The game kicked off under a heavy downpour at the Etihad Stadium, but Chelsea were unable to weather a late storm and hold on for the win. The Blues can still hold their heads high, though, after producing a brilliant performance during which we more than matched our opponents, denying them their usual control while looking a constant threat going forward.

We had produced a few good chances already when Raheem Sterling gave us a first-half lead at the end of a fine counter-attack, turning Kyle Walker and finishing confidently after being found by Nicolas Jackson.

Man City pushed back, Axel Disasi twice clearing off the line, although at the other end Ederson did well to deny Sterling a second from close range in a tense second half. Eventually the hosts' pressure succeeded in finding them an equaliser, Rodri firing through a crowd in the box, but it was still Chelsea who left the pitch the happier of the two sides after this impressive away point.

Even start at the Etihad

There were no clear chances early on but even after 10 minutes it seemed they would arrive soon at one end or the other, with Erling Haaland heading over from Jeremy Doku’s cross and Ederson saving low as Raheem Sterling tried to curl one from the edge of the box.

Conor Gallagher started to find space as the half went on and played a lovely reverse pass for Cole Palmer but Nathan Ake just about got there in time to put the ball behind for a corner. It was a sign that we were growing into the game nicely and 20 minutes in Man City found themselves in the unfamiliar position of playing without possession for long periods on home turf. We also had a bit more directness to our forward play, promising to cause City problems.

It almost paid off midway through the first half when Malo Gusto was able to race away down the right, released by Palmer’s pass. The Frenchman sent a low ball across goal, but Nicolas Jackson was unable to gather it fully under control with his first touch, allowing Ederson to rush off his line and block the shot.

Things threatened to open up a couple times before half-time, Chelsea’s best opportunity yet coming when Sterling briefly looked like he was free of the last defender, but again Ederson was quick coming out and pounced on the winger’s first touch before he could get the shot away, and the flag was raised anyway.

Chelsea make chances count

That meant there could be no claim that it was against the run of play when the Blues took the lead shortly before the break, and it came from Sterling at the stadium he used to call home.

Another former City player Palmer did well to drive forward on the counter and play in Jackson down the right. Sterling still had work to do when the Senegalese striker squared the ball across goal, but Raheem cut back onto his right foot to evade Kyle Walker and open the angle, before finishing past Ederson.

The home side tried to fight back quickly and Disasi had to clear off the line following a corner which took a slight touch on the way through, but we were able to go in for half-time 1-0 up.

The job was only half done, though, and City were full of intent when the teams came back out, Kevin De Bruyne’s dipping free-kick serving as an early warning when it came down on the roof of the net. We had another let-off when Haaland fired wide from Phil Foden’s cross on the counter, but we were holding our own in what, for now at least, remained a fairly even game.

The combination of Sterling and Jackson on the counter-attack, in particular, continued to cause Man City serious problems, threatening to break away a few times before Sterling was unlucky not to get his and Chelsea’s second goal. This time it was Gusto’s low cross which Raheem slid in to meet in the centre, but Ederson produced a good double save to keep out that effort and Ben Chilwell's follow-up.

Under pressure

Increasingly we were restricted to those counter-attacks, though, as Man City pushed forward in pursuit of an equaliser, and we had defending to do. It had to be strong too, with Disasi clearing off the line again from Foden's volley and Levi Colwill producing a brave block.

We had a further chance when Gallagher got away down the right and found Christopher Nkunku. The Frenchman's shot was blocked before Jackson and Enzo Fernandez got in each other's way trying to reach the rebound, but Nkunku was offside so it wouldn't have counted.

Mauricio Pochettino tried to relieve some of the pressure by introducing another defender, Trevoh Chalobah replacing Palmer to make his first appearance of the season following injury. He was needed as we found ourselves with more and more defending to do as the remaining time on the clock slowly ticked away.

We couldn't quite manage that feat, though, as the pressure told with seven minutes remaining, when another blocked shot sat up kindly for Rodri and the Spaniard smashed a low shot into the back of the net, despite Chalobah's best effort to block.

A draw is still a positive result at the home of the reigning champions, though, and was well deserved, even if it looked like we might have got more for long periods of the match.

What it means

That draw leaves Chelsea 10th in the Premier League table, two points behind Newcastle United in what is currently the final European qualification spot.

What is next

Chelsea now have a week to recover and prepare for a big one next Sunday, when we take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup at Wembley, with kick-off at 3pm.

The teams

Chelsea (4-3-3): Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Chilwell (c); Gallagher, Caicedo, Enzo; Palmer (Chalobah 71), Jackson (Casadei 82), Sterling (Nkunku 65)
Unused subs: Bettinelli, Gilchrist, Samuels-Smith, Harrison, Madueke, Mudryk
Scorer: Sterling 42
Booked: Caicedo 35, Palmer 60, Petrovic 62

Manchester City (4-1-4-1): Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Ake; Rodri; Foden, De Bruyne, Alvarez (Silva 65), Doku; Haaland
Unused subs: Ortega, Stones, Gomez, Lewis, Bobb, Kovacic, Nunes, Susoho
Scorer: Rodri 83
Booked: Silva 85

Referee: Andrew Madley