Pep

The mood inside the Etihad at full-time felt like one of deflation rather than the expected elation, as City failed to win successive games for only the second time this season.

Guardiola’s side are unbeaten in their past 10 games in all competitions, but the draws in their past two could be significant come the end of the season.

Arsenal are aiming for a first top-flight triumph in more than two decades, while City are looking to reclaim the crown having failed to win silverware last season – the results in the first week of 2026 feel important when considering where the title could end up.

Despite going ahead City could not hold on against a stubborn Chelsea side led by interim manager Calum McFarlane, the under-21s coach who was taking charge of his first senior game and denied Guardiola all three points.

“It’s a brilliant result for Chelsea, with no manager,” former City goalkeeper Shay Given told BBC Sport. “And it is a brilliant result and week for Arsenal, who are now six points clear.

“City dropping four points in the last two games is huge at this time of the season. We always say Christmas and new year, with such a busy schedule, is so important and it’s not been a great festive period for Manchester City.”

Erling Haaland has had a prolific campaign scoring 38 goals for club and country this season, but he has now failed to net in his past three games, which has proved pivotal.

The Norwegian was shackled for long periods by the Chelsea backline and struck the post in the first half, while in the second he had little joy as the home side looked to double their lead.

But they were unable to be clinical enough in the final third and Fernandez’s late equaliser not only snatched a draw for Chelsea but ruined a clean sheet for City and handed the initiative to Arsenal.

“Manchester City will be kicking themselves,” ex-City defender Micah Richards said on Sky Sports. “They know they should’ve had three points today with the chances they created.

“They are normally more ruthless. You are looking at it thinking, ‘what has changed?’ Haaland’s not scored in a few games, Phil Foden had near misses, Rayan Cherki looking very tricky but not the final product. They’ve only got themselves to blame today.”

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville added on Sky Sports: “Pep Guardiola could smell it. The City fans could smell it. I don’t think Chelsea could though. City needed to make it 2-0.

“It was a big goal for Chelsea – and a big goal for Arsenal.”

Guardiola – who takes his side to Sunderland on New Year’s Day – held several talks with his squad during the Club World Cup in America in the summer and believes the breakthrough came there.

He said: “When we went out to Al Hilal, it wasn’t the fact we didn’t win but that we were so good there. It was then holidays so I said: “OK, go on holidays” but I was annoyed because we were good there, good with the guys training, good with the competition.

“The place we were in, Boca Raton in front of the beach, everyone was happy. We made a lot of dinners, a lot of talks, [about] what we have to do next season. What we have to do. We wanted to extend it, just to live that.

“After talking with Pep [Lijnders] and James [French], Manel [Estiarte], Hugo [Viana], Txiki [Begiristain], we turned around and said something changed. Something [you can feel].

“Energy, energy, energy. We lost it last season. We started to train better, compete better.

“It doesn’t mean you are going to win but that you are able to recognise the team. Now it is eight victories in a row. It is not easy but compete in a way we do. We have to improve, absolutely, but this mindset is better.”

Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has told his players to “enjoy themselves” but to “use common sense” over christmas. His comments follow Pep Guardiola’s admission that Manchester City’s players will be weighed when they return to training to check their fitness has not dropped over the festive period.

READ MORE: Dyche urges ‘common sense’ and won’t weigh players

Guardiola is known as a strict coach when it comes to player fitness levels and in 2016 exiled some of his squad from first-team training until they met certain weight targets.

Former City full-back Gael Clichy said Guardiola had told his players to avoid pizza, some juice and certain “heavy food”.

Guardiola previously apologised to Kalvin Phillips after saying the City midfielder was “overweight” on his return from the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

City are two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, who beat Everton 1-0 on Saturday, and face Forest before an away fixture at Sunderland on New Year’s Day.

Guardiola said he had no problem with his squad’s fitness or running, but they simply “have to play better”.

“The players asked me to have tomorrow’s [Sunday’s] training session off and I said no, because they didn’t play well enough,” Guardiola said.

“So Sunday recovery, train the guys that didn’t play, and after three days off they have two days to prepare for Nottingham Forest.”

Guardiola added that it was important for his players to spend time with their families over the Christmas period.

“I’ve learned from England, since I arrived, as much days [where you can] have a day off, you give them,” he added.

“The schedule is so tight and the players have to forget. The moment of the game they will be fresh in the legs.”