Summary
We exit the FA Cup at the fifth-round stage having not matched the performance level of the league win on this ground earlier in the month.
It was a deserved win for Manchester City who this time found a way to stop Chelsea's counter-attacking threat, and were able to restrict the visitors to no attempts on target during the 90 minutes.
Stevan Jovetic in the first half and Samir Nasri in the second scored the goals that did the damage after well-worked moves. Man City's display was not packed with attempts on goal, although Petr Cech saved well from Edin Dzeko before the break, but they had enough to end our run of 12 games unbeaten, stretching back to the Capital One Cup exit at Sunderland.
Team News
There was good news before kick-off with Gary Cahill fit to start following his calf injury in the closing minutes at West Brom midweek. It meant Jose Mourinho was able to name the same side as the one that did so well in the league game here, bar one player. With David Luiz needed in defence in the absence of John Terry, John Mikel Obi was drafted into midfield.
Manuel Pellegrini made five more changes from two weeks ago, with Costel Pantilimon in goal and Gael Clichy, Joleon Lescott, Javi Garcia, James Milner and Stevan Jovetic also starting.
First half
Prior to kick-off there was a minute's silence which turned to applause for legendary England international Sir Tom Finney who died yesterday aged 91. A one-club man, one of the most famous photos of the winger was taken when Preston visited Stamford Bridge in 1956 (pictured below). He was also a special guest at a reunion dinner of our 1955 Championship-winning side, held at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea in 2005.
It surprised many people how open the recent league game between these sides was, so given the outcome for the home side that night, it was less of a surprise Man City committed men forward and left gaps far less readily in the early stages of this match.
They did have territorial advantage during that period but it wasn't until Petr Cech didn't hold a Yaya Toure shot on 14 minutes that the first chance came. Jovetic was the player following in but with a lot of the goal to aim for, the Montenegro striker clipped the bar.
He atoned for the miss just a minute later. A quick move involving Clichy, Silva and Dzeko moved the ball to the right and found Chelsea's cover stretched. With the chance there to shoot first-time across Cech, Jovetic found the net via the inside of the far post.
There was hope of a quick reply from the Blues when Pantilimon fumbled an Ivanovic cross but City scrambled the ball clear before Eto'o could capitalise.
The home team's next effort was screwed well wide by Toure who had earlier been spoken to by referee Phil Dowd following a succession of fouls.
Cech dived to save Dzeko's well-struck 23rd-minute shot. Man City were on top with Chelsea struggling to retain the ball when we won it in our own half. When it was worked upfield, Willian shot high over the bar.
However as the half entered its final quarter-of-an-hour there was a degree of consolidation by Chelsea. The ball was protected more carefully and we defended one wrongly awarded free-kick well.
Vincent Kompany was the first player booked when he brought down Hazard as Chelsea were springing into a counter-attack just inside the City half.
Two minutes before the interval the home side went close to doubling the lead when Milner's low ball fired across goal just evade Dzeko. David Luiz was booked for a challenge in the build-up having over-committed when coming forward to intercept.
Instead it was a single-goal deficit we took into the changing room at half-time. A recovery was within reach, but it would need more menace to be found in our attacking play.
Second half
Mourinho brought on Mohamed Salah for Samuel Eto'o for the restart. Our team shape now would more closely match that of City, with the Egyptian and Hazard the most forward players and Willian out on the left wing with Ramires remaining on the right.
Chelsea were initially asked to do plenty of defending as the home side drilled a collection of crosses into our area, but City were kept at bay. Jovetic was booked after running into David Luiz and tumbling in the quest for a free-kick near the Chelsea penalty area.
Still we had yet to muster an attempt on target so the Hazard-Salah experiment was parked in favour of Fernando Torres. The Spaniard replaced Ramires on 60 minutes. Pellegrini made his first change at the same time - Samir Nasri, who was back from injury, coming on for Jovetic.
The referee's patience with Toure's fouls came to an end soon after and a yellow card was shown after a tangle of long legs with Matic.
The home side's second goal came on 65 minutes when Chelsea were opened up down the inside-left channel. The ball was played forward to Nasri who moved it on to Silva; debatably judged just onside. The Spaniard cut the ball inside to Nasri who had continued his run and beat the unprotected Cech.
Two-nil was a fair reflection of the game with Chelsea having not tested Pantilimon since the keeper's early mishandling. The difference between a team that had their midweek game postponed and one that had played a league game away from home may have been on show.
The final substitution by Mourinho swapped one Brazilian for another - Willian off, Oscar on.
Lescott had the ball in the Chelsea net after a corner as the home side looked to put the tie to bed once and for all but was ruled offside.
Inside the final 10 minute we won our first two corners of the game, but City were equal to the deliveries and when we pushed forward in open play, there were plenty of opponents back to snuff out danger.
It was always going to need a top performance from the Blues to remain in this competition given the tough draw, and on this occasion it was a step too far.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech (c); Ivanovic, Cahill, D Luiz, Azpilicueta; Mikel, Matic; Ramires (Torres 60), Willian (Oscar 71), Hazard; Eto'o (Salah h/t).
Unused subs Schwarzer, Cole, Lampard, Schurrle.
Booked David Luiz 44, Matic 88.
Man City (4-4-2): Pantilimon; Zabaleta, Kompany (c), Lescott, Clichy; Milner, Y Toure, Garcia, Silva (Navas 68); Dzeko (Negredo 80), Jovetic (Nasri 60).
Unused subs Hart, Richards, Demichelis, Kolarov.
Scorers Jovetic 16, Nasri 66.
Booked Kompany 38, Jovetic 56, Y Toure 62, Garcia 83.
Referee Phil Dowd
Crowd 47,013
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