In the 94th minute sheer ecstasy for Chelsea and Calum McFarlane when Enzo Fernández forced home the equaliser. It left Pep Guardiola howling at the heavens and gave Chelsea’s interim manager a golden moment. Guardiola v McFarlane could be billed as the Premier League’s greatest managerial mismatch, so the memory of Fernández’s intervention should warm the 40-year-old in his dotage.
On the home bench was the generation’s pre-eminent figure, with 40 trophies on his CV for Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, taking charge of a 1,012th match. In the opposite technical area, a former coach at Croydon, Whyteleafe and City’s academy (2020-23), who led Southampton Under-18s and arrived to make a senior managerial bow, seconded from his regular post guiding the under‑21s and under-19s.
Factor in a slew of absences headlined by Chelsea’s important midfielder Moisés Caicedo (suspended) and the goalkeeper Robert Sánchez (injured), and McFarlane’s task began as mission: close-to-impossible.
The first trick at City’s home is not to concede early, as a rout can follow. Trevoh Chalobah heading away Rayan Cherki’s inswinging corner signalled Chelsea’s goal was under siege already but McFarlane’s side proved spirited throughout.
Rodri started for the first time since 5 October, in a quasi 3-6-1 that featured Erling Haaland at the tip, Nico O’Reilly pushing high up along the left, and Josko Gvardiol, Rúben Dias and Matheus Nunes as the primary defence.
To stymie this, McFarlane’s shape was a 4-3-3 which tried to prosper on quick ball fed to the Estêvão-João Pedro-Pedro Neto frontline. Exhibit A came when Fernández fed Neto, who skipped down his flank and crossed – Estêvão fumbled the attempt yet it was promising.
“Whirlwind” was McFarlane’s adjective to describe his experience since Enzo Maresca’s departure on New Year’s Day presaged a promotion that is expected to end with Liam Rosenior arrival from Strasbourg, Chelsea’s sister club, to take over.
“Combative” would be apt to describe how McFarlane sent out his new charges to be. When Reece James upended Rodri, City’s totem ended in a heap, and you saw the caretaker had followed Maresca’s departure with zero sense of inferiority regarding being able to convince players to follow him.
Another element of his blueprint was to maximise disruption. Jeers came here whenever Chelsea slowed at a dead ball or throw-in or corner – a sure sign that the hosts’ rhythm was being broken up and the Guardiola plan frustrated.
So Haaland hitting Filip Jörgensen’s right post drew a cheer fuelled by the faithful’s relief at some actual goalmouth action, and there was even greater volume when Tijjani Reijnders rifled in the opener a few minutes from the break.
Guardiola celebrated by hugging from behind the fourth official, Simon Hooper having his neck encased by the Catalan’s arms. This latest odd entry into the catalogue of Guardiola interactions with officials and opposition players came after an involved conversation with Hooper. Pep Lijnders, too, took part before being waved off by Hooper – all of this perhaps due to Chelsea’s delaying ploys.
“I’m feeling good, feeling calm. We’ve got some good days training in and done some good prep. The lads are in a good place and we’re really looking forward to the game,” McFarlane told Sky Sports, and when the sides swapped ends, he could be proud of a first 45 minutes in the big time.
Neto would have transformed the emotion to joy if not spooning over a fine chance to equalise. Yet this signalled Chelsea taking the contest to City, which was underlined when Dias barged João Pedro over as the striker sought to run through and was booked.
McFarlane’s first move to try to wrest the match his way came when Andrey Santos replaced Estêvão for the second half. The next came on 62 minutes with Liam Delap for João Pedro and Jorrel Hato for Josh Acheampong.
You saw McFarlane’s thinking when Delap, also once of City, forced Gianluigi Donnarumma to make a first save at point-blank range. For a second act Delap pushed Abdukodir Khusanov into the hoardings behind the Italian’s goal, a melee ensued, the striker was booked. Soon after, Dias was forced off injured.
He joined Gvardiol, whom Khusanov replaced, meaning Guardiola’s first-choice centre‑backs did not finish. City’s packed January calendar means the manager will be concerned nothing serious is at play for either but overriding this is how the draw takes his side back into second, ahead of Aston Villa on goal difference only and six points behind Arsenal, with 56 to play for.
Chelsea came close to equalising but Cole Palmer could not connect, with Donnarumma’s goal glaring. But then came Fernández beating Donnarumma to give McFarlane a famous result.
