Manchester City’s woes continued as they surrendered a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord and make it six games without a win for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Guardiola, enduring his worst run as a coach, seemed on course to see his side cruise to victory in this Champions League tie when two goals from Erling Haaland either side of half-time sandwiched Ilkay Gundogan’s deflected volley. But there was late drama.
Anis Hadj Moussa seized upon a defensive error by Josko Gvardiol to pull the first goal back on 75 minutes before substitute Santiago Gimenez converted from close range to set nerves jangling. David Hancko headed in the equaliser to leave City bereft.
It was an extraordinary collapse, a draw that ends their five-game losing streak but will feel like a defeat given the remarkable circumstances. City remain outside the top eight in the Champions League. More worryingly, the slump in form shows no signs of ending.
How Man City fell apart
Pep Guardiola looks on in astonishment as Manchester City squander a three-goal lead against Feyenoord
It had looked likely to be a routine win, a confidence-boosting result to get City back on course after their recent malaise. This result will only add to the questions facing Guardiola, a hapless collapse that suggests this team has lost what it once had.
Nobody in the stadium saw it coming, as evidenced by Guardiola’s decision to bring on Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and James McAtee alongside Kevin De Bruyne when three up midway through the second half. He thought it was over, thoughts turning to Liverpool, live on Sky Sports on Sunday
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Feyenoord had other ideas, but they had help. Gvardiol’s casual back-pass was inexplicable. Ederson was poor for all of the goals. And while there were youngsters on the pitch, there was also De Bruyne, Haaland, Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish.
All looked shocked at the end, as if victims of circumstances they cannot explain. Doubts that were creeping in are now flooding the mind. Fifteenth in the Champions League table, they go to Anfield knowing defeat there will increase the gap to the Premier League leaders to 11 points. This is officially a crisis.
Guardiola: Difficult to swallow
Man City boss Pep Guardiola speaking in the press conference…
“It is not necessary to say anything to them [the players], they know it perfectly. Three episodes did not allow us to win. It is what it is. It is difficult to swallow right now. The game was good, scored three, could have scored more.
“We give away three, especially the first one. We were not able to control the last minutes.
“The team was so committed. But the moment something happens, the team is not strong enough.
“We are not able to win games. We were always a team that found a way.
“What can we do? Rest one or two days and prepare for Anfield.”
Asked about the boos from the crowd at the final whistle…
“The last game against Tottenham, 0-4, they were there, applause. They don’t come here to remember the past, they come here to see the team perform. Of course, they are completely right to express how they feel.”
Feyenoord coach on ‘unbelievable’ night
Feyenoord head coach Brian Priske speaking in the press conference…
“If you are from Feyenoord Rotterdam, it is an unbelievable evening, 3-0 down away from home against, for me, still the best team in the world.
“Obviously you always believe, but it was a difficult game. The first 25 minutes, they played fast football, we were not as tight as we wanted, ended up too low.
“At 3-0 down, you definitely think this is going to be long night, tough evening, but without any tactical [changes], just individual quality, moments, gave us the draw.
“The players stayed in the game, kept pushing and kept believing. I can only praise them.”
Man City’s night in stats
- Manchester City were only the third English side to fail to win a Champions League game in which they held a three-goal lead, after Arsenal vs Anderlecht in November 2014 and Liverpool vs Sevilla in November 2017.
- Feyenoord came from 3-0 down having trailed by that score going into the 75th minute, the latest a side has been three goals behind in a Champions League game and avoided defeat.
- Manchester City have conceded two or more goals in six successive matches in all competitions for the first time since May 1963 – a season in which they were relegated from the top flight.
