Chelsea vs Man City Player Ratings

By ESPNSTAR.com staff

Despite the wealth of attacking talent on show for both sides, the game is likely to be remembered by the hostile reception given to new Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez rather than the performance of the players on the pitch.

It was the Manchester City and Chelsea defences that shone, with Chelsea's David Luiz and Branislav Ivanovic coping surprisingly well without captain John Terry, while Vincent Kompany played through the pain barrier alongside Matija Nastasic to keep the Blues at bay.

Chelsea

Petr Cech - 6.5

Thanks to an attentive performance by his defenders, Cech was hardly called upon in this game. However, that didn't stop him from pulling out a brilliant save in the dying minutes to deny a bullet of a header from Matija Nastasic to keep his clean sheet.

Cesar Azpilicueta - 5.0

The Spaniard was largely a spectator in this fixture, and that was not down to a lack of action down his flank. Azpilicueta could not handle the movement of  Sergio Aguero and Aleksandar Kolarov, which meant he had to rely on David Luiz to mop up his mistakes.

Branislav Ivanovic - 7.0

Ivanovic stuck close to Dzeko and was the main reason why the City striker endured a torrid time on the pitch. Despite the high amount of pressure applied by the opposition attack, the Serbian was unruffled and often seen shepherding the ball out of defence easily.

David Luiz - 7.0

Although Luiz has not contributed to that many clean sheets this season, interim manager Rafa Benitez can take heart from his performance in this game. The former Benfica man stayed focused on his role in the heart of defence, where he made several timely interceptions and swept up potentially dangerous through balls.

Ashley Cole - 7.5

The Englishman had his hands full keeping track of David Silva, so he hardly moved up in attack. However, it was a tidy shift overall for Cole, who made several timely interceptions to keep Cech's goal-mouth safe.

Ramires - 7.0

Spending most of the game battling for space in midfield with Gareth Barry, the 25-year old was afforded very few opportunities to carry out his distinctive rampages from the middle. However, Ramires put in an inspired shift defensively, sweeping away lose balls that headed toward the Blues defence.

 Mikel (off 79') - 5.5

Despite his attempts at launching attacks from his defensive midfield position, Mikel's passes were often difficult to control or failed to add value to the Chelsea offense.

Juan Mata - 6.0

Ever since his disappointing performance against Liverpool, Mata has struggled to resume his match-winning form. Although the Spaniard managed to get himself into decent goal-scoring positions, he was uncharacteristically indecisive, which cost him the chance to get his name on the score-sheet.

Oscar - 6.5

The Brazilian often found himself in the central position of Chelsea's attacking midfield trio and he capitalized on that by spraying quick one-touch passes to Mata and Eden Hazard, allowing Chelsea to break at pace against the City defence. Unfortunately for the Blues, Oscar was not able to keep up his energetic bursts, cutting a helpless figure for most of the second half.

Eden Hazard (off 70') - 6.0

Out of the three Blues attacking midfielders, Hazard logged the most uneventful run-out in this fixture. While he was hardly ever caught out in possession, he did little more except to send in hopeful crosses into the box.

Fernando Torres - 5.0

Restored to the starting line-up by Benitez, Torres had much to prove in this game but his compatriot would no doubt have preferred he reserved his energy to create goal-scoring opportunities instead of mindlessly closing down the City defence. On the rare occasions that Torres does get on the ball, he seemed clueless as to where his team-mates were or what to do with possession.

Substitutes

Victor Moses (on 70') - 6.0

Thrown on as a fresh pair of legs for the Chelsea attack, Moses proved strong on the ball as the City defenders struggled to outmuscle him off it. However, what he did with possession afterward was highly disappointing, as his deliveries were alarmingly wayward.

Oriol Romeu (on 79') - 6.0

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Man City

Joe Hart - 6.5

Hart cut a slightly nervous figure when faced with the attacking prowess of Torres, Hazard and Mata in this game, but in a similar manner to his opposite number managed to pull off an excellent save to send Cole's second-half volley over the bar.

Pablo Zabaleta - 7.0

Deployed out of his usual full-back position to play in manager Roberto Mancini's three-man defence, Zabaleta displayed great courage to rampage up in support of the City attack. Providing an extra option to his team-mates outside the box, the Argentinean swung in several dangerous crosses and aided in the quick transition from attack to defence via some tireless running.

Vincent Kompany - 7.5

The City skipper put in a performance worthy of the armband as he was a calming influence at the back for his team. 

Matija Nastasic - 7.5

Alongside Kompany, Nastasic logged a respectable performance at the back for City. The former Fiorentina player did especially well to shadow Torres, although he was aided partially by a poor shift from the Chelsea man.

Aleksandar Kolarov - 6.5

While he did not prove to be a game-changer for City, Kolarov was one of Mancini's more consistent performers. The Serbian sent crosses diligently into the danger area throughout the game, even if some were headed away easily by the Blues defence.

Yaya Toure - 6.0

A revelation for City last season, Toure's recently mediocre performances in midfield are a far cry from his match-winning displays of the previous campaign. Struggling to match the pace and trickery of Hazard, Oscar and Mata, the Ivorian committed several fouls in the centre of the park.

Gareth Barry - 6.0

Doing everything right on paper, Barry played an uncomplicated, fuss-free game, but he could hardly claim to be influential for his team. 

David Silva - 7.0

The Spaniard cut a lively figure in the middle of the park during the first half, doing well to link play between his team-mates, though it was his defence-splitting passes that delighted City fans the most. Nevertheless Mancini would be disappointed that Silva was not able to keep up his level of performance in the second period, as fatigue seemed to take its toll on the former Valencia man.

James Milner - 5.5

Failing to influence the game for the most part, Milner appeared uncertain as to how to carve open the Chelsea defence. The Englishman often chose the simpler option of passing the ball to Kolarov instead of attempting to find space for himself.

Edin Dzeko (off 68') - 4.5

The Bosnian did nothing to alter his "super-sub" status as he struggled to influence the game from his place in the starting 11. Dzeko toiled in and around the Chelsea defence, but with Luiz and Ivanovic both comfortable with the ball at their feet, the City striker could not get the better of them.

Sergio Aguero (off 85') - 6.5

One can hardly ever accuse Aguero of putting in a lacklustre performance as the Argentinean runs tirelessly upfront for City. The striker snapped at the heels of Ivanovic and Luiz, never giving them a moment's peace and made sure his presence was felt.

Substitutes

Carlos Tevez (on 68') - 5.5

After his goal-scoring heroics against Aston Villa in their previous fixture, Tevez was thrown on to swing things in City's favour, but he contributed very little to their aim.

Mario Balotelli (on 85') - 6.0

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