Chelsea were unable to close the gap to the top four despite an improved performance against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge. The Blues sit 10th after 17 Premier League matches having picked up 25 points, 10 fewer that fourth-placed Manchester United.
Graham Potter's side were the better team for large swathes of the game but could not capitalise on their moments of control. Man City found their quality in the second period and piled on pressure as Jack Grealish found Riyad Mahrez to tap in from close range.
That goal was enough to separate the teams with Chelsea unable to breach Ederson's goal as they pushed for an equaliser late on. The match brought a more positive note for the Blues than their draw against Nottingham Forest however with a more cohesive display and a debut for Omari Hutchinson.
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football.london takes a look at the moments you may have missed from Chelsea's defeat to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge
Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly's in-depth conversation
Following his performance against Nottingham Forest it would have been a surprise for many to see Kalidou Koulibaly make the cut against Manchester City. The Senegal international had a tough outing at the City Ground but partnered Thiago Silva at the centre of a back four for the third time in a row for the visit of Pep Guardiola's side.
Koulibaly swapped to the left side of the partnership, in preparation to battle Erling Haaland and was much improved as a result. Silva and Koulibaly brought plenty of intensity to the meeting and it was present even ahead of the game.
The duo were in deep conversation almost as soon as they made their way onto the pitch ahead of kick-off, seeming to discuss plans for the 90 minutes ahead. Silva firmly gestured to enforce his points as the team lined up, with Koulibaly equally emphasising his points.
It was a disciplined display from the pair who operated close to Denis Zakaria, Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech in the midfield three to restriction Haaland to just his third Premier League appearance without providing a goal contribution.
Stamford Bridge hints at transfer potential
There was no shortage of high-profile visitors to Stamford Bridge on Thursday evening. New signing Benoit Badiashile made his first trip to Stamford Bridge after joining the club on a seven-and-a-half-year deal. The Frenchman was sat next to co-owner and intermin-sporting director Todd Boehly.
The former Monaco defender became Chelsea's second January transfer following in the footsteps of young forward David Datro Fofana, who was present for Chelsea's draw with Nottingham Forest. The 20-year-old was once again in attendance, albeit seated elsewhere for the visit of Man City.
There was perhaps a hint of the work Boehly and the recruitment team are undertaking in west London too with Shakhtar Donetsk director of sport Darijo Srna also pictured in attendance. Chelsea are said to be interested in making a move for Mykhaylo Mudryk, should Arsenal not be successful in their attempts.
Mudryk has made clear his hope to sign for the Gunners who lodged an official bid in the region of £55million including add-ons, though that falls short of the £80million asking price set by the Ukrainian side. Srna has also been pictured in restaurant with former Arsenal and Chelsea star Willian and Eduardo Silva. The trio were teammates at Shakhtar.
Koulibaly scare
With injuries to Christian Pulisic and Raheem Sterling in the opening 20 minutes of Chelsea vs Manchester City, Chelsea's injury list grew to 10 names. Potter has a group of players who come close to making a very impressive lineup and finds his options for the first team more limited than he would like.
In the opening period at Stamford Bridge, there was concern that another named would be added to that list. Shortly after Pulisic was replaced by Carney Chukwuemeka, Koulibaly could be seen moving gingerly and pointing down to one of his boots.
It felt like the Blues could just not escape injuries, but on this occasion they could breathe a sight of relief. The former Napoli star was simply informing the bench that he hoped to replace his boots when a stoppage allowed and Koulibaly was soon frustrating the opposition with the slow pace he utilised to swap pairs by the dugout.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang anger
With more time to work with Potter than most during the World Cup, Aubameyang may have believed he could persuade the Chelsea head coach he was worthy of a start. The 33-year-old forward has been limited to opportunities off of the bench since the Premier League's restart however.
Thursday evening saw him replace Raheem Sterling in the opening minutes but was replaced after 67. Safe to say, Aubameyang did not seem too impressed.
The former Arsenal star's anger was easy to see, though he still greeted Potter on his way off the pitch, as the striker shook his head as he made his way to his seat in the dugout. Chelsea boss Potter, was nonplussed by his charge's frustration however.
He said in his press conference: “He came on after one minute, hadn’t played for a while, and put in an absolute shift for us given Manchester City make you run a lot. I thought he did everything he could for the team. He was fatiguing a little bit, same as Hakim [Ziyech], so that was the decision. We needed a little bit of energy so I thought we could use Omari [Hutchinson], Conor [Gallagher], and Lewis [Hall]. Of course, players want to stay on the pitch and influence the game. It’s a normal reaction.
“No, I’ve not got time to speak in any depth in that point. You understand that footballers want to play and help the team. It’s a decision we have to make. He hasn’t played for a while and playing against Manchester City as a forward, sometimes you have to do a bit of work off the ball. He gave everything for the team and was fatiguing a little bit. So that was the decision.”
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