Enzo Fernández snatched a last-gasp point for Chelsea against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday evening, in the club’s first game since parting ways with manager Enzo Maresca on New Year’s Day.
Under-21 head coach Calum McFarlane took charge, and the Blues looked set for a tough night in the first half, being thoroughly outclassed by a City side that went into the break ahead thanks to Tijjani Reijnders.
Chelsea responded after the interval, and that pressure paid off. Fernández capitalised on a defensive lapse, sneaking in at the far post to rescue a point at the second attempt, keeping his team’s top-four hopes alive—though they remain with just one win in their last eight Premier League matches.
The draw will have been music to Arsenal’s ears, with the Gunners now six points clear at the top after City failed to close the gap.
Chelsea Player Ratings vs. Man City (4-2-3-1)
GK: Filip Jörgensen—6.9: Made a brilliant save to deny a deflected effort from Erling Haaland in the first half, but shouldn’t have been beaten at his near post for the Reijnders opener.
RB: Josh Acheampong—6.1: The youngster showed plenty of heart, making several key tackles and interceptions, but was ultimately overpowered by City’s attackers and dispossessed too often before being withdrawn.
CB: Trevoh Chalobah—6.8: Like Acheampong, put in a wholehearted display on a busy night, contributing with numerous important clearances and showing plenty of commitment.
CB: Benoît Badiashile—6.6: Another wholehearted performance in Chelsea’s backline. Made a crucial interception in the second half to deny a certain goal, though he struggled at times against Erling Haaland’s physical presence.
LB: Malo Gusto—7.1: Clearly out of his comfort zone on the left, offering little going forward compared to his usual effectiveness on the right. His influence improved dramatically after switching flanks just after the hour mark, and he made a few solid tackles.
CM: Reece James—6.9: Decisive in breaking up City’s attacks with sharp tackles and interceptions, especially in the first half.
CM: Enzo Fernández—8.3: Chelsea’s standout performer. Controlled the midfield with composure and precision, showing clever decision-making on the ball and intelligent distribution. Capped off an excellent display by sneaking in at the far post to score the injury-time equaliser.
RW: Estêvão—5.9: Pulled at half-time after failing to make any impact, a far cry from the brilliant display he produced against Bournemouth in Enzo Maresca’s final game in charge.
AM: Cole Palmer—6.2: Largely invisible on the night, with the big occasion seemingly getting to the Englishman once again. Palmer is starting to earn a worrying reputation for disappearing in high-pressure games.
LW: Pedro Neto—6.3: Barely got on the ball but squandered two excellent openings early in the second half that could have offered Chelsea a route back into the game much sooner.
ST: João Pedro—6.4: Isolated for much of the match, often forced to drop deep just to get on the ball, making for a frustrating night.
| Substitute | Rating (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
| Andrey Santos (46' for Estêvão) | 6.7 |
| Delap (62' for João Pedro) | 5.9 |
| Hato (62' for Josh Acheampong) | 6.6 |
Subs not used: Gabriel Slonina (GK), Max Merrick (GK), Tosin Adarabioyo, Alejandro Garnacho, Jamie Gittens, Marc Guiu.
Man City (4-3-2-1)
Starting XI: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Nico O'Reilly, Joško Gvardiol, Rúben Dias, Matheus Nunes; Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders; Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden; Erling Haaland.
Subs used: Abdukodir Khusanov, Jérémy Doku, Nathan Aké.
Player of the Match: Rodri (Man City)
Chelsea Player of the Match: Enzo Fernández
Man City 1–1 Chelsea: How It Unfolded at the Etihad Stadium
Given the form both sides brought into Sunday’s clash at the Etihad—City unbeaten in their last nine matches, winning eight, and Chelsea with just two wins in nine, a poor run that precededEnzo Maresca leaving—it was hardly a surprise how the game unfolded, though the final result offered a twist.
From the first whistle, Pep Guardiola’s side took command, dominating possession and probing Chelsea’s defence at every opportunity. Tijjani Reijnders and Rodri, making his first start since October, looked particularly dangerous, combining pace and precision to stretch the visitors’ backline.
Chelsea, by contrast, were forced onto the back foot, sitting deep and trying to hit on the counter. Reece James repeatedly snuffed out City’s attacks and kept the Blues in the game during a first half largely dominated by the hosts. Their only genuine opening of the first half came in the 20th minute, when Estevão’s close-range strike was brilliantly blocked by Joško Gvardiol. Beyond that, Chelsea struggled to create meaningful chances, appearing short on cohesion and confidence.
City’s persistence eventually paid off in the 42nd minute. Reijnders pounced on a loose ball in the box, shifted past Benoît Badiashile with two clever touches, and lashed a shot into the roof of the net past goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen, standing in for the injured Robert Sánchez. The goal was fully deserved and left City firmly in control heading into the interval.
The second half saw Chelsea press a little higher and look more assured. Two early counter-attacks, both squandered by Pedro Neto, hinted at a potential route back into the game—but came to nothing ... at least for a while.
City, while enjoying less possession, remained the more threatening side, with every turnover presenting a chance to exploit Chelsea’s high press. In the 69th minute, they could have doubled their lead were it not for a brilliant last-ditch tackle from substitute Jorrel Hato. At the other end, Liam Delap’s close-range effort was smartly saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma at the near post.
As the game drew to a close, City eased off, failing to convert their dominance into additional goals, and Chelsea made them pay. In second-half injury time, Enzo Fernández—their best player on the night—slipped in at the far post from a defensive lapse to snatch the unlikely point, rescuing a dramatic 1–1 draw.
While a point is a welcome relief, problems continue to mount for the Blues. Without a permanent manager, struggling to win games and slipping down the table, pressure is mounting on the club’s owners, whose billion-pound spending spree is proving increasingly fruitless.
Man City vs. Chelsea Half Time Stats
| Statistic | Man City | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 68% | 32% |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 0.69 | 0.19 |
| Total Shots | 9 | 1 |
| Shots on Target | 2 | 0 |
| Big Chances | 0 | 0 |
| Pass Accuracy | 92% | 79% |
| Fouls Committed | 7 | 7 |
| Corners | 5 | 1 |
Man City vs. Chelsea Full Time Stats
| Statistic | Man City | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 58% | 42% |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 0.99 | 1.73 |
| Total Shots | 14 | 8 |
| Shots on Target | 3 | 3 |
| Big Chances | 0 | 2 |
| Pass Accuracy | 87% | 83% |
| Fouls Committed | 12 | 14 |
| Corners | 8 | 2 |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chelsea Player Ratings vs. Man City: Fernández Salvages Late Draw for Blues.
