Man City rout Chelsea to close gap on Arsenal

Pep Guardiola's side scored twice in six minutes to seal a crucial victory.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 9:13pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist, geometric painting depicting the intensity and dynamism of a Premier League football match, with the players' forms deconstructed into abstract shapes and colors.Manchester City's decisive victory over Chelsea has reignited the Premier League title race, with the defending champions now firmly in the hunt for the championship.Manchester Today

Manchester City produced a dominant second-half performance to defeat Chelsea 3-0 and close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal. Nico O'Reilly and Marc Guehi scored in quick succession after the break to put the home side in control, with Erling Haaland adding a late third to seal the win.

Why it matters

The result keeps Manchester City firmly in the title race, with the defending champions now just three points behind Arsenal at the top of the table. Chelsea's defeat is a blow to their hopes of securing a top-four finish this season.

The details

Manchester City were the better side throughout and took control of the game with two quick-fire goals early in the second half. O'Reilly opened the scoring in the 52nd minute, before Guehi doubled the lead just six minutes later. Haaland then added a third late on to seal a comfortable victory for the home side.

  • The match was played on Sunday, April 12, 2026.

The players

Pep Guardiola

The manager of Manchester City, who led his team to a crucial victory over Chelsea.

Nico O'Reilly

The Manchester City player who scored the opening goal in the second half.

Marc Guehi

The Manchester City defender who scored the second goal in the second half.

Erling Haaland

The Manchester City striker who scored the third goal late in the game.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We knew we had to come out strong in the second half and we did that. The lads were brilliant and we deserved the three points.”

— Pep Guardiola, Manchester City Manager

What’s next

Manchester City will look to build on this victory as they continue their pursuit of the Premier League title, while Chelsea will need to regroup and try to bounce back in their next match.

The takeaway

This result has reignited the Premier League title race, with Manchester City now firmly in the hunt for the championship. The defending champions have shown their quality and determination to close the gap on leaders Arsenal.