Rodri rescues point for Man City against Chelsea
Even though Liverpool and Arsenal both posted decisive victories earlier on Saturday, Man City still lost position in the title battle; yet, considering how close they were to losing, this must be considered a point earned.
Just before the half, Raheem Sterling had given Chelsea the lead. He had completed an outstanding counterattack by meeting Nicolas Jackson’s cross, dribbling past Kyle Walker, and curling the ball home.
Throughout the entire game, the visitors appeared dangerous on the break. Jackson had earlier missed a better opportunity from Malo Gusto’s cross when Ederson was able to smother his shot with a heavy touch, and City’s keeper had likewise denied Sterling a second from point-blank range.
Man City were racking up the chances too, but seemed unable to take any of them, or even seriously test Chelsea goalkeeper Dorde Petrovic despite piling on the pressure in the second half.
Erling Haaland was the main culprit, with his worst miss coming when he somehow headed wide from a delicious Kevin de Bruyne cross.
The defending champions were facing their first home league defeat since November 2022, until Rodri struck with seven minutes to go.
After Walker’s shot was deflected into his path on the edge of the box, Rodri fired in a ferocious first-time strike that was going in anyway but took a touch off Chelsea substitute Trevoh Chalobah on its way into the net.
The draw sees Man City drop to third in the table, four points behind leaders Liverpool but with a game in hand – they can close the gap, and leapfrog second-placed Arsenal, if they beat Brentford here on Tuesday.
Chelsea, who were minutes away from a third successive away win, stay 10th, but head to Wembley for next weekend’s Carabao Cup final on the back of one of their best displays of an erratic campaign