Fernandez's late strike stuns Man City as managerless Chelsea hold out for a point

0:28Thanks for joining us on the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. It is over for Manchester City. It is one that has gone away and that will hurt. For Pep, a costly spillage of points. For Callum McFarlane, the prize, the pride of knowing that when his day came, he took on the best and he matched him. Albeit Chelsea are now one win in eight Premier League games. that for them is a stabilising point for City, Gary, it's two points that got away. Yeah, the strange atmosphere throughout the game, it was tranquil in the first half, but he got City ahead. There's a hug from Pep Guardiola to Phil Foden, Phil Foden will be fuming with himself, the standards that City have set over this last few years, they've not killed that game off in the second half, and you knew that Chelsea have got bright players, they've got potential up top, and they've seen and been around the block enough this lot including Rodri including Bernardo Silva and the danger in the end got on top of them and they'll be gutted to Johnny Rinders 1-0 Manchester City and then four minutes into stoppage time Enzo Fernandes with the equaliser City are now 10 unbeaten but they sit solemnly six points shy of Arsenal's lead for Chelsea at least a stable day but their next step short term and beyond will fill the airwaves and the column inches for several days to come but this result in itself is substantial and of great significance Mark it's Manchester City one Chelsea one it is Peter thank you thank you Gary and you can see Micah can't you from the look on the faces of so many of the city players that they know they know probably they've only got themselves to play yeah and it's the same at midweek as well in terms of not finishing teams off to create the chances but it's mad to say they're not ruthless when they've got harlem foden shirky on the pitch doku to come on the pitch as well but they'll be kicking themselves they know they should have had three points today with the chances they're 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.

2:51They had a little go and they got the well-deserved goal, but from City's point of view, they're normally more ruthless. So you're looking at yourself thinking, what's changed? What's the difference? Haaland not scoring in three games, Foden near misses, Shirky looking very tricky but not the final product. And yeah, they've just got themselves to bend today. but there are plenty of positives for Chelsea in that second half performance in particular Very much so the change that the manager made Callum McFarlane at the half time bringing on Santos for Esteval it brought a little bit more stability in midfield and gave him a bit more strength in there and then you bring De Lappan you bring on Hato as well the changes and the times of the changes were fantastic from him you saw that they had a lot of life out there they were pressing penalty posts going everywhere, making sure, giving everything.

3:41This man, Reece James, today was fantastic. He was all over the pitch making interceptions and putting his body on the line for his team. And at the very end there, a bit of skill from Gusto, you know, in that wing position. And a nice bit in the corridor of uncertainty and you're getting Zoe at the side there. And look at this, this is the thing we like to see, right? That's nice, isn't it? Yeah. This is what we want to see. We want to see, you know, the glory for this guy. Potentially he won't be the manager, but a night like tonight for him, it's a brilliant night. credit to him for all he's done for the club to do.

4:12Look, I appreciate if you're a Manchester City fan, that isn't nice, Michael, because you just rolled your eyes at me. But bearing in mind, bearing in mind in the pre-match interview with Patrick, Patrick talked about him starting out in Sunday League as a coach when he was 16. He's never going to expect to find himself in this situation. And he actually tried to hang back there. It was Rhys James that took him out. Yeah, but like I said, pre-match, I think he's someone who's going to stay on, regardless who the manager is going to be. And it's a great, great day for him. By all regards, he's a really good coach.

4:45And I said at half-time in terms of what he would do, he'd sit in and just try to catch Man City on a counter-tack. But he didn't know. He was brave. And, yeah, to come to Etihad and get a draw says a lot about what a coach he is and the players, the effort. Because he was talking about, you asked me the question pre-match, you know, the players need more responsibility. The players have to buy into what the manager wants to do, and they've done that today and got the well-deserved point. They have got a well-deserved point at the end of what has been a busy Sunday in the Premier League. There have been plenty of games today, six in total.

5:26Arsenal winning at Bournemouth last night. Of course, Wolves getting their first win of the season. Manchester United held, Liverpool held, Tottenham held as well Newcastle and Brentford with wins what a win for Brentford that is the Hill Dickinson they beat Everton by four goals to two and then here Manchester City one Chelsea one and so Arsenal go into the midweek round of fixtures with that six-point lead still intact Manchester Manchester City going above Aston Villa on goal difference. Chelsea in fifth ahead of Manchester United on goal difference. Liverpool three points ahead of the two of them after that point at Craven Cottage.

6:15Brentford up to seventh.

6:22And at the bottom, that point for Leeds at home to Manchester United now gives them an eight-point buffer over West Ham at the bottom of the table. And Sky Cinema has the brand-new Friday Film Club where they recommend a film for you to watch and they've gone with Nuremberg this week. That is available on Sky Cinema. So plenty to discuss with Daniel and Micah after that and we'll have reaction from both camps as well. Manchester City looking like they were going to get three points and close the gap on Arsenal. But Chelsea and Enzo Fernandes had other ideas. We'll see you in a couple of minutes.

7:25There's the Gary Neville podcast for Gary's immediate reaction to the biggest matches. Transfer Talk has the latest on all the big moves in and out of the Premier League and beyond. And for WSL fans, check out Pitch to Pod with Jordan Nobbs and Nikita Paris. Just search for Sky Sports wherever you get your podcasts. For now, though, let's get back to the Sky Sports Premier League podcast.

7:57Cherokee

8:01Rinders

8:06With force and purpose Finally, finally to crown the first half of Manchester City pressure Gusto skipping away from O 'Reilly It's Marleau Gusto, Liam De Laap and put in by Enzo Fernandes at the last. A late, late show for Chelsea here at the Etihad. Enzo Fernandes with the equaliser and he is alongside his captain, Rhys James, with Patrick Davies. Guys, well played in difficult circumstances, Rhys. How big a display of character was that? No, I told you, you know, we had to accept what went on earlier on in the week and, you know, put it behind us. You know, we came here with a game plan. You know, we know what level we can perform at when we're all together and all firing.

9:04You know, the first half we made a slight error for their goal. But second half, you know, as the game went on, we grew into the game. You know, we knew a chance would come and, you know, this guy took his chance when he came. And so you did take the chance. Just tell us at the end of a difficult week what that goal meant. Yeah, a difficult win for us. Difficult moment, but part of the life and the football. Today, we are 100%. I'm happy for the team. You mentioned the game plan in your first answer. Just tell us about that game plan, who came up with it, and how it seemed to evolve at half-time and then during the course of the second half.

9:45No, I mean, it was, you know, first of all, credit to the, you know, the staff that stepped up. You know, they haven't been in this role before. to come to City away. It's your first game, first first team game. It's difficult. We had to adapt fast. The first half, we felt they had too much of the ball. We had to make slight adjustments. In the second half, we came out with a slightly different plan. And yeah, as the game went on, as I said, we grew into it. Can you just tell us about the role of senior players? You spoke about your role before the game in terms of bringing the group together.

10:19I noticed that Kukurea, Kaysedo, a couple of the other senior players who were out injured or suspended, those guys were on the bench as well. They travelled with the team. So that looked like a real display of unity from all of you. Yeah, no, as I said, you know, we're in the difficult moment. You know, we have to stand together, you know, stand as a unit. You know, we are one. You know, there's many people that, you know, travelled today that, you know, we missed. But so many other players stepped up and this is what we need. You know, we fought as a team today and I'm proud of the boys. How difficult is it when a manager leaves like that?

10:53Of course it's difficult, but we have to fight for each other. That's the only thing we have in this moment, together, each other. We dug in and got a point. Enzo, could I ask you a question about the old manager as well? I saw you put something on your social media. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Just a question on Enzo Maresca, what he meant to you? Yeah, of course. No, no, no. Difficult moment for us. So, he's a top manager. Of course, I am side for him. But it's part of the football and the life. We keep it going and no more. Rhys, just lastly, do you know as a group what to expect next in terms of when the new manager comes in and when you'll get a chance to work with him?

11:42No, 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 all focused on the game. We take a point, a really difficult place to come. We have to recover, we play again in a few days and we will see what happens in the coming days. Well played both of you. Rhys is the player of the match. Enzo, if you don't mind presenting the award. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Well, they created some chances in that second half, did Chelsea, and it was the final one that they took, just. Just about, right? You know, but it was one of those moments for them where this pass out here from Rhys James gets him in that one-on-one action and the little shift he gives there and then the acceleration feeds it into the area, but it's that deflection there for me that makes the opportunity a clear-cut one.

12:35When you see it here, he's feeding it into that area. This is the best area to feed it into. But that deflection from Ake is what guides it towards Fernandes and gives them the opportunity. But the save from Donnarumma is absolutely magnificent. You're thinking, the goal's gaping. He gets up, big hand. Dinks it up against the post, doesn't he? Yeah. Open it, you're thinking, oh, definite goal here. And it's a cheeky little dink against the post. But they'd fully deserved it because they worked so hard today and they didn't create much but look at the elation on his face so happy and overdoing there's probably an element of relief there from him as well that it clipped the inside of the post it was a heck of a save wasn't it it was amazing the way he stretched was brilliant but it wasn't enough but just on that clip there you know Nico O 'Reilly the way he goes to the ball take nothing away from Gusto it goes right to the ball so quick so then by the time Gusto takes a touch if you just yeah there he's sort of if you're gonna go that quick you've got to take everything with you as in as in man and ball man ball absolutely everything but yeah it is is a goal there and fair play to enzo he always arrives in these positions here his firm man running is fantastic but in terms of defensively it's just nicaraghi he went and then he couldn't move go all the way if you're gonna go otherwise give yourself three or four yards where you can dictate where you want to go.

14:04I was going to say, when you say all the way, you mean go through the player? If you're going to go that speed, you've got to go all the way, all the way through the player, take the ball, take the man. Because by doing what he did, from your perspective, he gets caught what? So, yeah. In no man's land a little bit. So, I don't know if you can rewind that a little bit in terms of his positioning now. So, roll it on slowly. And we pause it there. So now he's straight on so now he's showing him outside So if you're gonna show him outside you've got to be ready to go outside And if you go on slowly straight through now we square on it can go the pass inside the little dink over and now is in no-man's land and Normally can do that with someone who's not got pace But that's why you have to give gusto a lot of credit because he's got the pace to do that and then put the delivery as well Go on, sorry.

14:59Is that then the body shape of the defensive? When you're approaching a player in that wing position, is it the body shape is pivotal for you to stop him? It's footwork. You see he goes with his left foot early and he gambles and he shouldn't gamble. And that's why I said if you're going to gamble, you've got to go all the way, take the free kick, played in Italy many years, and that's what it was taught to do. If you're going to go that fast, go all the way. And it just wasn't meant to be. I mean, you also have two centre-halves who'd actually come on as well, not to take anything away from the Chelsea goal, because both Diaz and Guardiola have gone off injured.

15:34Chelsea had eight shots in that game. Seven of them came in the second half. So we're not going to show all of them. We're just going to show the netto one. But the change worked. Some changes worked, rather. They did. And I think they came out with a new lease of life. You go into the dressing room and they're going to get the videos out. They're going to show you where you need to be. this is what we need to do to expose them, lads. The timing of the pass here is nice, but the feat from Enzo Fernandez to be able to do that in the box, and you're thinking, my man, my brother, you've got to hit the target there, my guy.

16:07You cannot be doing that. And you've got Joe Pedro at the back post thinking, one more, just one more. Give me a back heel, one more. I got an open net, and he did the wrong thing, clearly, over the bar. Would you have scored that? Me? I might have done a little back heel too. But the point of that and the seven shots in the second half was, you know, when we talked about City not being ruthless, it wasn't as if they hadn't had warnings, you know, therefore we really need to go and kill this off. Yeah, I mean, I think it's down to the manager and the change at half-time. I think Chelsea was in the mode of we've got nothing to lose and they went a little bit higher up the pitch And then I said with City, they always give you chances in that middle area.

16:57When you've got a Foden and a Shirky playing in them number 10 roles and it's all offensive, Rodri, who I thought was magnificent today, there's this space either side of him as well. And Chelsea, Cole Palmer goes into the middle, starts getting into them half spaces, and it's difficult because Chelsea have the quality. What we talk about Chelsea is just now the consistency, and that comes with experienced players. And, yeah, Chelsea fully deserve that. in terms of the work rate and then the tactical switch from the manager. But also, Man City did have the chance, especially in that first half, to see out the game.

17:35Let's just take a look at the Manchester City goal, scored by the man who was going to be player of the match until Chelsea equalised and Gary changed his mind. Yeah, I mean, you see in here there, obviously, so much time, and this is when you talk about Shirky and Foden, in them little spaces. The ball's actually for Haaland. And then it was actually Reinders who was the one who was running in behind. I actually don't think Chelsea defensively do a lot wrong here because if you see the way he's angled, the way the ball is... Got him on his left foot and shows him that way and then he just can't get the connection he needs.

18:14And if it goes in a near post, and I know goalkeepers won't thank you for this, you're always looking at the goalkeeper there. No, it wasn't because... I think the pace it went in, but the goalkeeper, I think he could have been half a yard. Can I ask you a question? I've never really thought about this, but you see, from the defender's point of view, would you consider that you've done your job there? I've showed him to an angle where the keeper... So in training, you modify the angle and then give it to the goalkeeper to go. So as he comes right now, So he's done as much as he possibly can do.

18:52He can't go across goal there. The only way he can score is at that side near post. So you think the goalkeeper's positioning and I'm not a goalkeeper. Joe Hart will probably tell me after they were talking absolute nonsense. But in terms of the position to help him out in there, if the defenders took a bad position, could he have started a little bit half yard to the right just to protect him? So the short answer is yes, he would have thought he'd done his job. And it was the goalkeeper's fault that it went in. Yes. Right, we will look at more of the chances Manchester City had when we come back.

19:30We will hear from Pep Guardiola as well on the missed opportunity this afternoon. And we'll talk what the future looks like for Chelsea. All of that when we come back.

19:49If you're a Sky Sports subscriber, you can watch all the live action directly from the Sky Sports app. Just head to your app store to download it to your device. Not got Sky Sports? Existing Sky customers can upgrade their package. Or if you've not got Sky, you can sign up at sky.com. Now, let's get back to the Sky Sports Premier League podcast.

20:21This is the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. Let's get more analysis of the game and return to the student. Frustrating afternoon for Pep Guardiola. Manchester City peg back right at the end. Let's hear from the Manchester City manager with Patrick Tabers. Pep, a real setback, especially when you were so close to seeing it through. What do you think in the end cost you?

20:50Yeah, one action and score a goal. So we had a lot of actions with two against one. Yeah, we played a fantastic game, so I'm fortunate for the result. Did you particularly enjoy or were you particularly pleased with the first 45 minutes? 90 minutes for 95. We played so good all the game because it's normal second half, they make a step up. They were more aggressive. We got normally chassis and all like that. They make a step up. It was more difficult. We have two actions in the beginning of the game because we lose easy balls with Tijani and with Mateus. But the rest, we have chances in the right moments, you know, to close the game.

21:25And at the end, we cannot do it. And at the end, when 1-0, everything can happen with the quality that they have. Did you feel, though, as the game wore on, and perhaps it's done to the intensity and the physicality of the schedule as much as anything, that the team started to suffer a little bit? You obviously lost a couple of players to injuries during the game. Yeah, suffered for the injuries, but not the game. The game was not suffered. How are the two players, Diaz and Gavardio? It doesn't look good, we'll see next day. And you said before the game, the squad really, we're suffering, we're in trouble, I think, were your words before the game.

22:00I think that Cesar had a better season, and he played the season again, yeah. So does that feel like it's really been accentuated by what's happened today? not just the players you've lost injured but the pressure on the rest of the players who are playing more and more minutes. Yeah, it worries. It worries. We knew it when you have all the squad you can compete and rotate but now, you know, it's a situation but we'll have enough energy to get back. Do you worry though about the schedule ahead? I cannot change it. The schedule is where it is. Any chance of players back for Wednesday? Right now I don't know.

22:40I don't think so, but right now I don't know. I didn't ask to the doctors yet. Would it change transfer plans potentially, players in, players out? It feels like you need players in now. No idea. No idea. Thank you.

22:55The frustration mainly comes from the chances that they didn't take Daniel, doesn't it? Really? Yeah, he'll be really disappointed because they were really good all over the pitch, They controlled Chelsea specifically in the first half. They were very good in this channel specifically as well. And they were causing all sorts of issues for them. And you're thinking, that touch is magnificent. You're used to Man City being clinically in front of a goal. But these last couple of weeks now, we're seeing that reliance on Haaland. You get a goal from Rinders today. but when you're expecting the squad to be able to score goals, the other guys aren't delivering on a weekly basis and that's potentially the concern for him.

23:41You know what you're going to get from Haaland, isn't it? We're talking about, oh, it's only three games. That's absolutely nothing. That's normal for every striker in the Premier League to go through a three-game blip, but collectively as a team, you need the other players to step up to score goals. Otherwise, it's going to be a tall task. So when you're not scoring free, what would you do differently? I mean, Haaland's a different animal. He doesn't need to do anything different. He absolutely nothing. Everything he does is right. He's in the right positions. He's not shy. He's not scared to continue to make the runs.

24:11He wants to take the chances. Certain times when you go for a blip, sometimes you might, you know, certain guys, they hide and they go, oh, I'm not bursting a gut to get in that area. I'm not trying to put my body on a line to ensure I'm getting chances. Today, he had probably more space than he used to have. We saw one chance where he sort of ran through the whole team and almost scored. And we don't see that. But do you change anything when you're not scoring? him? I don't think he will and I don't think he needs to. I think it's about continuing to do what you're doing. Your luck will change and it's not necessarily luck you saw today hit the post.

24:42He was in areas. He created big problems. It was just it didn't go for him. I fully expect him to end up with 30-yard goals or whatever it may be and we talk about it now and we go, oh well, he still ended up with 30 plus goals. So I think three games is absolutely nothing for a player of his calibre. Funny how these things work, isn't it? If you go back to when people were questioning Arsenal like a month ago, it's because they'd drawn at Sunderland and then drew at home to 10-man Chelsea. And now there's a six-point gap at the top and people will be talking about where the title race is at because Manchester City, albeit have drawn at home to Chelsea, and they drew at Sunderland.

25:16I don't think this game is league-defining. I think I said it on Thursday as well. Arsenal play, what, Man City in April? That is going to be one of the games and there's going to be chops and changes throughout the season. And some games you think, we're going to win here, we're going to win there. It doesn't happen like that. And you've got to give credit to Chelsea for that because they put up a fight. They made it difficult, you know, at times today. And, yeah, Man City will be kicking themselves. But you have to give Chelsea credit, especially what they've been going through with having no manager.

25:49Yeah. I mean, it's on the defensive side. You said before the game you talked about on the counter-attack sometimes looking a little bit vulnerable. We saw that almost today with the goal that they scored, where it was in a one-on-one position in the wide areas. Are those some of the things you want to see them change moving forward if they are to challenge and actually go on and win the title? What in terms of Man City? Man City defensively in those transition moments where they're sort of being vulnerable in counter-back. It's very difficult at times because you've got Nico O 'Reilly, he's a left-back, who's a midfielder.

26:16You've got Mateus Nunes, who's a right-back, but he's a midfielder as well. So if you talk about defensive instincts, it's difficult. they're doing so well because Man City always dominate the ball. So in terms of getting on the ball in midfield and playing, but they're not natural defenders. Although the question I would then ask today is, how long do you have to have played in that position before you are that position now, as opposed to what you formerly were? It depends on how your team play, though, doesn't it? I think with the way Man City play, they dominate the ball, so you're left exposed a lot of the time.