LONDON: Michael Essien scored his second goal in two games since returning from a serious knee injury, giving Chelsea a 1-0 win over Manchester City yesterday to stay second in the Premier League and add pressure on leader Manchester United.
The Ghana midfielder scored in the 18th minute at Stamford Bridge, hooking the ball home first time from inside the box after teammate Frank Lampard had taken a quick free kick from 35 meters (yards).
Essien, who returned from six months out with a ruptured cruciate ligament last week, also scored against Juventus last Tuesday to lead Chelsea into the Champions League quarterfinals.
Chelsea is second in the standings with 61 points — above Liverpool on goal difference — to be four points behind Man United, albeit with the Red Devils having a game in hand.
Man City dropped to 10th with 35 points, six above the relegation zone.
City extended its scoreless run at Stamford Bridge to eight years, failing to win at the stadium for 16 seasons.
The capacity crowd, already delighted that Liverpool had given Chelsea a window of opportunity by beating United 4-1 Saturday, had roared when Lampard poked home a ball from Essien in the second minute, but the England midfielder was ruled offside.
It wasn’t until the 23rd minute that Man City, which has not won away from home for 12 games, earned its first chance. However, Ecuadorean forward Felipe Caicedo, let loose by Wayne Bridge on the left, fired wide with the goal at his mercy.
Chelsea might have been have awarded a penalty when Nicolas Anelka, bearing down on goal from the right, was brought down by Nedum Onuoha in the area but referee Mike Riley waved play on.
Chelsea had further chances. In the 36th minute, Michael Ballack hooked wide while unbalanced after a neat back heel from Didier Drogba had sent him free on goal. Two minutes later, Essien headed over the crossbar from Lampard’s flick.
Brazil forward Robinho, the subject of a transfer battle with Chelsea before moving to City for a British record 32.5 million pounds at the start of the season, gave a subdued performance and was jeered by the crowd.
He was eventually substituted with 10 minutes left by Valeri Bojinov, who immediately drew a rare save from Petr Cech when he rifled a shot straight at the goalkeeper.
Chelsea began the second half with both Anelka and Essien shooting just wide in the first 10 minutes after the break.
The Blues came dangerously close to doubling their lead in the 52nd when Portugal right back Jose Bosingwa sprinted away on a jinking run before laying the ball off to Drogba, who forced goalkeeper Shay Given to make a punching save.
Ten minutes later, Juliano Belletti shot from distance and his powerful strike had Given beaten but ricocheted off the post.
Man City counterattacked with former Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips and Onuoha forcing the pace down the flanks, creating some anxious moments for the Blues defense without finding a final shot.
Drogba, who has returned to form since Guus Hiddink took over from the fired Luiz Felipe Scolari last month, hobbled off the pitch in the 70th minute with an apparent ankle injury.
He was replaced by France winger Florent Malouda, who could have made Chelsea’s win safe in the 85th but his shot hit the side netting. A minute later, another shot from the Frenchman was cleared off the line by captain Richard Dunne.
