A Premier League classic already! Eight goals at the Bridge and a righteous draw

A stoppage-time penalty from ex-Manchester City player Cole Palmer snatched a well-deserved point for Chelsea against the Citizens in an enthralling 4-4 Premier League draw, with the flurry of goals providing a contrast to the 1-0 scoreline from each of the previous four league head-to-head encounters.

Buoyed by their memorable win against Tottenham Hotspur last time out, Chelsea showed plenty of intent in a blistering opening against the Citizens. Their positive start was stunted however, when Marc Cucurella grabbed Erling Haaland as the Norwegian went to attack Bernardo Silva’s cross. Haaland had to endure a lengthy wait to take the penalty but wasn’t impacted, sending Robert Sánchez the wrong way to calmly dispatch his 12th Premier League goal this season.

Undeterred, Chelsea struck twice in eight minutes having previously not scored in six head-to-head encounters since the 2021 UEFA Champions League final. Thiago Silva swiftly equalised when he met Conor Gallagher’s corner delivery with a superb header for his first goal since January 2022. Then, Reece James got the better of Joško Gvardiol and teed up Raheem Sterling to score against his former club. Sánchez came up with heroics of his own at the other end to deny Haaland, but he was left helpless by Manuel Akanji’s pinpoint header as the defender got a fourth goal in his last five matches for club and country.

There was absolutely no chance of things slowing down in the second half, as Julián Álvarez squared the ball for Haaland to bundle it over the line within 90 seconds of the restart. Sánchez made two important saves to keep the deficit to one, denying Álvarez’s instinctive effort and Jérémy Doku’s strike at the end of a typically mazy run. The Blues made the most of that impact, as Nicolas Jackson was quickest to react when Ederson parried Gallagher’s strike from range to convert his fourth goal in two games, having scored just twice in the Premier League before that.

Rodri’s strike from the edge of the box took a flick off Silva’s outstretched boot to wrong-foot Sánchez for what seemed to be the winner. There was one more twist, though, as Rúben Dias brought Armando Broja down in the 92nd minute for a penalty to be taken by Palmer in his first match since leaving the Citizens. The 21-year-old clinically converted despite the pressure, meaning Chelsea have lost just one of their last eight across all competitions with more positive signs coming for Mauricio Pochettino. Man City are still unbeaten in six competitive fixtures and top of the Premier League table.

PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 12

Saturday

Wolverhampton - Tottenham 2-1 (0-1)

/Sarabia 90+1, Lemina 90+7 - Johnson 3/

Arsenal - Burnley 3-1 (1-0)

/Trossard 45+1, Saliba 57, Zinchenko 74 - Brownhill 54/

Crystal Palace - Everton 2-3 (1-1)

/Eze 5 pen, Edouard 73 - Mykolenko 1, Doucoure 49, Gueye 86/

Manchester United - Luton 1-0 (0-0)

/Lindelof 59/

Bournemouth - Newcastle 2-0 (0-0)

/Solanke 60, 73/

Sunday

Brighton - Sheffield Utd 1-1 (1-0)

/Aldingra 6 - Van Hecke 73 og/

Liverpool - Brentford 3-0 (1-0)

/Salah 39, 63, Jota 74/

West Ham - Nott.Forest 3-2 (1-1)

/Paqueta 3, Bowen 66, Soucek 88 - Awoniyi 45, Elanga 63/

Aston Villa - Fulham 3-1 (2-0)

/Robinson 27 og, McGinn 42, Watkins 64 - Jimenez 70/

Chelsea - Man.City 4-4 (2-2)

/Silva 29, Sterling 37, Jackson 67, Palmer 90+5 pen - Haaland 25 pen, 47, Akanji 45+1, Rodri 86/