Manchester City encountered a stumbling block in their quest for Premier League glory as they settled for a hard-fought 1-1 draw against a resilient Chelsea side at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening.
In a rematch of their breathtaking 4-4 showdown at Stamford Bridge three months ago, both teams engaged in another electrifying contest reminiscent of basketball, with Raheem Sterling haunting his former club with a 42nd-minute opener, granting Chelsea a well-deserved lead heading into halftime.
Despite a slew of opportunities, including nine attempts from talisman Erling Haaland, Manchester City found themselves surprisingly inefficient in front of goal. However, a thunderous strike from Rodri in the 83rd minute reignited their hopes, ensuring a share of the points in a captivating encounter.
Mauricio Pochettino’s resilient Chelsea outfit, who previously secured a point against Pep Guardiola’s formidable side this season, demonstrated commendable tenacity, propelling them back into the top half of the table on goal difference.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s stumble saw them slip to third place in the standings, with Arsenal’s commanding 5-0 victory over Burnley propelling them to second. Liverpool’s 4-1 triumph against Brentford further widened the gap, leaving Guardiola’s side four points adrift, albeit with a game in hand.
Guardiola, fresh from a 3-1 Champions League triumph over Copenhagen, made three changes to his lineup, while Pochettino adjusted Chelsea’s starting eleven following their 3-1 win against Crystal Palace, with Sterling notably returning to haunt his former club.
The match commenced with promising attacks from both sides, with Haaland missing a golden opportunity early on, thwarted only by a combination of Chelsea’s Levi Colwill and Ederson’s goalkeeping prowess. Chelsea retaliated swiftly, with Sterling testing Ederson moments later, before Nathan Ake intervened to deny Cole Palmer.
Despite Chelsea’s threatening forays, including a missed chance by Nicolas Jackson, it was Sterling who broke the deadlock just before halftime, capitalizing on Jackson’s incisive play down the right flank.
The second half witnessed Manchester City’s resurgence, with Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku spearheading their offensive efforts. However, resilient defending from Chelsea’s Axel Disasi and goalkeeper Dorde Petrovic kept the hosts at bay.
In a pulsating display of end-to-end action, both teams came agonizingly close to altering the scoreline. Ederson’s heroics denied Sterling a second, while Haaland squandered a clear opportunity to restore parity.
Amidst mounting pressure, Rodri’s thunderous strike in the dying minutes electrified the Etihad faithful, salvaging a point for the champions. Despite City’s late surge for victory, Chelsea held firm, halting City’s 11-game winning streak and settling for a share of the spoils.
As Guardiola’s side regroups for a showdown with Brentford, Chelsea shifts focus to the EFL Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley Stadium next Sunday, promising further drama in an enthralling season of Premier League football.
If Manchester City didn’t win this season’s English Premier League, They should try to get hold of the European champions League at least.
