Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher chases Manchester City’s Rodri through the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Chelsea on the Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, on Feb. 17, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP
Rodri’s late equaliser prolonged Manchester City’s year-long unbeaten file at house but a 1-1 draw towards Chelsea on Saturday handed Liverpool and Arsenal an enormous increase in the Premier League title race.
Raheem Sterling gave Chelsea a first-half lead on his return to the Etihad and City had been headed to a primary defeat on house soil for 34 video games till Rodri’s deflected effort seven minutes from time.
City transfer 4 factors behind leaders Liverpool and two adrift of Arsenal, but have a sport in hand on each their title rivals.
A 3-1 Champions League win in Copenhagen in midweek was City’s eleventh consecutive victory in all competitions as they appeared properly set to defend the treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup they received final season.
But Chelsea uncovered chinks in the champions’ armour.
City have saved simply seven clear sheets in 24 Premier League video games this season.
“I think we weren’t great in the first half. We conceded another easy goal. I think we have to defend better,” mentioned Rodri.
“We knew about their counter-attacks and fast players, but we have to defend the counter-attack better. From there, it’s always more difficult to come back.”
Mauricio Pochettino’s males have usually saved their finest performances for the largest challenges throughout a troublesome season for the Blues.
Chelsea took factors off all three title contenders at house earlier in the season and at last produced a counter-attacking show on the highway that gives Pochettino hope forward of subsequent weekend’s League Cup remaining towards Liverpool.
“I feel like the lads are confident,” mentioned Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher.
“We have had some good performances, and then today against a top team. I feel like we are going into the next game with a lot of confidence and we are excited for it.”
Haaland’s night time to overlook
Chelsea ought to have led a lot earlier in the primary half as Nicolas Jackson didn’t beat Ederson when clear by after a slick counter-attack lower City extensive open.
Pep Guardiola’s males didn’t study their lesson as one other ex-City man Cole Palmer despatched Jackson in behind and he picked out Sterling, who coolly lower inside Kyle Walker and fired into the far nook on 42 minutes.
Sterling’s celebrations had been muted, but the aim would have been greeted with glee in Merseyside and north London.
Erling Haaland had headed over City’s solely clear probability of the opening 45 minutes, but they flew out of the blocks after the break.
Kevin De Bruyne’s dipping free-kick landed on the roof of the online earlier than Sterling was exceptionally fortunate to keep away from conceding a penalty for bringing down Walker inside the realm.
However, as City chased an equaliser they grew to become even simpler to choose off on the counter.
Ederson produced a surprising save to disclaim Sterling his second and Ruben Dias wanted to move Ben Chilwell’s follow-up effort off the road.
Haaland’s tempo and energy lastly took him away from the Chelsea defence 25 minutes from time, but Djordje Petrovic was equal to his deflected effort on the close to publish.
The Norwegian had 9 pictures on aim, but his night time to overlook was then rounded off when he left the 53,000 capability crowd aghast as he headed properly off course with the aim gaping from a perfectly-weighted De Bruyne cross.
City did at the least salvage a point as Rodri maintained his personal private year-long unbeaten file.
The final time the Spaniard was on the shedding aspect in a City shirt was February 5, 2022.
The man who scored the winner in final season’s Champions League remaining wanted assistance from a deflection as his pushed effort flew into the highest nook off Trevoh Chalobah.
An surprising point lifts Chelsea again into the highest half of the desk and inside six factors of the highest six.
