Midfielder Rodri admitted that Man City made many individual mistakes in the 4-4 draw at Chelsea in round 12 of the Premier League.
"I don't think it was City's best performance," Rodri said after the game at Stamford Bridge. "On a personal level, we have to look at ourselves, because conceding four goals is not normal for City. But at the same time, the team will continue to work hard. Sometimes football is like that. We scored four goals, but the result is difficult."
Rodri marks Cole Palmer (No. 20) during Man City's 4-4 draw with Chelsea in round 12 of the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on November 12. Photo: AFP
Man City took the lead thanks to Erling Haaland's penalty, but then Chelsea scored twice thanks to a cross-angle header from Thiago Silva and a close-range tap-in from Raheem Sterling. In injury time, the visitors equalized with a header from Manuel Akanji.
In the second half, Man City took the lead twice thanks to Haaland and Rodri, but could not protect the result. In the 67th minute, Conor Gallagher fired a cannon from outside the box that Ederson could not catch, creating conditions for Nicolas Jackson to rush in and equalize 3-3. In the fourth minute of injury time, Ruben Dias fouled Armando Broja in the box, forcing Man City to concede a penalty and Cole Palmer did not miss the opportunity to seal the score at 4-4.
This is only the fourth time in Premier League history that one team has scored and the other has equalised, and the first time since the iconic 4-4 draw between Liverpool and Arsenal in April 2009. It is also the first time a club managed by Pep Guardiola has scored four goals and conceded four, in 882 games in his managerial career.
Rodri praised Chelsea for preparing well, opting for a defensive counter-attacking style with quicker and stronger players. The Spanish midfielder also commented that the "Blues" have recruited many quality players and improved their level. "To be honest, we feel exhausted," Rodri added. "These types of games, at that pace. We know how difficult it is to come here. We tried to play in our usual style, but it was difficult. At home, Chelsea put good pressure."
The draw with Chelsea was enough to keep City at the top of the table and create a one-point gap with Arsenal and Liverpool. Rodri sees this as a positive and wants the team to continue to maintain this position after the international break. "At the moment, we are the strongest team so we have to continue working in the same way," said the 27-year-old midfielder. "This season, like every season, will have its ups and downs. But we have to make sure that the whole team shows unity."
In round 13 on November 25, Man City will host Liverpool at Etihad.
Hong Duy
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