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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola stated that his team did not deserve to win following a late comeback by Crystal Palace, resulting in a 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium.
The city team had control of the ball and seemed to be easily winning with a 2-0 lead, thanks to Jack Grealish’s goal in the first half and Rico Lewis scoring nine minutes into the second half.
However, Palace responded with a goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta in the 76th minute. Later, in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Michael Olise scored an equalizer with a penalty kick after Phil Foden fouled Mateta in the penalty area.
The champions have lost points for the fifth time in six Premier League games. This happened in their previous game before traveling to Saudi Arabia for the Club World Cup. As a result, they are now in fourth place, trailing the leaders Liverpool by three points. Liverpool will face Manchester United on Sunday.
Manager Guardiola, whose team had tied 4-4 with Chelsea, 1-1 with Liverpool, and 3-3 with Tottenham, and lost 1-0 to Aston Villa before their 2-1 victory at Luton last Sunday, stated: “It was not just bad luck, we earned it. We let go of two points.”
“When you impose this penalty, it is well-deserved. As you can see, the opportunities we have created and the ones we have allowed are very similar, with the exception of the Chelsea game, throughout this entire season. However, we are unable to finish the game.”
Palace had a potential opportunity in the first half, but they did not make any significant moves until the goal by Mateta.
“The team performed exceptionally well, but the decision to award Crystal Palace a penalty in the end was undeserved. It was similar to the penalty given to Chelsea for Cole Palmer’s last-minute equaliser.”
The outcome was not due to bad luck; rather, it was well-deserved as we forfeited two points.
“We performed exceptionally well in our recent matches against Spurs, Liverpool, and today. Unfortunately, we were unable to secure a victory. Our inconsistency in finishing games has been a major factor in this outcome, among other reasons.”
Guardiola refuted claims that Manchester City was lacking intensity in the last 20 minutes, stating, “We were not careful enough in the 18-yard box and we do not deserve to win.”
Manchester City, who have won three major titles, were once again missing their injured forward Erling Haaland. They are now scheduled to face Urawa Red Diamonds from Japan in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup on Tuesday, and the final will take place on Friday.
Guardiola stated that they had a six or seven-hour flight with the outcome and only have three days to recover before a potential final. He acknowledged that it is a tough situation, but they will quickly bounce back and continue to compete at their best.
The recent tie was a significant improvement for Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace, who had previously lost six out of their last eight games. Their captain, Joel Ward, was forced to leave the game in the first half due to a hamstring injury, adding to the growing number of players who were unavailable.
“I was thoroughly satisfied with the team’s performance from start to finish,” expressed Hodgson.
I was impressed by the dedication of the players to stick to their game plan and make it work. It wasn’t just about being resilient, but also about their spirit and determination. Despite having plenty of excuses for a potential loss today, they chose to persevere.
While it may be acknowledged that there are currently seven injured players, it is worth noting that five of them are key players in offensive positions. This only emphasizes the impressive performance of the team today. The players truly excelled and their efforts deserve high praise.
Source: independent.co.uk
