Premier League: Manchester City Stumble Against Managerless Chelsea

Star midfielder Enzo Fernandez delivered a significant blow to Manchester City’s Premier League title hopes with a 94th-minute equaliser, securing a 1-1 draw for Chelsea at the Etihad, who are without a manager.

Tijjani Reijnders had given City a deserved half-time lead, but they suffered injuries to central defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias in the second half. City then conceded two points in the final moments when Fernandez scored at the back post.

The draw only allowed City to move back above Aston Villa into second place on goal difference, leaving them six points behind leaders Arsenal.

Chelsea were under the temporary management of the club’s under-21 coach Calum McFarlane after parting ways with Enzo Maresca on Thursday. The Blues

have won just once in their last eight league games, dropping to fifth in the table, but their spirited second-half performance earned them a point and brought them within three points of the top four.

City welcomed Rodri back for his first start since early October, and the Spaniard quickly showed why he was crowned the world’s best player before suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in September 2024.

City could not capitalise on numerous opportunities during a 0-0 draw at Sunderland on Thursday, which cost Pep Guardiola’s men a ninth consecutive win. They were again wasteful in front of goal before the break.

After a slow first 20 minutes, chances began to emerge for City as Phil Foden shot just wide and Bernardo Silva curled an effort over the bar. Filip Jorgensen, making his first Premier League start of the season in the Chelsea goal due to Robert Sanchez’s injury, made a brilliant save to tip Erling Haaland’s deflected shot behind.

Moments later, Haaland’s curling shot hit the inside of the post.

City’s pressure paid off three minutes before the break when Reijnders found space inside the box and blasted a powerful shot past Jorgensen at his near post.

Immediately after the restart, City almost squandered their first-half efforts. An ankle injury to Gvardiol left City short at the back, allowing Chelsea to break forward, and Pedro Neto missed from close range.

Chelsea focused on exploiting Gvardiol’s replacement, Abdukodir Khusanov, in their quest for an equaliser. City needed Gianluigi Donnarumma to deny Liam Delap from a narrow angle.

Donnarumma nearly saved his side again at the end with a remarkable stop from Fernandez, but the Argentine was first to the rebound to score.

Multiple City footballers fell to their knees in disappointment as Arsenal edged closer to their first league title in 22 years.

(With AFP Inputs)