Chelsea players agreed there was cause for satisfaction after Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash, not least as the 1-1 draw was achieved following the massive effort put in four days earlier to take the club back to Wembley.
Eight of the players who began against Liverpool started against Manchester City, plus Ramires and Cesar Azpilicueta who came on in the second-half on Tuesday.
It was one of the fresh players, Loic Remy, who converted Eden Hazard’s brilliant cross to put the Blues ahead against City with David Silva levelling for the visitors.
‘We scored on 41 minutes and it would have been a good moment for us to go in at half-time with 1-0,’ noted Nemanja Matic after the game, ‘but City showed they are very strong, they never give up and scored in the last minute of the first half.
‘We expected three points, but I think the draw is a good result for both teams. We had some chances, they had some chances but it's the same, a five-point difference and we are happy because of that and I hope we will continue.’
Oscar also said Chelsea aimed to win but are not upset with a draw.
‘One point against City is okay because everyone was a little bit tired,’ pointed out the Brazilian.
‘Of course you play for three points but one point for us is important because we stay top of the league and five points in front.
‘Against Liverpool everyone played so good and so hard and this game was the same. The team played good against Man City who have fantastic players and 1-1 is okay.’
‘I am happy with how we played because we gave our best,’ continued Matic.
‘We had against Liverpool a hard game and played 120 minutes. We felt it especially in the last 20 minutes of the game today.
‘It was very difficult to run with City players because they were more fresh than us but everyone gave 100 per cent.’
- A clip of Nemanja Matic talking to Chelsea TV after the game can be viewed below, with the full interview available now via Video on Demand, subject to Fan Club Plus membership.