Chelsea 2 - 4 City

Unbelievable. When I said to a Blackburn supporting friend of mine that I never held out much hope for trips to Stamford Bridge, citing their impeccable home record and City's woes there as evidence, he said "well, do you think they will ever lose at home again? then why not today!". Why not today. Football never ceases to amaze. An excellent performance - both defensively and with the quality to cause Chelsea problems on the break. All the moaners should hopefully drop their assaults now. Mancini, like against Liverpool, got it spot on. And, as he said, Tevez was what we were lacking last week. After some 14 days away from the team, Tevez still looked like he could produce something from nothing today. We do seem to rely on him, but he wasn't the only top performer today.

The first half was all about containment and there was perhaps too greater distance between the midfield and Tevez, making the counter-attacking tactic difficult to implement. However, after the break, buoyed by Tevez breaking the Stamford Bridge-goal drought hoodoo, City grew in confidence and thoroughly deserved the win, that was already well in motion before either sending off. City were three-one up before Chelsea faced us with a numbers deficit.

With Hughes in the studio for SkySports, he would have wished for a display of such defensive togetherness under his own management, and Lescott perhaps played his best game for the club - displaying non of the jitters that typified his performances under Hughes. You do have to feel sorry for Hughes though, and he probably wasn't expecting to watch an improved City on his return to the public spotlight. Lescott and Kompany must now be considered the club's first choice centre-back pairing. Like Lucio and Samuel in the week, they reduced one of the world's best strikers to long range efforts and free-kicks.

With all the focus on Bridge, he kept his head remarkably well and produced the kind of performance to do all the talking. Mancini was sensible to withdraw him as it will be the performance now, rather than any post-match shenanigans, that will be remembered. Bridge looked delighted as the goals kept rolling in and this will be an important victory for him. Ironically, the whole affair seemed to bring City together as a unit and the spirit that is sometimes lacking from our away displays was vitally important today. An all action midfield display and Tevez pointing to Bridge's shirt after the third are only two examples of this.

It will be important for City to keep the momentum from this game - the first double over Chelsea since the 50s - and the belief this could give the side should help the push for this fourth spot.