MANCHESTER, Jan 26, (V7N) – Erling Haaland’s brilliance spearheaded Manchester City’s comeback from an early deficit to secure a 3-1 victory over Chelsea, propelling Pep Guardiola's side into the Premier League top four on Saturday.

After a disastrous start, with debutant Abdukodir Khusanov gifting Chelsea an opening goal converted by Noni Madueke, City rallied with goals from Josko Gvardiol, Haaland, and Phil Foden to claim a crucial win.

Khusanov’s nervy Premier League debut began catastrophically in just the third minute. His mistimed header allowed Nicolas Jackson to set up Madueke for a tap-in, handing Chelsea an early lead. Moments later, Khusanov narrowly avoided further punishment, receiving only a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Cole Palmer.

Despite the shaky start, City gradually found their rhythm. Gvardiol, whose dynamic runs from left-back troubled Chelsea, equalized just before halftime. After Matheus Nunes’ shot was parried by Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, Gvardiol slotted the rebound into an empty net for his fifth league goal of the season.

Haaland’s Heroics

In the second half, Guardiola replaced Khusanov with John Stones, solidifying City’s defense. City then shifted their approach to a more direct style, leveraging Ederson’s long passes to create opportunities.

Haaland, demonstrating his trademark strength and composure, outmuscled Trevoh Chalobah to chase down a long ball from Ederson. With Sanchez caught off his line, the Norwegian calmly chipped the ball into the net, putting City ahead with a decisive goal.

Moments later, Haaland turned provider, setting up Phil Foden to seal the victory. Foden’s clinical finish marked his sixth goal in four league games, continuing his impressive form.

Chelsea’s Struggles Persist

Chelsea’s poor run of form extended to just one win in their last seven league matches, with costly defensive errors, particularly from Sanchez, proving decisive. Their defeat sees them drop to sixth in the table, with growing questions over the need to upgrade their goalkeeping options.

Manager Enzo Maresca defended Sanchez but acknowledged the costly mistake. "We trust Robert, but he knows he has to cut out these errors," Maresca said post-match.

The victory was City’s fourth in five league games, a much-needed resurgence after a difficult spell earlier in the season. Haaland’s two-goal contributions highlighted his consistency, taking his tally to 24 goals for the season. Guardiola praised the team’s emotional resilience after conceding early, saying, "It’s really, really important for our final on Wednesday and for the next games."

City now turns its focus to the Champions League, needing a win against Club Brugge midweek to keep their European campaign alive.

For Chelsea, the defeat is a wake-up call, as they face mounting pressure to address their defensive frailties and inconsistent performances.

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