On a bone-chilling Sunday night at the Etihad, Manchester City’s title charge hit an unexpected snag. With the clock bleeding into stoppage time and a ninth straight home league win within reach, City looked poised to keep the pressure on leaders Arsenal. Instead, Enzo Fernández’s 94th-minute scramble at the far post turned celebration into silence, as Chelsea’s last-gasp leveller sent visiting fans into raptures and left the Etihad crowd stunned.
Momentum Lost in the Final Breath
What felt like a routine victory slipped through City’s fingers in the dying seconds. The draw compounded a bruising week for Pep Guardiola’s side: four points dropped in as many days and a growing sense that the festive period has not gone to plan. Chelsea’s unlikely point came amid their own turmoil — manager Enzo Maresca’s exit — yet the underdogs’ resilience under interim coach Calum McFarlane produced one of the weekend’s most dramatic moments.
Arsenal’s Cushion Widens
The result handed Arsenal a timely boost. After a statement win earlier in the week and a gritty victory over Bournemouth, Mikel Arteta’s side now sit six points clear of both City and Aston Villa. In a season where margins are razor-thin, City’s two recent draws could prove costly when the final reckoning arrives.
Guardiola’s Measured Take
Asked about the title race, Guardiola was characteristically pragmatic: “I don't have a crystal ball.” His focus, he said, is recovery and preparation for Brighton. He praised his team’s chances creation and underlying numbers but admitted luck and clinical finishing have been elusive. The manager’s calm words masked the growing pressure on a squad that has created chances but struggled to convert them into the ruthless results that define champions.
Missing Pieces and Waning Ruthlessness
Erling Haaland’s prolific season has cooled; the striker has now gone three games without a goal, and City’s final-third bluntness was exposed at crucial moments. Former players and pundits were blunt: City should have taken all three points. Micah Richards and Gary Neville both pointed to missed opportunities and a lack of the usual ruthlessness that has been City’s hallmark.
Injuries, Reinforcements, and the Road Ahead
Injury woes are resurfacing. Guardiola admitted the squad is carrying a worrying list of absentees, with doubts over Ruben Dias and Joško Gvardiol’s availability and John Stones sidelined long-term. While Rodri’s return offered a glimmer of hope, the defensive picture looks fragile. City are reportedly closing in on winger Antoine Semenyo, but Guardiola was coy on further market moves.
Wednesday’s trip to Brighton looms large — a chance to arrest the wobble and reassert intent. For now, though, the Etihad’s festive deflation is a reminder that even the mightiest can be unsettled by a single, dramatic moment.
