By Ashton Cox
Robert Sanchez made his fifth error leading to a goal this season as the Blues went on to lose 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
This puts him joint-top of the table for errors leading to goals in the Premier League this campaign, alongside only Arijanet Muric of Ipswich Town.
Sanchez charged off his line trying to close down a long ball from Ederson but was caught in no mans land, giving Erling Haaland the chance for a simple finish into an empty net.
Enzo Maresca spoke of the error: “Robert, for sure, he is completely aware he has to do better. The good thing is that he is the first one, knowing and aware that he has to do better. For sure we continue to trust Robert.”
Abdukodir Khusanov made his Manchester city debut but made an error leading to a goal just three minutes in, misplacing a header that led to Noni Madueke’s tap in.
Following this period that included three of his first six passes to be inaccurate, the Uzbekistan international failed to get to grips with the game and was eventually hooked for John Stones in the 54th minute.
Pep Guardiola said: “He doesn’t speak English so I haven’t spoken with him. He’ll be fine. He will learn, he’s aware of what happened, he will learn. Any player can make a mistake, but after that if you feel alone it is even tougher.”
The away side continued to dominate following Khusanov’s error with their high-pressing intensity leading to gaps in the defence.
The best example of this was when Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson raced through on goal with only Ederson to beat, but Palmer’s heavy pass to the striker meant the chance was squandered.
Maresca bemoaned his team’s lack of clinical finishing: “We are talking about a different game if we scored the second one because the plan was perfectly working very good. The high pressing, you have to be brave in these kinds of games knowing that if you have to press higher then you leave their best player, which is Haaland, one-v-one against your defender.”
The Blues’ three minute lead was pegged back just before half time as Josko Gvardiol took advantage of Madueke’s lack of defensive awareness and tucked the ball into the goal.
After half time, Manchester City took control of the game and Haaland’s goal courtesy of Sanchez’s poor judgement was a fair reward for their efforts.
Phil Foden killed all hopes of a Chelsea revival three minutes from time as the Norwegian striker’s occupation of Levi Colwill gave the English attacker space to drive into from the halfway line before slotting the ball passed Sanchez’s outstretched leg.