Manchester Metropolis misplaced extra floor on Premier League leaders Arsenal after Enzo Fernandez rescued a late 1-1 draw for managerless Chelsea at a snowy Etihad Stadium.
A considerably subdued Metropolis efficiency was dropped at life by Tijjani Reijnders within the first half, scoring his sixth league objective of the season by lashing an emphatic end into the roof of the web, with Metropolis on track to maneuver again inside 4 factors of the Gunners.
However there was a stoppage-time twist, and it involved the tenacious away facet, who had already spurned respectable alternatives by way of Pedro Neto and Liam Delap. Deep into added time, Malo Gusto pulled extensive and charged in the direction of a crossing place, with the ball ultimately rippling to Fernandez, who beat Gianluigi Donnarumma on the third time of asking.
Man Metropolis do transfer again above Aston Villa into second however are actually six factors adrift of Arsenal after back-to-back attracts, solely managing to attain as soon as from a mixed xG of three.23.
The opposite draw back for a disgruntled Pep Guardiola can be his mounting damage checklist, with defensive pairing Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias added to it, albeit a returning Rodri accomplished 90 minutes for the primary time since September to ease the shortness in midfield.
“It does not look good,” Pep mentioned of Gvardiol and Dias. “When you have all the squad, you can compete and rotate but now it is a situation.” Metropolis now solely have 4 senior defenders match.
Chelsea, in the meantime, with just one win of their final eight, keep in contact of the highest 4 with a battling level – maybe one thing for an incoming new supervisor, closely rumoured to be Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior, to construct on.
Title pendulum swings Arsenal’s approach
Sky Sports activities’ Lewis Jones:
“It’s always noteworthy to look at the bookmaker odds for the title after a swing like this.
“Arsenal are actually 4/11 (73 per cent probability) to win the Premier League – it’s the shortest value they’ve been this season to assert the title. Man Metropolis are 7/2 and Aston Villa 33/1.
“Only Arsenal can stop Arsenal now, surely?”
