Chelsea

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Calum McFarlane speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "For me personally it was amazing, stuff you dream about. Pep Guardiola, Premier League game, amazing.

"I'm really proud of the performance, even if that goal didn't come, I thought the character the lads showed, especially in the second half... I would've been so happy regardless. It's even better we got the equaliser I thought we deserved.

On if he always believed they'd get equaliser: "The whole focus over the last two days was winning this game. Obviously we haven't done that, but putting in that performance, we're all very proud. We always believed we could come here and win."

On facing Guardiola: "He's one of the best managers that has ever done it, that seemed to be the narrative of the game and I don't think it should have been. It should be about the players, and how well they performed. It shouldn't be about me, it should be about the quality performance those lads put on with everything that has gone on."

Micah Richards
Former Man City defender on Sky Sports

I think he's going to stay on regardless of who the manager is going to be. It's a great day for him, by all regards he's a really good coach. I said at half-time he's going to sit in and catch City on the counter-attack, but he didn't do that, he was brave. And to come to the Etihad and get a draw says a lot about what a coach he is.

The players have to buy in to what the manager wants to do and they did that today, and got their well deserved point.

Daniel Sturridge
Former Chelsea striker on Sky Sports

The change the manager made, Calum McFarlane, at half-time bringing on Andrey Santos or Estevao, it brought stability in midfield and gave them a bit more strength in there. And then you bring Delap on, Hato as well. The changes and the times of the changes were fantastic from him. You saw they had a lot of life out there. They were pressing.

We want to see the glory for this guy. Potentially he won't be the manager, but a night like tonight for him is a brilliant night. Credit to him for all he's done for the club today.

Chelsea

Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "First half was very difficult. We didn't stop fighting and came out with a different mentality for the second half. The boys just dig in which was what we needed today."

On change in shape at half time: "We felt that we couldn't get tight to them in the first half. So we changed the shape and it worked well.

"Malo [Gusto] showed his quality going down the right [for the goal]. We were working on getting more players in the box when we were in those wide areas and we got the goal.

"You know the week we had, but the boys were focussed. We didn't drop our heads and kept going. We knew what the game plan was today. We knew what we wanted and we did well to get the point."

Chelsea

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Chelsea captain Reece James speaking to Sky Sports: "We had to accept what we were on earlier on in the week and put it behind us. We came here with a gameplan. In the first half, we made a slight error for their goal. But we grew into the game in the second half and we knew a chance would come and [Enzo Fernandez] took the chance when it came.

On interim head coach Calum McFarlane and coaching staff: "Credit to the staff that stepped up. They haven't been in this role before. To come to Manchester City away as your first first team game is difficult.

"We had to adapt fast. We came out in the second half with a slightly different plan and as the game went on, we grew more into it."

On the role of senior players: "We have to stand together as a unit. We are one. We missed many players today, but so many other players stepped up. We fought as a team and I am proud of the boys."

On Enzo Maresca leaving: "Of course, it's difficult but we have to fight for each other. We dug in and got the point."

On the next manager: "We know nothing at the moment. This whole week was about this game. What happens behind the scenes is not down to us. We came here. We focussed on the game. We took a point from a very difficult place to come. We have to recover. We will see what happens in the coming days."

Chelsea

The equaliser was Enzo Fernandez's sixth league goal of the season, equalling his best ever tally in a single Premier League campaign.

Chelsea

Chelsea goalscorer Enzo Fernandez speaking to Sky Sports on Enzo Maresca's exit: "Difficult moment for us but it's part of football. Happy for the team.

"Of course, I am sorry for him but it is part of football land life. We keep going."

Manchester City

Rodri had the most touches of any Manchester City player, and pulled all the strings in midfield.

But City could not convert enough of the chances he helped create, and have been severely punished.

Micah Richards
Former Man City defender on Sky Sports

Man City will be kicking themselves. They know they should've had three points today with the chances they created. But fair play to Chelsea, come back in the game, manager made changes at half-time and then introduced players a bit further up. They had a little go and got the well deserved goal.

But from a City point of view, they're normally more ruthless. You're looking at yourself thinking, what's changed? Haaland's not scored in a few games, Foden near misses, Cherki looking very tricky but not the final product. They've only got themselves to blame today.

Gary Neville
Former Manchester United defender on Sky Sports

They've not killed that game in the second half and you knew that Chelsea have got bright players, they've got potential up top. They've been around the block this lot, including Rodri and Bernardo Silva, and the danger in the end got on top of them.

They'll be gutted.

Back to back draws to open 2026 for Man City, following their stalemate at Sunderland.

Much for Pep Guardiola to ponder.

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Izzy Christiansen
Former England midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

Two very frustrating games to open the year for Man City. They were completely dominant, but Chelsea kept chipping away.

Man City will be so frustrated.

Chelsea

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When the Chelsea players went over to the away fans, interim manager Calum McFarlane was hanging out at the back.

Captain Reece James put his arm around McFarlane and told him to go to the front to take the acclaim of the supporters.

A nice moment of team unity, the like of which we have not seen much of from the Blues in recent days.

Chelsea

Chelsea are winless in four and have only one victory in eight league games, leaving them three points off the top four.

But this definitely feels like a point gained and a big morale boost.

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Manchester City are now six points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.

If they do not win the title this season, this result may well be looked at as one of the key moments.

Bernardo Silva skews a cross onto the roof of the net, and that is that.

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