Guardiola refuses to criticise Man City players but admits draw ´difficult to swallow´

Pep Guardiola refused to single out any of his Manchester City players for criticism but admitted their 3-3 Champions League draw with Feyenoord was “difficult to swallow.”

Though City ended the longest losing streak of Guardiola’s managerial career on Tuesday, they are now six without a win after squandering a three-goal lead at the Etihad Stadium.

It was the first time a team coached by Guardiola had failed to win a game when leading by three goals in his career, in what was his 942nd match in the dugout.

City are also the first team in Champions League history to be leading by three goals as late as the 75th minute and fail to win.

The result comes on the back of a humiliating 4-0 Premier League defeat to Tottenham on Saturday, and Guardiola said his players were well aware of their shortcomings.

“It was not necessary to say anything to the players, they know it perfectly,” Guardiola said.

“It is what it is, difficult to swallow now. We give away especially the first one and after we are not stable enough.”

1989 – Tonight against Feyenoord, Manchester City failed to win a match in which they led by three goals for the first time in all competitions since May 1989 against Bournemouth in the second tier (3-3). Swift. pic.twitter.com/qrPUZJP1MT

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2024

A brace from Erling Haaland and a goal from Ilkay Gundogan had City cruising before Anis Hadj Moussa pulled one back for Feyenoord in the 75th minute when he pounced on a terrible back pass from Josko Gvardiol.

Another sloppy pass by the 22-year-old led to Santiago Gimenez making it 3-2 seven minutes later, before David Hancko equalised for the Dutch side in the 89th minute.

“He is so young, he’ll learn,” Guardiola said of Gvardiol, who looked distraught after Feyenoord’s second goal.

“I’ll be so wrong if I point specific things at him. He’s a fantastic player, a fantastic boy and more than ever must be helped.”

At the end of the game the crowd booed City, who dropped to 15th in the 36-team standings on eight points, two points adrift of the top eight, who qualify automatically for the last 16.

“They come here not to remember the success in the past, but to see the team win,” Guardiola said of City’s supporters.

“Of course they are completely right to express what they feel. Of course (they are) disappointed.”

Guardiola’s side next face one of their toughest tests of the season when they visit Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday. A loss would leave City 11 points adrift of the Reds.

Asked if he could lift his players for a mammoth challenge, Guardiola said: “We have to, we have to. It’s my job.”