Riyad Mahrez scored twice as Manchester City thrashed last season’s runners-up, Chelsea 4-0 at Etihad Stadium in Third Round of 2022-23 FA Cup.
Riyad Mahrez curled City ahead from a 23rd minute free-kick before Julian Alvarez doubled their lead from a 30th minute penalty, after Video Assistant Referee (VAR) ruled Kai Havertz had handballed from a corner.
Phil Foden completed a comfortable home victory for the six-time winners with a 38th minute strike, before he won a late second-half penalty, which Mahrez converted to complete his brace and complete a 4-0 result.
Man City now face a home tie in the Fourth Round against the winner of Oxford United’s Third Round match against Arsenal.
Having clinched a narrow win in their league meeting at Stamford Bridge just days earlier, Man City enjoyed a strong start as they pressed Chelsea which the Blues calmly weathered, with Mahrez finally creating the first chance with a tenth minute pullback pass but Kepa Arrizabalaga blocked.
Youngsters, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer meanwhile wasted further chances for City in a competitive opening 20 minutes, until Chelsea’s Lewis Hall conceded a 25-yard free-kick with a 22nd minute foul.
Mahrez stepped up and calmly curled his free-kick into the near top-right corner as a helpless Arrizabalga made a desperate late dive, which sent home supporters wild in celebrations with Mahrez having scored in all three appearances against Chelsea this season in three separate competitions.
Chelsea’s misery soon worsened as Havertz handballed Foden’s 27th minute corner which referee – Robert Jones failed to spot, unlike VAR who instructed him to take a pitchside monitor review from which he awarded a penalty.
Alvarez stepped up and calmly dispatched the penalty into the bottom-left corner via deflection of the inside post, as Arrizabalaga dived correctly to his right in vain.
The Spanish goalkeeper was soon in action as he denied Alvarez and Mahrez a second goal apiece, yet was again beaten in the 38th minute as Kyle Walker on the underlap teed up Foden on the pullback and the 22 year-old netted City’s third goal from close-range.
City eventually controlled the remainder of the first-half with a protective three-goal lead into the break, which put them on course for the Fourth Round for a 11th consecutive season and a potential blockbuster Fourth Round tie at home to Arsenal.
Graham Potter meanwhile made tweaks to his Chelsea line-up as Mateo Kovacic and Havertz were hooked at the break, with debutant, David Datro Fofana plus Denis Zakaria sent on for the second-half.
City though continued to control the match throughout the second-half but were lucky not to concede in the 55th minute, as Conor Gallagher played a free-kick forward down the right for Mason Mount, who curled marginally wide of left corner via a deflection.
Mahrez meanwhile missed another chance to snatch a brace as he fired wide of the left corner in the 73rd minute, as the Algeria international attempted to wrap up victory with a fourth goal for City.
Pep Guardiola’s Citizens nevertheless proceeded to book their spot in the Fourth Round for a 11th season, which was officially confirmed as Kalidou Koulibaly fouled Foden in the 84th minute to concede a penalty.
Mahrez stepped up and smashed the spot-kick down the middle to complete his brace which meant that he has scored four goals in three appearances against Graham Potter’s Blues this season.
City now have reached the Fourth Round for 11 consecutive seasons, whilst Chelsea’s hopes for a trophy this season now lies in the UEFA Champions League, where they meet Borussia Dortmund in the Round of 16.
What’s Next?
Man City will now visit Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium in a Quarter-Final tie in this season’s Carabao Cup on Wednesday 11 January, live on Sky Sports in a 8pm GMT kick-off.
Chelsea meanwhile are in Premier League action 24 hours later on Thursday 12 January live on BT Sport, albeit in a rearranged tie away to Fulham after the original meeting was postponed due to Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September.
Teams
Man City: Stefan Ortega, Kyle Walker, Manuel Akanji, Aymeric Laporte, Sergio Gomez (Cancelo 59′), Bernardo Silva, Rodri (Phillips 8′), Cole Palmer, Riyad Mahrez, Julian Alvarez, Phil Foden
Substitutes: Kalvin Phillips, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Joao Cancelo, Ilkay Gundogan, Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, Rico Lewis
Chelsea: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Bashir Humphreys, Kalidou Koulibaly, Trevoh Chalobah, Lewis Hall, Mateo Kovacic (Fofana 45′), Jorginho (Azpilicueta 63′), Mason Mount, (Chukwuemeka 73′) Hakim Ziyech (Hutchinson 63′), Kai Havertz (Zakaria 45′), Conor Gallagher
Substitutes: Benoit Badiashile, Thiago Silva, Marcus Bettinelli, Denis Zakaria, David Datro Fofana, Cesar Azpilicueta, Carney Chukwuemeka, Marc Cucurella, Omari Hutchinson
Referee: Robert Jones
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