A last-minute penalty kick from Cole Palmer secured a point for Chelsea in a thrilling Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge.
In a game where both teams scored four goals each, Palmer, facing his former club, stepped up in the 94th minute to convert the equalizer after Armando Broja was fouled by Ruben Dias in the box.
The result trims Manchester City’s lead at the top of the Premier League to just one point, while Chelsea climbs into the top half of the table following two impressive results in the span of a week.
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The match kicked off with some VAR controversy, as Manchester City was awarded a penalty when a tussle between Marc Cucurella and Erling Haaland in the box resulted in the latter falling. Despite a VAR check suggesting shirt tugging by both players, the penalty stood, and Haaland calmly converted from the spot.
Chelsea responded swiftly, with Reece James forcing Ederson into a save from a free-kick, and Thiago Silva equalizing from the resulting corner kick. The veteran center-back timed his run perfectly, heading the ball across goal into the far bottom corner.
Despite City’s pressure on Chelsea’s defense, notably through Phil Foden, it was Chelsea that secured the next goal in the 36th minute. Josko Gvardiol’s defensive lapse allowed Reece James to capitalize, stealing the ball and delivering a cross to former Man City player Raheem Sterling, who slotted the ball into the net.
On the brink of half-time, the visitors came close to equalizing through Haaland. The striker latched onto a well-placed through ball from Bernardo Silva, firing a low and powerful shot towards the goal. Despite expectations of the net bulging, Robert Sanchez made a remarkable dive to his left, getting a strong hand on the effort and clearing it from danger.
However, Man City quickly rebounded from that missed opportunity. In added time at the end of the first half, Manuel Akanji found himself completely unmarked in the heart of the penalty area and expertly headed Silva’s delivery past Sanchez.
Pep Guardiola’s team started the second half with a burst of energy and regained the lead through their star player, Haaland. The forward initiated a swift counter-attack, with Julian Alvarez delivering the ball back to Haaland at the back post, allowing him to bundle it home.
The score almost leveled at 3-3 on the hour mark when Cole Palmer exhibited a moment of brilliance, maneuvering past three Man City players to enter the penalty area. However, Palmer’s final strike let him down, finding only Ederson’s midsection with his tame effort.
Shortly after, the score indeed became 3-3. Nicolas Jackson, who had been relatively quiet in the game, sprang to life, capitalizing on Ederson’s palmed save from a Conor Gallagher strike to tap home the equalizer.
It was evident that more goals were in store, and indeed, they came. In the 85th minute, Rodri seized upon a loose ball at the edge of the box, and his first-time effort deflected off Thiago Silva’s foot into the net.
Incredibly, that wasn’t the last goal either. In the 92nd minute, substitute Armando Broja was fouled by Ruben Dias in the box, and Palmer stepped up to confidently rifle home the equalizer.