'Really good energy' - Chelsea Under-21s coach opens up on 'enjoyable and exciting' role as Enzo Maresca's replacement ahead of Man City clash

Enzo Maresca's relationship with Chelsea had soured dramatically by mid December, when the Italian hit out at the "worst 48 hours" he had experienced since arriving at Stamford Bridge from Leicester City. The Blues have struggled for consistency and a three-match winless run brought Maresca's stint at the helm to an end, with the club now searching for their next permanent manager.

In the meantime, McFarlane has been tasked with taking charge of proceedings, starting with a tough assignment away at Manchester City on Sunday.

Speaking to the press before Sunday's game, McFarlane said: "It's been a crazy 24 hours, a whirlwind as you can imagine, but also really enjoyable and exciting. I can only be positive about it.

"There's a really good culture at the club, in terms of the support from the first team, the directors, everyone seems interested. There's always a bit of an academy presence there [at U21s matches]. In all honesty, it's exactly the same as it always has been. We're all here for the same reason. Training was great today, there was a really good energy.

"You don't know what to expect, really, but the energy and enthusiasm was exceptional today. They were really focused, driven and hungry. We have a massive game on Sunday. Reece [James] has been brilliant, he has been a real leader in the group and helped the staff and players to get ready for Sunday."

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Few managers have had as tough an assignment on their first day on the job as taking on Guardiola, who is regarded as one of the greatest managers in history having enjoyed great success with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now City. The Catalan coach has revived the Cityzens' fortunes after a difficult 2024-25 campaign, though they still have plenty of work to do after slipping four points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal following a goalless draw at Sunderland.

However, McFarlane downplayed the upcoming meeting of himself with Guardiola on the touchline, instead insisting his responsibility is to make sure Chelsea are ready to compete.

He added: "Ultimately it's a football match. It's not about me, my first game or playing against Pep - it's Chelsea vs City. Two top sides, we'll go there and compete. We've seen this year how this team can do in big moments.

"I'm quite relaxed about it. It might be more nerve-wracking and daunting when it gets closer to the game. 

"I don't feel famous, other than the text messages you usually get. I'm just focused on coming in every day and doing the best I can. It doesn't feel different. 

"I think that we know we're up against a really good team in really good form with a great manager, but we have a really good team. I wouldn't say we have nothing to lose, no."

Chelsea aren't expected to dither too much in their search for a permanent replacement for Maresca, with Liam Rosenior the current frontrunner for the vacant position. The former Fulham and Reading full-back has been in charge of the Ligue 1 side since July 2024 and helped them qualify for the Conference League in his first season in charge.

The Blues have a number of difficult fixtures on the horizon after deciding to part ways with Maresca. Sunday's trip to City is followed by a London derby against Fulham and another with Charlton, with the latter coming in the FA Cup. They also have the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final with Arsenal on top of clashes with Brentford, Pafos, Crystal Palace, Napoli and West Ham throughout the rest of January.