Losing points to Chelsea, Man City faces challenges in the title race

(Football results) - Manchester City failed to impress, drawing 1-1 with Chelsea on their own turf, which enabled Arsenal to increase their advantage to 6 points in the championship battle.

In the early hours of January 5 (Vietnam time), Manchester City hosted Chelsea at home as part of the 20th round of the 2025/26 Premier League season. Despite dominating the game and creating numerous dangerous chances, Pep Guardiola’s team had to settle for a frustrating 1-1 draw after a late equalizer from Enzo Fernández.

Right from the kickoff, Manchester City pushed forward and fully controlled the game. Their possession rate peaked at over 70%, with a significantly higher number of shots compared to their opponents. Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Bernardo Silva constantly troubled Chelsea’s defense, but outstanding saves by goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen and some missed chances prevented the hosts from breaking the deadlock early. In the 39th minute, Haaland had a golden opportunity inside the box, but his shot struck the post, much to the disappointment of the fans.

After sustained pressure, Man City finally scored the opening goal in the 42nd minute. From a rebound inside the penalty area, Tijjani Reijnders quickly fired the ball into the top corner of Chelsea’s net, putting the home side ahead 1-0 before halftime.

In the second half, the pattern remained largely unchanged with Man City continuing to control the match. Haaland kept missing good opportunities, while shots from Rayan Cherki and Bernardo Silva were all blocked by Chelsea’s defense. The visitors remained disciplined in defense, waiting for chances to counterattack, especially after Liam Delap was brought on to boost their offensive power.

The drama intensified during stoppage time. At 90+4 minutes, following a chaotic moment in Man City’s penalty area, Enzo Fernández seized the chance to score from close range, beating Gianluigi Donnarumma to equalize 1-1 for Chelsea. Just minutes earlier, the Argentine midfielder had also forced a brilliant save from the Man City keeper with a dangerous shot.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw. This result caused Manchester City to drop two crucial points and allowed league leaders Arsenal to extend their lead to 6 points in the standings. Meanwhile, Chelsea sit fifth with 31 points, continuing to nurture hopes of catching up to the European qualification spots.