28 Feb 2010

Manchester City beat league leaders Chelsea 4-2

6:04 am on 28 February 2010

The Manchester City football club scored a memorable 4-2 victory over English Premier League leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on an afternoon when the drama started before the match kicked off.

It began with the highly publicised first meeting between former Chelsea team mates John Terry and Wayne Bridge since details of Terry's alleged affair with Bridge's former girlfriend created a media storm.

Bridge ignored Terry's outstretched arm and refused to shake his hand in the pre-match greeting ceremony and while their paths did not cross on the pitch, Bridge emerged the happier man on the day.

Bridge's long punt upfield at the end of the first half led to City's first goal after Terry failed to deal with the resulting confusion Bridge's kick created.

Chelsea, reduced to nine men with the sendings off of Julliano Belletti and Michael Ballack, never recovered after a Carlos Tevez goal which drew City level and they ended it beaten at home for the first time in 37 matches since November 2008.

While it might have been an emotional day for Bridge and Terry, it was also a significant one for Tevez, who scored twice after returning from compassionate leave in Argentina following the premature birth of his second daughter last week.

City's victory, their first at Stamford Bridge for 17 years with their first goals there for eight matches, dented Chelsea's title hopes while lifting City from fifth to fourth.

Chelsea remain top with 61 points from 28 matches, one more point more than Manchester United, who play Aston Villa in the League Cup final at Wembley Stadium.