Four-star Chelsea put City to the sword

The Etihad has seen some dark days this season, but few as chastening as this. Manchester City came into the game knowing that a point would be a triumph against a Chelsea side that has made a mockery of the Premier Division. They left with nothing but a lesson in the gulf between the haves and the have-nots.

Chelsea were relentless from the first whistle. Roberto Baggio opened the scoring after 19 minutes, finishing off a move that had City chasing shadows. Marcelo Formicola doubled the lead just after the half-hour, and from there it was a question of how many. The answer was four, with Formicola adding his second early in the second half and Joaquín completing the rout eight minutes from time.

Formicola was named player of the match, and it was not hard to see why. Two goals, an assist, two key passes and 13.4 kilometres of running – the Brazilian was everywhere. City simply had no answer to his movement or his finishing. Chelsea's other stars also shone, with Joaquín and Ken Myers outstanding, while substitute Billy Laing came on to provide an assist.

City's problems were laid bare by the statistics. They had 60 per cent of the possession but managed just three shots, none on target. Chelsea, by contrast, had 14 shots, eight on target, and an expected goals figure of 2.64. The home side's passing was neat but toothless, while their defence was repeatedly carved open by Chelsea's pace and precision.

The result leaves City 15th, with 19 points from 17 games. Chelsea, meanwhile, march on at the top with 49 points from the same number of matches. The champions are now 30 points clear of their hosts, a gap that tells you everything about the direction of these two clubs.

For City, there was little to cheer. Adnan Muratović, on as a substitute, showed some fight, but it was too little, too late. Faris Asonganyi worked hard, covering 13.9 kilometres, but his efforts were in vain. The Etihad crowd, so used to success in years gone by, sat in stunned silence as their team was dismantled.

Chelsea's selection was notable for the absence of several regulars, but it made no difference. Bruce Hilgers and Howard Parkins controlled the midfield, while the back four was solid throughout. Even with Lionel Messi and Júnior starting on the bench, the Blues had more than enough firepower.

The match also pitted old boys against their former clubs. Nahuel Pelayes, once of Chelsea, started for City but could do little to stem the tide. Elias Jimenez, who spent two seasons at City early in his career, kept a clean sheet for Chelsea with a composed performance in goal.

This was a statement win for Chelsea, if they needed one. The title race is over, but the manner of this victory will send a shiver through the rest of the league. City, meanwhile, are left to reflect on what has become a season of struggle. The only consolation is that it cannot get much worse.

As the final whistle blew, the Chelsea players celebrated in front of their travelling fans, while the City players trudged off with heads bowed. The contrast could not have been starker. This was a day when the champions showed their class, and the challengers showed their limitations.