3 Up & 2 Down: Manchester City 2-0 Chelsea FC

Manchester City are off and running in the Carabao Cup. The Sky Blues eliminated Chelsea FC by a final scoreline of 2-0. Here’s a look at what’s trending up and what is trending down after the League Cup Third Round.

3 Up -

Stefan Ortega Moreno - Man City have the backup goalkeeper spot sorted. Ortega was rock solid in net against Chelsea. The German made several vital saves, including stopping 2 close-range 1-v-1 chances from youngster Lewis Hall. Stefan faced quality chances throughout the match and dispatched them all with calm confidence.

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Spiderman! - Julian Alvarez is up due in large part due to his consistency. Every time his spikes have hit the pitch for City he has delivered a strong performance. On his League Cup debut, he once again displayed his promise. A strong presence in the press and integral in the attack. Alvarez scored the only goal from the run of play, but more than that, he created the chance with a perfect cross to spring Mahrez. Édouard Mendy saved Riyad’s shot, but Araña was there to put home the striker’s chance.

Mahrez Moment - Speaking of Riyad, perhaps no player has been featured in 3 Up & 2 Down more. This week he is back in the up category. It was a really nice run out for Riyad. He played a significant role in the Alvarez goal and opened the scoring with a marvel free kick. More consistency is needed, but Wednesday was a good step.

2 Down -

Grealish Hate - Ortega was the Man City Man of the Match, but Sky Sports gave their MotM to Grealish. Jack had a very nice evening teaming up with Cole Palmer and Sergio Gomez on the left side. The haters will point to no goals and no assists, but Jack was just short of brilliant on the night and forced multiple saves from Mendy.

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Animosity - There was some pre-match concern about the reception that Raheem Sterling would receive from City supporters on his Etihad return. Given how some of Razza’s comments earlier in the season were received, some predicted boos for the former City man. Sterling didn’t start for Graham Potter, but he came on in the 68th minute to noticeable applause. A fitting tribute for a player who scored 131 goals in a City shirt.

There you have it Cityzens. What trends caught your eye on the night? Let us know in the comments.