How often does this happen? Two previously free-scoring teams meet with much expectation of a goal bonanza but instead a tight, less-than-spectacular match is served up as entertainment.

In fact there were shades of Chelsea’s last home Premiership home game this afternoon, the narrowest of wins and a very similar Hasselbaink poached goal to his one past Villa deciding the day. But against more in-form, and frankly better opposition today than O’Leary’s lot, satisfaction is there to be taken from this result.

City did have it within their power to press Chelsea back at times, particularly in the opening and closing periods, and the post kept them out soon after the Chelsea goal.

Claudio Ranieri’s side also threatened again soon after that goal as the visitors were briefly reduced to chaos, but otherwise it was a victory based largely on hard graft.

It was the flanks of the team that were freshened up by the Chelsea coach going in to the game. Mario Melchiot was restored to right-back, Joe Cole was given a rare start on the left of midfield and Jesper Gronkjaer was given the chance to stretch the long leg’s of City’s Michael Tarnat down the right.

Adrian Mutu was the striker retained to play alongside Hasselbaink and it was a combination that paid dividends with the goal on 33 minutes.

A patient build-up had allowed the Romanian to peel off to the left and when he received the ball, he had little else in his mind than to attack Sommeil who had followed him. Mutu won the dash to the bye-line and smacked the ball low across goal.

Before the game David Seaman endured with a smile the arm-flapping taunts of the Matthew Harding end but those taunts suddenly looked rather prescient when the superannuated stopper only succeeded in pushing the ball into the path of Hasselbaink who bundled home.

Mutu had nearly carved out an opener just minutes earlier when his chip to the far post was headed in by Frank Lampard as the linesman’s flag went up for offside. It must have been close.

Then just a minute after taking the lead, Lampard reversed the roles and flew down the right before crossing to Mutu at the back post. The goal looked to be gaping but instead, the option of a head back across to Cole was taken but it was a header too strong.

Anelka had unsurprisingly looked the biggest threat for the visits in the opening stages, the offside flag his greatest opponent at times, but it was Robbie Fowler who came the closest to pulling it back, forcing Cudicini into a superb flying push onto the post when he sent Tarnat’s cross goalwards. It was practically the only time anyone noticed the rusty former goal machine.

That was the most enthralling period of the game. For the rest of the time stout defending and competitive midfield battling ruled. There was a fair share quick balls forward in attempts to exploit the pace of Anelka and Mutu but otherwise, it was with crosses that most in-roads were made by either side.

On five minutes defender Sommeil advanced forward and met Tarnat’s cross but volleyed over and Chelsea retaliated when Frank Lampard’s long ball was reached by Hasselbaink but he shot tamely wide. Joe Cole at one point moved over to the right and made a thrust for centre ground before sending a low ball in; a stretching Hasselbaink turning it into the gloves of Seaman.

And good play by Lampard allowed Hasselbaink to find Mutu who also prodded at Seaman After the break, Gronkjaer attempted to bring variety to the attack, steaming off down the centre of the pitch from his own half but after performing a Moses act on the parting City defence, he shot straight at Seaman.

A creative moment from Cole fed Mutu who brilliantly jinked into space in the area but his shot was blocked and then Bridge’s follow-up cross caused a scramble before City hacked clear.

In truth, another goal was looking unlikely. Trevor Sinclair resorted to trying his luck from distance but this was the real Cudicini rather than that impostor at Highbury and he dropped on it with ease.

With quarter of the game to go, Geremi was brought on for Gronkjaer and then minutes later Duff came on for Cole. Wanchope entered for Fowler as Keegan attempted to bring a new edge to his attack.

The tall Sibierski then followed for Reyna which may have prompted the introduction of Huth’s height. Hasselbaink departed as Chelsea mutated into a 3-4-3.

In the closing stages Sinclair took the opportunity to crack another shot in but Cudicini was again up to the task as Chelsea held onto the win with relative easy.

Kevin Keegan has never won here as a manager, neither for Man City or Newcastle. He has suffered far more convincing defeats than this one at Stamford Bridge before - but as we prevented the Premiership’s top scorers from finding the net, we continued to look a side that will be very hard to beat.

                                                         M-O-T-M=Adrian Mutu