Chelsea defender Reece James appeared in a press interview after the 1-1 draw against Manchester City in the Premier League's 20th round clash at the Etihad Stadium.

The English defender said: "We had to accept what we went through at the start of the week and move past it. We came here with a specific game plan. In the first half, we made a small mistake that led to their goal. But we improved our performance in the second half, and we knew the opportunity would come, which [Enzo Fernandez] took advantage of when it did."

He added about the interim coach Callum McFarlane and the technical staff: "All appreciation to the technical staff who gave their utmost effort. They had never taken on this position before. It is difficult to play the first official match of the first team against Manchester City away from home; we had to adapt quickly. We started the second half with a slightly different strategy, and over time, our performance improved."

Regarding the role of the veteran players: "We have to come together as one team. We are one. We missed many players today, but many others delivered outstanding performances. We fought as one team, and I am proud of the players."

Regarding Enzo Maresca's departure: "Certainly, it's difficult, but we have to fight for each other. We stood firm and earned a valuable point."

And he concluded about the identity of the next coach: "We don't know anything at the moment. Our focus throughout this week has been on this match. What happens behind the scenes is not our concern. We came here, focused on the game, and earned a valuable point after a very tough match. We need to regain our balance. We'll see what happens in the coming days."