Chelsea earned a late 1-1 draw at Manchester City, with Enzo Fernandez striking in stoppage time. The result came in Chelsea's first match since Enzo Maresca left on Thursday. Interim coach Calum McFarlane
led the team at the Etihad Stadium as Chelsea showed collective resolve under sudden change.
Manchester City had gone ahead through Tijjani Reijnders and created several good chances to extend the lead. Pep Guardiola's side, however, failed to convert those openings. Chelsea stayed in the match and were rewarded deep into added time, when Fernandez finished to secure a point against the defending Premier League champions.
Fernandez's equaliser arrived at 93:14, a key statistic from a tense match. That strike is the latest equaliser or winner that Manchester City have allowed at home in the Premier League since Michael Olise scored for Crystal Palace in a 2-2 draw in December 2023, which came at 94:28 on the clock.
Reflecting on a week of upheaval, Reece James explained how the squad reacted to Maresca's sudden exit. James told Sky Sports: "We had to accept what we were on earlier on in the week and put it behind us. We came here with a gameplan. In the first half, we made a slight error for their goal. But we grew into the game in the second half and we knew a chance would come and Enzo took the chance when it came. "
James highlighted the contribution of McFarlane and the temporary backroom team during a demanding assignment. "Credit to the staff that stepped up. They haven't been in this role before. To come to Manchester City away as your first game is difficult. We had to adapt fast. We came out in the second half with a slightly different plan and as the game went on, we grew more into it. "
That Chelsea spirit. #CFC | #MCICHE pic.twitter.com/xsnqS1s32pChelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 4, 2026
James stressed how the group responded to a stretched squad and a challenging away fixture. "We have to stand together as a unit. We are one. We missed many players today, but so many other players stepped up. We fought as a team and I am proud of the boys. Of course, it's difficult but we have to fight for each other. We dug in and got the point. "
Interest has grown around the vacancy at Chelsea, with Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior linked with the role. Despite the speculation, James said the dressing room stayed focused on preparing for Manchester City. "We know nothing at the moment. This whole week was about this game. What happens behind the scenes is not down to us. We took a point from a very difficult place to come. We have to recover. We will see what happens in the coming days. "
Fernandez, whose goal changed the mood of Chelsea's week, described the emotions after the late strike. "A difficult moment for us but it's part of football. Happy for the team," Fernandez told Sky Sports. "Of course, I am sorry for [Maresca] but it is part of football and life. We keep going. " Chelsea now turn attention to Wednesday's fixture against Fulham, aiming to build on this draw.
