After winning their final eight matches of last year, Manchester City were forced to settle for a second consecutive draw in 2026 after being held 1-1 by Chelsea in a dramatic Premier League encounter at the Etihad Stadium, Softfootball reports.
City came into the contest on the back of a frustrating goalless draw against Sunderland on New Year's Day , while Chelsea's build-up was dominated by off-field drama after the club parted ways with manager Enzo Maresca in a shock decision earlier that same day . With the Blues under interim boss Calum McFarlane, caution was the order of the afternoon in the early exchanges.
That conservative approach initially worked in Chelsea's favour, unsettling the hosts and producing the game's first opening when Estevao's effort from inside the area was blocked by Josko Gvardiol. City gradually grew into the contest, with Phil Foden passing up two decent chances before Bernardo Silva curled an effort over from a promising position.
