Manchester City 1-1 Chelsea result - Enzo Fernandez equaliser cancels out Tijjani Reijnders opener in Premier League draw

Manchester City's Premier League title hopes were dealt a further damaging blow after Enzo Fernandez's stoppage-time equaliser earned Chelsea a point in a 1-1 draw at the Etihad.

Following a tumultuous week at Stamford Bridge which resulted in Enzo Maresca receiving his marching orders, the departing Chelsea manager's namesake was the one making the headlines on a bitterly cold winter's evening in Manchester.

City had led since Tijjani Reijnders' 42nd-minute opener, which looked to have moved Pep Guardiola's men to within four points of Arsenal at the top of the table.

However, Fernandez capped off a fine second-half performance to earn Calum McFarlane's side a point, in what could be his only interim match in charge.

There was little to choose between the two sides in a largely cagey first half, but City increased the intensity with half-time approaching as Erling Haaland rattled the post with a curling left-footed strike.

Moments later, Reijnders struck first with an emphatic left-footed finish of his own that flew past Filip Jorgensen at the near post.

There was an element of fortune about the goal, as Rayan Cherki's pass was meant for Haaland, but Benoit Badiashile diverted the ball from its intended target into the path of the Dutchman to fire home.

The Blues were pushing for an equaliser with full-time edging closer, with Cole Palmer and Liam Delap agonisingly close to making a connection with Jorrell Hato's cross.

However, Fernandez ensured Chelsea took a point back to west London when Malo Gusto's delivery fell into the Argentine's path, and he slotted home at the third opportunity.

This point for Chelsea keeps them fifth and three points adrift of Liverpool in fourth, while back-to-back draws for City mean Guardiola's side lose two more points in the race to hunt down Arsenal at the top.

Stream the Premier League, Men’s and Women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more on TNT Sports and discovery+

A result which will go down rather well in north London...

City's players are crestfallen as Chelsea appear to have stolen a point at the death!

Gusto does brilliantly down the right to play a cross towards Enzo, who prods the ball home at the third time of asking after scuffing his first attempt and seeing his second saved by Donnarumma.

Bernardo enters the referee's book in the closing stages for pulling back Santos

Plenty of time for another twist here!

Hato delivers a ball in from the left, but neither Palmer nor Delap can make a decent connection inside the box.

Could've easily been a Chelsea equaliser there!

The Frenchman plays a lovely lofted ball into the path of Haaland, before Jorgensen collects.

He's been very impressive tonight.

Guardiola makes what looks like an enforced tweak at centre-back, replacing the injured Dias.

Nunes is also booked, seemingly for his altercation with Enzo amidst that melee.

Delap sparks some handbags between the City and Chelsea players after shoving Khusanov into the hoardings.

That was a superb pass by Doku to Foden, whose attempted cross is cut out by Badiashile.

He and Chalobah have been pretty solid tonight.

Enzo picks out Delap, who turns brilliantly inside the box, and his resulting shot is saved by Donnarumma at his near post.

Tonight's goalscorer is replaced by Doku.

That was a lovely City move, as Haaland plays in Cherki, who looks for Bernardo in the middle, but the Portuguese is brillianlty thwarted by Hato.

The Dutchman replaces Acheampong for the other Chelsea change.

Delap makes his 50th Premier League appearance, replacing Joao Pedro in the first part of a double Chelsea change.

The former Lyon man dithers inside the box after being picked out by Reijnders, and is brought down.

He's convinced he's been brought down by James.

But the Chelsea defender clearly gets the ball first.

Chelsea's defenders would have been panicking, as Haaland makes a surging run from the centre of the pitch towards goal, but Badiashile is blocks his subsequent strike.

Pedro is on the receiving end of a rather uncompromising block from Dias, and the Portuguese defender earns a place in Michael Oliver's notebook.