Chelsea suffer first league defeat of the season

Chelsea suffered their first defeat in this season's English Premier League campaign when they went down 1-0 away to Manchester City tonight.

City are now fourth with 11 points, the same as Arsenal and Manchester United, and all three are 4 points adrift of leaders Chelsea.

Chelsea were unlucky not to score on several occasions.

In the 27th minute, Drogba played a corner back to Malouda, whose cross to the far post was headed back across goal by Alex to Ivanovic, whose header hit the post. The ball rebounded to Ivanovic, whose second header was saved by Hart.

Chelsea were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when City’s 19-year-old Boyata blatantly body-checked Drogba inside the box.

This was the first time this season that Chelsea had not scored within the opening 34 minutes.

A minute after the break, Anelka fired just wide for the visitors, while a minute later, Essien headed over the bar when he should have scored.

The winner came from Tevez in the 59th minute. The Argentine picked up the ball just inside his own half and sprinted to the edge of the Chelsea penalty area before firing through the legs of Ashley Cole and into the net off the inside of the far left-hand post.