Pep refuses to criticise Man City players but admits draw ‘difficult to swallow’

Pep Guardiola refused to rule out any of his Manchester City players for criticism but admitted their 3-3 Champions League draw against Feyenoord was 'hard to swallow'.

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

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

City are also the first team in Champions League history to take a three-goal lead until the 75th minute and fail to win.

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

“There was no need to say anything to the players, they know it perfectly,” Guardiola said.

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

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

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2024

An Erling Haaland brace and a goal from Ilkay Gundogan got City up to cruising speed before Anis Hadj Moussa pulled one back for Feyenoord in the 75th minute when he met a terrible back pass from Josko Gvardiol.

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

“He is so young, he will learn,” Guardiola said of Gvardiol, who appeared distraught after Feyenoord's second goal.

“I'm so wrong to focus specific things on him. He's a fantastic player, a fantastic boy and needs help more than ever.”

At the end of the match, City were booed by the crowd, who dropped to fifteenth in the 36-team standings with eight points, two points behind the top eight, who automatically qualify for the last sixteen.

“They don't come here to remember the success of the past, but to see the team win,” Guardiola said of City's supporters.

“Of course they are absolutely right to express what they feel. Of course they are disappointed.”

Guardiola's side next face one of the toughest tests of the season when they visit Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday. If they lost, City would be eleven points behind the Reds.

Asked if he can encourage his players for a huge challenge, Guardiola said: “We have to, we have to. It's my job.”