Chelsea trophy winner highlights two standouts from Man City draw after late Gary Neville change

Two Chelsea players not highlighted by interim boss Calum McFarlane were key to the Blues' 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Sunday, a former Chelsea trophy winner has told Sports Mole.

A few days on from the sacking of head coach Enzo Maresca, the Club World Cup winners faced possibly their most daunting examination imaginable and could have easily been blown away by the title-chasing Citizens.

Pep Guardiola's men drew first blood on the stroke of half time through Tijjani Reijnders, but the hosts failed to add to their advantage and were punished when Enzo Fernandez levelled matters in additional time.

McFarlane name-checked Andrey Santos and Liam Delap as two players who stood out following his half-time tactical tweaks, but Pat Nevin - a Second Division winner with the Blues in 1984 - instead highlighted Fernandez and Reece James as the two standouts.

“I've been impressed by the stand-in coach," Nevin said. "He was brave. He had to make those tactical and technical changes at half time.

Chelsea trophy winner highlights two standout players in Man City draw

“It was a rather dull and insipid match from Man City. They were really tired. And the crowd seemed awful. If you're going to try and win this league, they've got to be fighting for it. They've got to look hungry. And that means everybody in the stands as well.

“But for Chelsea, so many things have gone wrong recently. They were only three points off 14th place. They absolutely needed that late goal. So one individual player, it's actually a tough one to call because it was a whole unit working together.

“Enzo Fernandez is very important to the club at the moment, but it's Reece James. He was absolutely brilliant, core to everything. His covering was fantastic.

"Although he was, for a period, one of if not the best right-full back in the world, actually that's not his best position. His best position is now in midfield, which is stunning to see.

"And now that he's getting fitter and fitter and playing more and more games, he's a huge part of what Chelsea are going to need if they're going to grapple their way into that top four/five for the rest of the season.”

How did Reece James, Enzo Fernandez perform in Man City 1-1 Chelsea?

Just when Gary Neville was about to hand his Player of the Match prize to Reijnders, Fernandez's late strike saw the Manchester United legend swerve and select James, who filled in adequately for the banned Moises Caicedo.

The Chelsea captain won five duels in total - drawing two fouls, making two interceptions and winning one tackle - and he also registered eight recoveries and misplaced just one pass in Man City's half.

Meanwhile, Fernandez's goal capped off an all-around stellar display from the Argentine, who played two key passes - one of which led to a big chance - and won seven ground duels at the Etihad Stadium.

Caicedo will be back from his yellow-card ban in time for Wednesday's clash with Fulham, but with Fernandez and James combining effectively and Santos earning high praise from McFarlane, either he or Liam Rosenior will have a wonderful selection dilemma to solve.

Pat Nevin was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of BetWright football betting