Ben Wilkinson’s new Elite Development Squad travelled to the capital on Monday evening for our first outing of the new campaign.
After a thrilling opening 45 minutes, which saw play yo-yo from one end to the other with great intensity, Chelsea took the lead through a Shumaira Mheuka header on the brink of the break.
MATCH REPORT | CHELSEA 3-1 CITY
The hosts carried their momentum into the second half with the Chelsea captain scoring a similar goal two minutes after the restart to leave City with an uphill battle.
Wilkinson’s young squad showed great strength against a difficult Chelsea outfit and was rewarded with a goal on 78 minutes.
Lakyle Samuel halved the deficit from close range with a vicious right-footed shot.
But another Mheuka strike, to complete his hat-trick on 86 minutes, confirmed the 3-1 defeat for City on the opening weekend of 2025/26.
Watch our extended highlights above...
SUBSCRIBE TO CITY+
With a CITY+ subscription you also unlock a host of exclusive content throughout the 2025/26 season including -
- LIVE MATCHES: 70+ live fixtures, including games from Premier League 2, UEFA Youth League, WSL and the Conti‑Cup - subject to broadcast scheduling
- FULL MATCH REPLAYS: The full 90 minutes of every men’s first-team game, available within 24 hours after kick-off
- HIGHLIGHTS: Our brand-new 20‑minute highlights package for each men’s fixture
- DOCUMENTARIES: Our award‑winning City Studios documentaries, including Together and other behind-the-scenes series
