The Dark Arts of David Luiz Are What Inspired Chelsea’s Manchester City Win

It’s the perceived wisdom that goals and only goals win football matches. That may be true in a literal sense, but so does knowing how to steal an advantage at decisive moments and benefit from it.

There was no shortage of risk when Chelsea’s David Luiz was sold short by a pass from Cesar Azpilicueta and stepped in front of Sergio Aguero to upend him after 30 minutes at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. The game was goalless, but that would have surely changed had the Manchester City striker not been blocked off by Luiz.

Aguero would have been through on goal. It would have been the Argentinean against Thibaut Courtois, one one one, and invariably, those contests only go one way when he is involved.

There was to be no celebration. Instead, Aguero found himself in a bundle on the floor with Luiz eventually running away with the ball. There was no free-kick and no case to answer, therefore no red card for Luiz, which he would have been expecting for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

The referee got it wrong. As Gary Neville would observe in commentary for Sky Sports, Anthony Taylor seemed to freeze, checking with his linesman on the other side of the pitch whether it was a free-kick or not, seemingly passing the buck for a decision to be made. It was a major call from Taylor, and one that would change the complexion of the game come the final whistle.

Goals from Diego Costa, Willian and Eden Hazard are what sealed a 3-1 victory for Antonio Conte’s Premier League leaders. Yet it was Luiz’s invention that built the platform to get them there.

It wasn’t Luiz’s concern that Taylor lost his nerve at a vital moment. That was for City and the referee to worry about. Luiz had done his job when protecting the Chelsea goal—that he did it with the assistance of some gamesmanship wasn’t important.

Indeed, it’s by championing those dark arts that the best players—defenders, midfielders and strikers—often excel in football. It’s a quality just as valuable as a player’s ability to read the game or position himself perfectly to finish off an attacking move.

City will rightly feel he should’ve gone for that. As for #CFC, it’s that ‘nous’ they missed so much last season.

— Garry Hayes (@garryhayes) December 3, 2016

Frowned upon it may be, but it’s all about game …

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