Chelsea temporary manager McFarlane gears up for Manchester City encounter after turbulent day

Chelsea's stand-in manager Calum McFarlane received his formal introduction to the team on Friday following a whirlwind 24 hours after Enzo Maresca's departure, with a challenging match against Manchester City on the horizon.

Maresca stepped down on Thursday with Chelsea sitting fifth in the Premier League standings, trailing leaders Arsenal by 15 points, after securing just one victory in their last seven league outings.

"It has been a whirlwind 24 hours, as you might expect, but also truly thrilling and motivating, so I am approaching this with real optimism," McFarlane, the under-21s coach, shared with the press on Friday.

McFarlane noted a solid backing from the senior squad towards emerging talents at Chelsea, though his official welcome to the main group occurred that morning.

"I had chats with some players earlier, but the formal introduction happened today," he explained to journalists.

McFarlane, facing the tough job of readying Chelsea for the away fixture against second-placed City at the Etihad Stadium, described Friday's session as outstanding.

"The players appear highly concentrated, eager, and determined," he continued. "They understand the importance of Sunday's clash and that we must perform at peak levels; the atmosphere reflects that.

"As seasoned pros with plenty of experience in big matches, they have been through this before."

McFarlane mentioned that the club's leadership has offered their backing, yet he remains uncertain about the duration of his interim role.

"My instructions are simply to get the team ready for Manchester City on Sunday, and that is all the information I have right now," he stated.

The exit of Maresca followed discussions he reportedly had with City regarding a potential role to follow Pep Guardiola.

Over his 18 months leading at Stamford Bridge, the Italian guided Chelsea's return to the Champions League, while also claiming the UEFA Conference League and the Club World Cup.

Liam Rosenior, currently heading Strasbourg, a club under the umbrella of Chelsea's owning group BlueCo, emerges as the frontrunner to succeed Maresca, even without prior Premier League coaching stints.