LONDON
\nChelsea\u2019s rip-roaring 4-4 draw with Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday sent a resounding signal that Mauricio Pochettino\u2019s new-look side are finally finding their feet after a faltering start to the season.
\nThe Blues came from behind three times at Stamford Bridge and their never-say-die spirit was rewarded when Ruben Dias slid into substitute Armando Broja and former City striker Cole Palmer thumped home the penalty in the 94th minute.
\nThat last-gasp leveller was nothing less than the hosts deserved from a game which saw City take the lead via an Erling Haaland penalty before Chelsea went 2-1 up with goals from Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling only for Manuel Akanji to make it 2-2, all before halftime.
\nHaaland restored City\u2019s lead a minute into the second half but 20 minutes later Nicolas Jackson pounced to make it 3-3. Rodri seemed to have won all three points for City with a deflected 86th-minute shot, before Palmer\u2019s late penalty.
\nStamford Bridge erupted in celebration under a downpour at the final whistle, even if the point left the Londoners in 10th place in the table.
\nThey have now only won once in their last 14 home league games, a run stretching back into their disastrous 2022-23 campaign.
\nBut those statistics speak of the Blues recent past \u2014 which has included home defeats to Nottingham Forest and Brentford \u2014 whereas the talk on Sunday was of what might lie ahead, coming on the heels of Monday\u2019s 4-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur, albeit against a nine-man Spurs.<\/p>\n
Pochettino said his \u201cproject from zero\u201d with Chelsea\u2019s newly and expensively rebuilt squad was progressing and he hoped the draw against City represented two steps forward after more hesitant progress earlier in the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis type of performance I think we need to use for the future,\u201d the Argentine said.<\/p>\n
Pochettino has previously stressed how his new-look Chelsea have played their best football this season against the big clubs \u2014 they have also drawn with Liverpool and Arsenal \u2014 while they have struggled against sides that defend deep.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday was a massive motivation and \u2026 the crowd was amazing, supporting us and we need that, the fans being excited, in the next games when we face teams here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
City coach Pep Guardiola was effusive in his praise of his opponents who had failed to even score against City in their previous six league and cup encounters, all of which were won by the Sky Blues; the sensational draw leaving the defending champions only one point clear at the top of the Premier League.<\/p>\n
The last time Chelsea beat City was in Champions League final in 2021. Their fortunes have diverged sharply since then with City winning the Premier League twice and the Champions League this year while Chelsea\u2019s form was so bad last campaign they fired coaches Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are a fantastic team with an experienced manager with a traditional club with a lot of titles in the last 20 years,\u201d City coach Pep Guardiola told BBC radio. \u201cThey are starting to build something new from now on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked if he had any regrets about City\u2019s uncharacteristic defensive sloppiness, Guardiola said: \u201cIf you think we are going to come here and win 7-0, you are wrong. We were close, maybe we managed not perfectly in some moments but Chelsea have nothing to lose.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are top of the league and qualified for the Champions League next stage. At some times when we could be a bit soft, it is the complete opposite.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LONDON Chelsea\u2019s rip-roaring 4-4 draw with Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday sent a resounding signal that Mauricio Pochettino\u2019s new-look side are finally finding their feet after a faltering start to the season. The Blues came from behind three times at Stamford Bridge and their never-say-die spirit was rewarded when Ruben Dias slid into […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-368105","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n