The context could not have been more delicate for Chelsea. It was the first match after the departure of Enzo Maresca, with Calum McFarlane, the under-21 coach, taking charge on an interim basis, and straight away at the Etihad against a Manchester City side under pressure in the title race. City were coming off an unexpected draw against Sunderland, but had maintained a strong run before that and knew that dropping points in this match could be decisive. Haaland arrived after two quiet games, while Chelsea were going through an unstable moment, without a win in three matches, although recent history shows that even in chaos, the club usually finds a way to compete.
From the opening whistle, City completely took control of the game. Long spells of possession, a high line and build-up with three at the back, always facing a very deep Chelsea side, focused almost exclusively on closing spaces. City’s problem was the lack of creativity and precision in the final third. Too many balls in behind or floated crosses that led nowhere, and a Haaland far too disconnected from the game, with very few touches for most of the first half.
Chelsea were practically nonexistent in attack during the first 45 minutes. They struggled badly to play out from the back, did not press consistently and rarely managed to connect transitions. Even so, City also took time to create real danger. Only after the half-hour mark did the best chances appear, with Haaland finally getting involved, hitting the post and forcing a good save from Jørgensen. The dominance was clear, but efficiency was still missing.
The goal eventually came close to halftime, from a somewhat confusing and debatable situation, but one that rewarded City’s persistence. A pass intended for Haaland fell to Reijnders, who shifted onto his left foot and struck powerfully at the near post, putting a minimum sense of justice on the scoreboard. Before the break, City wasted one or two more chances that could have extended the lead, leaving the feeling that the game was under control, but far from decided.
In the second half, the scenario remained similar. City stayed on top, Haaland began to get more involved with space to carry the ball, but the finishing remained poor. Chelsea, meanwhile, continued to struggle enormously to create anything. After more than 60 minutes, they still had not registered a single shot on target, surviving on isolated moments and a great deal of defensive resistance.
As the game went on, City started to lose clarity. They created less than they should have for a team in front and began to allow Chelsea to believe. A few chances appeared, but neither side managed to be truly effective. Cole Palmer had a game well below expectations, Pedro Neto added very little, and even when Chelsea managed to get near the box, the final decisions were almost always wrong.
When everything pointed toward a narrow but comfortable City win, the game changed in stoppage time. In a chaotic moment inside the box after a cross from Gusto, City’s defense failed several times to clear the ball. Enzo missed the first shot, Donnarumma saved as best he could, and on the rebound the Argentine midfielder finally pushed the ball into the net. An unexpected, late goal that completely changed the reading of the result.
Post-match
A draw with a completely different taste for each side. Manchester City will leave this game frustrated because they did enough to win. They had more of the ball, more control, created the best chances and could have killed the game much earlier. City pay a high price for not being more clinical while they were on top.
Chelsea, on the other hand, survived. They defended for most of the match, created very little, struggled to get near the goal and found a miracle in the final minutes. Credit to Chelsea’s belief, as they never gave up, even with a very poor attacking performance.
Overall, the draw is both a punishment for City and a reward for Chelsea. City drop two important points in the title race, while Chelsea take a very positive result given their current situation.