Manchester City’s title aspirations took a slight hit following a thrilling 1-1 draw against Chelsea at the Etihad.
Despite dominating possession and crafting numerous opportunities for Erling Haaland, Pep Guardiola will feel his team should have secured all three points.
Mauricio Pochettino’s tactical masterclass saw Chelsea operate on the counter, utilizing the lightning pace of Raheem Sterling, their former player, who ruthlessly opened the scoring.
Sterling received a perfectly timed pass from Nicolas Jackson, danced past Kyle Walker, and curled a delightful shot past Ederson.
Chelsea then adopted a defensive posture, even transitioning to a five-man backline, to protect their precious lead.
However, City turned up the pressure, bombarding the box with crosses and set-pieces. Finally, their persistence paid off with a late equalizer from their midfield anchor, Rodri.
Despite the dramatic leveler, City couldn’t find the winner, allowing Chelsea to steal a valuable point away from the champions.
While this draw throws a small wrench in their title chase, Guardiola’s men undoubtedly remain the frontrunners with much of the season still to play.