Presented by Chelsea Interim Manager, Luka Manchester City

MANCHESTER, SUNDAY - Although arriving without a permanent coach, Chelsea was still able to surprise Manchester City. They successfully stole points from the Etihad Stadium amid the turmoil of Enzo Maresca's dismissal. The points were delivered by interim coach Calum McFarlane.

City, who had led 1-0, nearly sealed victory after a dominant 90-minute performance at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester on Monday (January 5, 2026) WIB. However, all that was shattered by a goal from visiting midfielder Enzo Fernandez in the 90+3 minute of injury time.

"Certainly, it is difficult, but we must fight for one another. We worked hard and ultimately earned the points," said Chelsea captain Reece James regarding the loss of Maresca. "Credit goes to the coaching staff for taking over the responsibilities well. Visiting City in the first match is a challenging task," he continued.

He is the only best manager that has ever existed. This match seems to be used as a narrative (regarding my influence), but I don't think so. It is about the players, about how well they perform.

Chelsea is led by McFarlane, the U-21 team coach who has been temporarily promoted for emergency duties following Maresca's departure. This marks his debut in coaching the senior team. Interestingly, McFarlane previously worked at City as the U-18 team coach. He worked under City Manager Pep Guardiola.

The experience of the coaches of both teams is like night and day. While McFarlane was making his debut, Guardiola had already led over 1,000 matches throughout his career. In the end, they were equal at the final whistle. Each team took home one point, a point that felt like a victory for Chelsea.

McFarlane stated that it feels like a dream to make his debut in the English League, especially against Guardiola. "He is the only best manager that has ever existed. This match seems to be framed as a narrative (regarding my influence), but I don't think so. It is about the players, about how well they perform," he said.

McFarlane may have been outmatched in experience, but he was not lacking in knowledge and courage. Chelsea's resurgence in the second half, after initially falling behind due to a goal from midfielder Tijjani Reijnders before halftime, was inspired by player substitutions and the coach's strategy.

Immediately after the water break, winger Estevao was substituted for midfielder Andrey Santos. McFarlane aimed to add a midfielder to counter Rodri and his teammates' attacks. Chelsea struggled to relieve the pressure in the first half and could only produce one shot.

Attacking midfielder Cole Palmer was given a free role, including filling Estevao's position on the right side. Fernandez was assigned to push forward to assist the attack. As a result, Chelsea's gameplay became more dynamic. Santos, partnering with James as an anchor, was able to balance the midfield.

Guardiola did not deny that the visiting team played better in the second half. Chelsea immediately created two opportunities through counter-attack transitions after the break. "Certainly, they made progress and were more intense in pressing, but we actually did not lose control. We missed many opportunities," said Guardiola.

McFarlane made the best decision after the match had been underway for exactly one hour. He substituted in striker Liam Delap and wing-back Jorrel Hato. With this change, wing-back Malo Gusto was able to return to his original position on the right side. The left side was taken by Hato. Delap provided the presence of a pure striker that had not been demonstrated by Joao Pedro previously.

Delap's physical resilience greatly troubled City. He repeatedly broke through the home team's high defensive line with short sprints. With him, every Chelsea attack appeared more dangerous. Delap also had a golden opportunity, but it was still saved by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Finally, the equalizing goal was scored. All the substitutions and strategies from McFarlane had an impact. The cross that initiated the goal came from Gusto. Fernandez was positioned at the far post as he was tasked with being more active in entering the penalty area. Delap's presence also influenced the City defenders, preventing them from intercepting the pass.

According to McFarlane, the surprising result is purely due to the role of the players. "Credit goes to the players. Imagine their feelings at halftime. City was much better in the first half, when they only had an interim coach. Not to mention all the injuries we have," said the 41-year-old coach.

McFarlane also praised the leadership group within the team, including James, Fernandez, and Tosin Adarabioyo. They helped unite all the players following the dismissal of Maresca right at the turn of the new year. McFarlane will continue to manage Chelsea until the announcement of a new coach.

Maresca, at Chelsea, has faced City twice before. Both matches took place in the league last season. Chelsea was defeated by City in those home and away matches. McFarlane has already surpassed Maresca's achievements in just his debut.

City should regret losing points. They could have easily won if they had been more clinical in the second half. Erling Haaland and his teammates had four to five opportunities from transitions but failed to capitalize on them. City has recorded two consecutive draws.

Worse still, City lost two key defenders, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol, due to injuries. They were substituted in the middle of the second half. This substitution affected the stability of the defense during crucial moments. Currently, City is six points behind the temporary league leader, Arsenal. (AP/REUTERS)