Manchester City moved to within five points of Premier League leaders Arsenal with a 1-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.
Riyad Mahrez and Jack Grealish, both off the bench in the second half, combined to give Pep Guardiola's men the breakthrough after a poor opening 45 minutes from the champions.
Chelsea battled well but their goal threat was greatly diminished as they lost Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic to injury, and a late opening for substitute Lewis Hall was as close as they came to an equaliser.
With Arsenal having drawn with Newcastle United on Tuesday, the onus was on City to take advantage of the table-toppers' slip, and they were firm favourites against Graham Potter's side, who had won just one of six matches in all competitions prior to this meeting.
Sterling seemed to hurt his hamstring in the opening minutes against his old club, and Pulisic was also forced off after failing to recover from a robust John Stones challenge that denied the USA star a clear chance for the opening goal.
Yet Chelsea looked the more threatening side in the first half and teenager Carney Chukwuemeka almost put them in front, his shot from the edge of the area rattling the base of the left-hand post.
Guardiola changed personnel and system at halftime and the alterations made an immediate difference as City began to take control, with one of the substitutes, Nathan Ake, heading a deep Kevin De Bruyne cross against the outside of the post.
Thiago Silva missed a good chance for the home side following a corner before substitute Mahrez got the goal City's improved performance deserved. Starting the move from the right, the Algeria winger laid the ball infield and raced into the box; when Grealish sent in a low first-time cross from De Bruyne's pass, Mahrez had the simple task of putting the ball in the net.
Chelsea put up a spirited late show with some youngsters impressing off the bench, although Hall should have done better when he fired over from a promising position late on.
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