The Japan Times - Man City title hopes hit by managerless Chelsea

Tijjani Reijnders had blasted City into a deserved half-time lead, but they lost central defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias to injury in the second half and then blew two points in the dying seconds when Fernandez prodded in at the back post.

A point is only good enough to edge City back above Aston Villa in second on goal difference and leaves them six points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

Chelsea were under the caretaker charge of the club's under-21 coach Calum McFarlane after parting ways with Enzo Maresca on Thursday.

The Blues have won just once in their last eight league games to slip to fifth in the table, but got their reward for a spirited second half display to close within three points of the top four.

City were able to welcome Rodri back for his first start since early October and the Spaniard quickly showed why he was crowned the world's best player before suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in September 2024.

Only wasteful finishing in a 0-0 draw at Sunderland on Thursday cost Pep Guardiola's men a ninth consecutive win and they were again guilty of letting their opposition off the hook before the break.

After a sluggish opening 20 minutes, the chances began to flow for the home side as Phil Foden fired just wide before Bernardo Silva curled just over the bar.

Filip Jorgensen made his first Premier League start of the season in the Chelsea goal due to an injury to Robert Sanchez and produced a brilliant save to tip Erling Haaland's deflected effort behind.

Haaland was practically wheeling away in celebration moments later when his curling shot crashed off the inside of the post.

City's pressure finally told three minutes before the break when Reijnders wriggled clear inside the box before blasting a powerful shot past Jorgensen at his near post.

Within seconds of the restart, City nearly threw all their good first half work away.

An ankle injury to Gvardiol left City undermanned at the back as Chelsea broke forward and Pedro Neto spooned over the bar from point-blank range.

Chelsea targeted Gvardiol's replacement Abdukodir Khusanov in their search for an equaliser and City needed Gianluigi Donnarumma to keep Liam Delap out from a narrow angle.

Donnarumma nearly saved his side again at the death with a remarkable stop from Fernandez, but the Argentine got to the rebound first to tap in.

Numerous City players fell to their knees in disappointment as Arsenal close in on their first league title for 22 years.

K.Hashimoto--JT