not produce much of their own to make a mark on the game. Luiz went off on two of his trademark runs up the pitch, with the requisite forgetting to come back and defend. For those first 40 minutes Luiz seemed more likely to contribute to a Manchester City goal rather than a Chelsea goal.
The second half was the David Luiz that lives in his fans’ minds with their memories of Munich, but who rarely ventures into the reality of Chelsea 2016-2018. Luiz restrained his careless impulses to dribble and wander forward, and instead used his position in the backline to spray quintessentially Sarrismo 40-yard diagonal passes to launch Chelsea’s attack. Particularly when Chelsea used Sarri’s methods to draw City into a high press, Luiz knew just when to pounce open for the ball and send it high and wide to Willian or Pedro on the opposite side.
If this is David Luiz under Maurizio Sarri, he will deserve his place in the side. Let’s hope performances like this do not stay at n=1.
Marcos Alonso, Left back: 6.5
Alonso was one of the few players who had a better first half than second. Over the first 45 minutes he won several key aerial duels, moving out of his usual position as he would read the play and interdict any danger before it could happen. Only Cesar Azpilicueta had more defensive actions than Alonso.
Chelsea took command in the second half in large part by attacking through their right, which cut Alonso out of the proceedings. Perhaps he would have scored on the free-kick Willian nearly converted, but the Brazilian did so well on that attempt there are few complaints.