Chelsea's new manager Callum McFarlane is undeterred by Manchester City's eight-game winning streak.
2026-01-03 02:28
With head coach Enzo Maresca suddenly resigning on New Year's Day, U21 head coach Callum McFarlane hastily taken over to prepare for the season.
This Sunday, McFarlane will lead his team to the Etihad Stadium to challenge Manchester City, the title favorites who are currently on an eight-game home winning streak and ranked second in the league.
Facing the upcoming challenge, McFarlane displayed strong confidence at the pre-match press conference. He emphasized that Chelsea had proven themselves in major tournaments multiple times in the second half of 2025.
Whether facing Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona in European competitions or clashing with Arsenal in the league, Chelsea have displayed world-class performances. McFarlane has asked his players to recreate this "best version" of themselves on Sunday.
McFarlane responded forcefully to outside opinions suggesting Chelsea's loss was "not a loss at all." He stated, "This is not a meaningless game. This is Chelsea versus Manchester City, a clash between two top teams. We went there to compete and win, not to lose nothing."
Thanks to Manchester City's recent intense match against Sunderland on Thursday, McFarlane's coaching staff had valuable observation opportunities. He revealed that the team has thoroughly studied Manchester City's latest tactical logic and developed corresponding countermeasures. Currently, Chelsea is focused on tactical execution, striving to take points away from home.
With the match approaching, whether McFarlane can orchestrate a miracle in his first game after Maresca's departure has become the focus of attention across the Premier League.
