Chelsea deny Man City the clean sweep, as they reach FA Cup Final... (includes video highlights)

FA Cup Semi Final At Wembley Stadium

Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City

The two successful English teams in the Champions League in mid week met at Wembley Stadium this afternoon with an FA Cup Final place at stake. For Manchester City, yet more would be on the line chasing after an incredible clean sweep quadruple of trophies, a feat that had never yet been achieved in English football.

On a personal level, this match saw Guardiola meet Tuchel for the first time in English football. Spanish flair versus Teutonic efficiency – which approach would win out on the day? These two had first made acquaintance some 6 years ago in a restaurant in Munich when Guardiola was sweeping all before him as Bayern Munich manager. Tuchel was in between jobs at the time having previously left Mainz before he took the Dortmund job. They would go on to have a brief rivalry in Germany, one would assume a friendly one, as apparently they got on famously well, and now that would be renewed at England's national stadium. Tuchel had never beaten Guardiola in five previous meetings. Would he finally break his duck this afternoon?

So to the match. A bright sunny day in North London welcomed the two teams. Still no supporters in the stands, although that would change for the second semi final when Leicester would go on to meet Southampton, with 4000 fans allowed in to watch.

City started knocking the ball around effortlessly, as they always do, and yet Chelsea were the first team to threaten early into the match. Werner broke on the left playing the ball across to Hakim Ziyech who slotted the ball home into the net, but he didn't celebrate as a delayed flag for offside went up. Werner had strayed beyond the last defender when he received the ball. That attack buoyed Chelsea giving them belief, and for a short while it was they who were bossing the game, until City broke through Gabriel Jesus on the left, and after an exchange with De Bruyne it was his shot from distance that Kepa had to deal with.

There was a good tempo and cut and thrust to the early stages, with both teams willing and able to hit each other on the break. On 18 mins, Jorginho played a lovely ball to the overlapping Reece James, and his cross found his full back partner Ben Chillwell unmarked at the back post, but his half volley cut across the ball, and it screwed harmlessly wide.

Chelsea were playing with speed, aggression, and no little skill either, and at times City were sometimes struggling to cope. Even when City managed to get forward, dark blue shirts seemed to be constantly swarming around the ball carrier. From a corner on 33 mins, James had a pot-shot from distance and his effort swerved past the left hand post.

Finally, City started to assert themselves and they got the first of a couple of corners on 42 mins. From the second of these, the ball made its way back to Sterling on the edge of the box and his centre found Fernandinho who headed wide. City were starting to get some joy wide on the flanks, and they were pushing Chelsea back, as referee Mike Dean whistled for half time.

Early in the second half, Man City suffered a bit of a blow. Kevin De Bruyne turned his ankle and had to be replaced, however coming on was Phil Foden, who had been in sparkling form recently. That's the difficulty of playing City, their replacements pretty much are as good as those on the pitch. This game was becoming more and more of a chess match with both sides cancelling each other out, and City biding their time and allowing Chelsea to have then ball, so long as they didn't progress far up the pitch. That would be a dangerous game if Chelsea were able to break the lines, and on 54 mins they did.

Finally a breakthrough came. It was Mount who played in Werner who scooted up the left hand side between full back and centre back outpacing his markers, and his pass across the box found Ziyech who hooked the ball home. Almost a carbon copy of the goal that was earlier ruled out: City had not heeded the warning.

So, one nil to Tuchel's side, and a potent Chelsea break which was nearly repeated five minutes later. This time a long ball to Ziyech found the midfielder baring down on goal, and Zack Steffen the City keeper did ever so well to block his effort, as Chelsea threatened a second. Now City would have to push up, and that would open them up to being hit on the counter once again.

You could see the urgency on the City players starting to rise now as they pushed further forward, and Foden was starting to have an effect prompting and probing. On 69 mins from a corner, Rodri at the back post headed into the mixer, and Ruben Diaz headed way over. A chance missed.

City were now pressing and pressing as the game entered the last 15 mins, with them camped on the edge of the Chelsea box. The Blues were defending more and more desperately, and yet the chance of them breaking on the counter was still ever present. One such attack from Werner who sprinted half the length of the pitch saw the German hit a weak shot in the end that Kepa saved easily. One more goal would kill the game.

Into extra time, and 5 minutes were added. You had to be impressed with the organisation of the Chelsea rear-guard, a dark blue wall that City were finding virtually impenetrable. Would there be a sting in the tail? There nearly was. Christian Pulisic was played in and he rounded two City defenders before hitting a shot into the corner of the goal, but he was rightly adjudged offside.

Referee Mike Dean's whistle signalled the end of the game, and the end of Manchester City's quest to win an unprecedented quadruple. Chelsea had prevailed and would play in the May showpiece versus Leicester or Southampton. In truth, Chelsea were the better team and deserved their win. Would this game be a marker for the future too? Remember, Chelsea could meet City in the Champions League final, so this rivalry might be extended on to the end of this season.

So another meeting potentially in the offing, and Guardiola will have learned that Chelsea under Tuchel are edging closer to really challenging his team in the future. And as for another dinner date? I suggest that when they have their next meal, Tuchel insists that the tab be taken by his Spanish friend. I'm sure Guardiola would not begrudge him that...

Please click on the link below to the Official YouTube FA Cup YouTube channel for highlights of the match...

Picture image at top of post - https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea-vs-man-city-live-20406132