Chelsea vs Manchester City LIVE Football Score 5 Jan 2023

A trip to the City Ground did at least allow Chelsea to snap their dire three-game losing run on the road in all competitions, but the travelling brigade only had a bizarre Raheem Sterling goal to cheer before Serge Aurier expertly volleyed home a deserved leveller for Nottingham Forest.

Admitting that he was left “concerned” by the manner of his side’s performance at the City Ground, Potter needs only take one look at the Premier League table to feel even more anguish, as the Blues are languishing in mid-table in ninth place, below West London counterparts Brentford and Fulham at the time of writing.

Seven points separate Chelsea from a place in the top four, but Brentford – who occupy the seventh and potentially final continental place – are only one point clear of their near neighbours having played two games more, and the January arrivals could soon arrive en masse for the Blues.

While David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos are earmarked as talents of the future, Benoit Badiashile ought to hit the ground running as Chelsea’s latest in a long line of defensive acquisitions, while progress is believed to have been made in their efforts to bring Benfica and Argentina star Enzo Fernandez to the English capital.

As fans eagerly anticipate news of transfer dealings, Potter is working to improve a meagre tally of just one win from his side’s last seven Premier League contests, although runaway leaders Arsenal are the only side to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in top-flight action this term.

Opposition players scoring goal-of-the-season worthy efforts at the Etihad is nothing new – see Andros Townsend in 2018-19 – and Everton’s Demarai Gray put his name in the hat for the personal accolade to further dent Man City’s hopes of a third successive Premier League title.

After Erling Braut Haaland had scored his customary goal – taking him up to 21 for the Premier League season – Gray rifled an arrowed shot into the top corner via the underside of the crossbar to spark pandemonium in the away end, and there was to be no late reprieve for the hosts.

Failure to overcome the Toffees saw Man City enter the New Year a whopping seven points behind Arsenal in the table; that gap has since increased to eight after the Gunners’ goalless draw with Newcastle United, which also leaves the Magpies just one adrift of the champions.

Travelling to West London with no clean sheets to boast from their last four Premier League contests – and just one in their last seven – City will be encouraged by their record of one away defeat from their most recent 25 in the top flight, and not since 2012 have the champions lost their opening game of the calendar year.

Man City dumped Chelsea out of the EFL Cup via a 2-0 scoreline in the third round just before the World Cup, and both Premier League meetings between the two sides in the 2021-22 campaign ended in 1-0 victories for Guardiola’s men, who gleaned a slice of revenge after their Blues-inflicted Champions League heartbreak in Porto.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Manchester City are aiming to win four consecutive matches against Chelsea for the first time.
• City have won seven of the 10 most recent Premier League meetings, losing the other three.
• Chelsea have failed to score in their last three encounters in all competitions, losing each time.
• The teams will meet again in the FA Cup third round at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Chelsea

• Chelsea have lost just one of their past 11 Premier League home games (W6, D4).
• They have only failed to scored once in their last 23 league fixtures at Stamford Bridge.
• The Blues have lost five of their 16 Premier League matches this campaign, only one short of their final tally for last season.
• Chelsea have scored 20 Premier League goals this season, one fewer than the division’s leading goalscorer, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.
• Raheem Sterling could become the third player to score a Premier League goal in this fixture for both Chelsea and Manchester City, emulating Nicolas Anelka and Frank Lampard.

Manchester City

• Manchester City have only lost just one of their last 25 away Premier League matches (W18, D6) – that was a 1-0 defeat at Liverpool in October.
• City could remain winless in successive Premier League fixtures for the first time since December 2020.
• They have won their opening league game in each of the last 10 calendar years, including a 3-1 victory at Chelsea in 2021.
• Premier League top scorer Erling Haaland has seven goals in his six Premier League away appearances.