In a thrilling encounter on Sunday, Manchester City faced Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium, where both teams settled for a 1-1 draw in their 20th matchday of the season.
Manchester City struck first with a goal from Tijjani Reijnders in the 42nd minute, giving them a narrow lead into half-time. However, Chelsea responded swiftly with a goal from Enzo Fernández, who found the net in the 49th minute, bringing the game back to level terms.
The match saw a near miss from City’s star striker, Erling Haaland, whose shot hit the post just before half-time, leaving the home side wanting more.
Enzo Fernández was undoubtedly the standout performer, contributing significantly with not just his goal, but also completing 35 successful passes, winning back possession six times, and attempting three shots on goal.
Rodri also put in a commendable performance for Manchester City, completing 70 passes and retrieving the ball nine times, showcasing his midfield prowess.
Manager Josep Guardiola lined up his City side in a solid 4-5-1 formation, led by Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal; with Matheus Nunes, Rúben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, and Nico O’Reilly making up the defense. The midfield included Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden, and Tijjani Reijnders, with Erling Haaland spearheading the attack.
Chelsea, under the guidance of Calum McFarlane, also opted for a 4-5-1 setup. Filip Jörgensen was in goal, supported by a defensive line of Joshua Acheampong, Trevoh Chalobah, Benoit Badiashile, and Malo Gusto. The midfield featured Reece James, Enzo Fernández, Estêvão Willian, Cole Palmer, and Pedro Neto, with João Pedro leading the front line.
Michael Oliver officiated the match, ensuring a fair contest throughout.
Looking forward, Manchester City will host Brighton & Hove in their next fixture, while Chelsea is set to visit Fulham. With this result, City gathers 42 points, maintaining their position in the second spot, while Chelsea claims 31 points, securing fifth place in the standings.
Substitutions for Manchester City
50’ 2nd Half – Josko Gvardiol off for Abdukodir Khusanov
69’ 2nd Half – Tijjani Reijnders off for Jeremy Doku
80’ 2nd Half – Rúben Dias off for Nathan Aké
Cautions for Manchester City:
9’ 2nd Half Rúben Dias (Unsporting behavior)
33’ 2nd Half Matheus Nunes (Arguing with an opponent)
47’ 2nd Half Bernardo Silva (Holding an opponent to prevent advancing)
Substitutions for Chelsea
45’ 2nd Half – Estêvão Willian off for Andrey Santos
61’ 2nd Half – João Pedro off for Liam Delap and Joshua Acheampong off for Jorrel Hato
Cautions for Chelsea:
7’ 2nd Half Reece James (Unsporting behavior)
33’ 2nd Half Liam Delap (Unsporting behavior)
50’ 2nd Half Enzo Fernández (Unsporting behavior)