A 1-1 draw in the Manchester City vs Chelsea match at the Etihad on Sunday, January 5, pushed the Cityzens further behind in the Premier League title race. The draw left Pep Guardiola’s men with 42 points from 20 matches, which means that they are six points adrift of Arsenal’s tally.
Tijjani Reijnders scored his fifth goal of the season to put Manchester City ahead on the day, but Enzo Fernandez scored in the dying minutes of the match to restore parity. It was a minor blow to the Cityzens’ Premier League title aspirations, as a win would have taken them closer to the Gunners.
Manchester City vs Chelsea Was Dominated by the Former, but the Attacking Concerns Remain
Manchester City vs Chelsea was a match that the hosts dominated and should have won. Rodri started after a long time and had a really good time on the pitch. He played a lot of probing passes, picking Bernardo Silva on the right flank repeatedly.
However, the decision to play Rayan Cherki, a central midfielder, on the left flank was a questionable one, as the Frenchman looked more at home dropping to the central positions.
The Cityzens relied solely on Nico O’Reilly‘s overlaps to build their attacks through the left for the first half an hour or so. Their attack was primarily right-heavy, with Rodri and Bernardo combining frequently.
Reijnders started moving up the inside-left channel more frequently thereafter and got his goal from that position as well.
City’s passing was slick, and their counter-attacks were as smooth as anything Premier League football has to offer at the moment. However, their inability to create much in the final third remained a concern for them. Erling Haaland managed very few touches in the initial phases of the match and was unlucky to have his effort rebound off the post minutes before City scored their goal.
Phil Foden, another key player, did not get many opportunities to take shots off his left foot either. As a result, the Cityzens were often unable to put the Chelsea goalkeeper under pressure. Still, Guardiola’s men almost managed to grind out a victory. However, Fernandez then scored his eighth goal of the season to rob the home side of three points.
The Cityzens had 58% ball-possession and had 14 shots against the London club’s six in the Manchester City vs Chelsea match. Still, they had to be satisfied with a solitary point.
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Manchester City Will Play Against Brighton Next
Man City will play against Brighton & Hove Albion in their next match before they lock horns with fifth-placed Manchester United on January 17.
They will have to keep winning their matches to keep the pressure on Arsenal in the Premier League title race. Mikel Arteta’s men are not always having a smooth ride, but they somehow manage to do just enough to win matches and secure maximum points.
That is a hallmark of a champion side and Guardiola will know that too well having won the Premier League title six times already. Still, the Spaniard, who is soon to turn 55, should be willing to put Arsenal to a stern test until the end of the season.
As of now, his team remain second-favourites in the Premier League title race.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / APL
Recording Date: 04.01.2026
