Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola expressed strong criticism towards his team’s performance in their 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace, attributing the result to their own shortcomings rather than misfortune.
“It’s not bad luck, it’s deserved,” Guardiola stated emphatically to the media post-match. “We give away two points. When you give away this penalty, you deserve it. You see the chances we created and conceded, it’s quite similar to all this season — but we are not able to close the games. That is the feeling.”
"This cannot happen."
Pep Guardiola shares his thoughts after Man City let a two-goal lead slip against Crystal Palace. pic.twitter.com/5vZgQV48Lb
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 16, 2023
The recent form of Manchester City has raised concerns, as they’ve managed only a single win in their last six matches.
City’s initial promise, marked by goals from Jack Grealish and Rico Lewis at the Etihad Stadium, was countered by Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta and a 95th-minute penalty by Michael Olise, following a foul by Phil Foden on Mateta.
The outcome leaves City in fourth place in the Premier League with 34 points, lagging behind Liverpool at 37 points, Arsenal, and Aston Villa, all of whom have a game in hand and play on Sunday.
Guardiola reflected on the game’s conclusion, saying, “At the end, be patient and don’t concede transitions and don’t concede. But of course in the first action [Palace] run and score a goal and in the last minute we give them [a penalty]. In the 18-yard box you have to be careful and we weren’t. We don’t deserve to win.”
This season, City has lost nine points due to goals conceded after the 80th minute.
Compounding the team’s challenges is the absence of top scorer Erling Haaland, who has missed two consecutive Premier League games with a stress reaction in his foot that risks escalating to a more severe stress fracture. Haaland, 23, leads the league with 14 goals this season.