It could not have been more fitting that Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling, the two Manchester City old boys, had key roles in the final act of this manic match. Neither needed any motivation to face a club that ultimately decided they were expendable. They were both immense.
Sterling gave the jet-heeled Kyle Walker more trouble in one-on-one situations than any left-winger in recent memory, while Palmer quickly gathered himself after passing the ball straight to Haaland in the opening minutes to produce a display of sublime composure and intelligence more in keeping with the stellar start to his Chelsea career.
Out of possession, they hassled and harried City players into more mistakes than anyone had a right to expect, frequently creating chances for Chelsea through high turnovers and helping turn this game into an instant Premier League classic.
Deep into stoppage time, Sterling drifted into a pocket of space, got his head up and clipped a brilliant ball into the unmarked Armando Broja in the box, panicking Ruben Dias into the foul that gave Palmer the chance to help Chelsea snatch a draw.
Each of Palmer’s four penalties in a Chelsea shirt has been more high-pressure than the last, but there was never any doubt he would convert this one, whipping a high shot to Ederson’s right even as the Brazilian guessed the right way.
Both have been key to Chelsea’s recent revival and will continue to be so if they maintain this standard.
