Amazing Mahrez sparks Manchester City’s FA Cup trip against Chelsea | FA cup

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“Vinci Per Luca” read a banner draped over Chelsea’s end. A win for Luca was the demand, but Graham Potter’s superior side were unable to find success as Manchester City progressed to the Fourth Round. The two teams have met three times in three different competitions this season, with City triumphing and closing out Chelsea each time.

To compound the misery of Potter and Chelsea co-owner Todd Bohle, the names of former manager Thomas Tuchel and ex-owner Roman Abramovich reverberated from the away department as their costly and ineffective side slipped to yet another defeat.

Chelsea’s first third-round exit in 25 years – when the late Gianluca Vialli scored twice in a 5-3 defeat by Manchester United – continued their miserable run of form and results under Potter. It is now five defeats in seven games for the former Brighton manager and five games without a goal in that sequence. They never bothered City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega throughout the cup tie. City operated on a different level, scoring three goals in the first half through Riyad Mahrez, Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden.

Mahrez Al-Mumtaz added the fourth goal from a penalty kick late on. Both clubs paid a fitting tribute before kick-off to Vialli, who died on Friday at the age of 58 and his name was regularly mentioned by 8,000 traveling fans. Chelsea’s players geared up in the number 9 shirt in memory of their former player and manager as the entire stadium rose to salute the great Italian when his image appeared on the giant screens.

Then City set to work knocking Chelsea out of another trophy in an absolutely dominant first-half game. Guardiola made seven changes from the win at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, six potters, as youngsters Bashir Humphreys and Louis Hall started in defense of the visitors, new signings Benoit Badiachel and David Fofana off the bench, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined for a long time. List of injuries with a bad back.

The Chelsea manager’s plan was to contain and beat the counter-attack but neither was carried out convincingly as his team was gradually dismantled. There were boos from the end of the first half when the half-time whistle blew and not many fans returned for the second half.

‘Not good enough’: Graham Potter says Chelsea must do better – VIDEO

A double first-half substitution indicated that Potter had a similar opinion of Chelsea’s first 45 minutes. It was a benign start with City patiently investigating against a pressured visitors side at the start. A energetic Cole Palmer missed the first opportunity when he slotted in Aymeric Laporte’s overhead pass. Palmer had World Cup winner Alvarez unmarked on his right but chose to shoot through Kepa Arrizabalaga’s legs and hit the side netting. There will be no reason to regret the loss.

The hosts took the lead after five minutes thanks to a stunning free kick from Mahrez. Thursday’s match-winner was fouled by Hall from 25 yards out and slammed an unstoppable free kick into Arrizabalaga’s top left corner. The shot may have touched the Chelsea wall, but that did not change the path of the ball as it went past the Chelsea goalkeeper, giving Mahrez his third goal against Stamford Bridge this season.

Phil Foden scores Manchester City’s third goal from close range. Photo: Daniel Chesterton/Offside/Getty Images

The city was soon handed over again. literally. Play continued after Chelsea removed a corner kick from Palmer, but referee Robert Jones was instructed to check his pitch screen by the video assistant referee. There he caught an inexplicable handball by Kai Havertz, who was lucky early on not to be penalized for stepping on Rodri’s foot, as he challenged Laporte with a header into the corner. Jones pointed for the penalty and Álvarez, in his first start since the World Cup, fired the penalty into the bottom corner. Arrizabalaga handed the penalty kick but could only work it at the post and inside.

The third was City’s pinnacle, a brilliant goal for the team that sealed the equaliser, summed up the fun their players were having and sent some Chelsea fans into the exits. Sergio Gomez and Álvarez flicked the ball to Rodri on the left and he switched play with a brilliant cross to Mahrez’s toes. The winger fed Kyle Walker as the right-back moved inside the penalty area, and as he cut the ball back from the line, Foden stretched out to head the end past the Arrizabalaga goal.

It was nearly four years before half-time with Alvarez inches away from Mahrez’s low cross all the way across the Chelsea goal. Potter Havertz and Mateo Kovacic substituted for Bfofana and Denis Zakaria respectively in the second half.

There was a modest improvement in Chelsea’s performance but it wasn’t enough to threaten even a consolation goal. Police and the hosts moved to the far section in the second half to remove Chelsea fans who were throwing drinks and objects at City supporters on the level below. Those who stayed on in the closing stages saw Mahrez reach four from the penalty spot after Foden was knocked down by Kalidou Koulibaly. Oxford or Arsenal await City at the Etihad Stadium in the fourth round. Another investigation awaits Potter.

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