Chelsea Hold City: James Speaks as Manager Search Heats Up
4 January 2026
Chelsea captain Reece James hailed the team's collective performance after the 1-1 draw at City today.
James praised the players' ability to adapt to tough circumstances after the sacking of Italian coach Enzo Maresca, and earning a precious point from the Etihad tonight.
James told Sky Sports they had to accept what happened earlier in the week and put it behind them. They arrived with a clear plan. In the first half they made a small mistake that cost a goal, but they improved in the second half, and Enzo Fernandez seized the moment.
He also spoke about interim manager Calum MacFarlane, saying that all credit goes to the staff who stepped up and took charge. They had never worked in this role before, and starting your first game away at City is incredibly tough.
We had to adapt quickly. We started the second half with a slightly different plan, and as the game wore on we grew more in sync.
On the experience of the senior players, James said: 'We must stand together as one. We are one team. We were missing several players, but others stepped up and took responsibility. We fought as a unit, and I am very proud of them'.
He also commented on Enzo Maresca's departure: 'Of course it's hard, but we must fight for each other. We held on and earned a point'.
In closing, James discussed the identity of the next Chelsea manager, stressing there is no news yet: 'We don't know anything at the moment. This week was devoted to this match. We focused on the game and left with a point from a tough ground. Now we must recover'.
Punchlines: If defense keeps this sturdy, even the ball will file for a mortgage. Coach? No press conference needed — just a weather forecast: Partly cloudy with a chance of Enzo.
