Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says his side cannot blame bad luck for their failure to see out games after they dropped more points from a winning position in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace.
The defending champions led 2-0 with 15 minutes to go but were pegged back by Jean-Philippe Mateta’s breakaway goal and Michael Olise’s 95th-minute penalty as the Eagles completed an unlikely comeback.
It is the fourth time in their past six Premier League matches where City have been held after leading late on, leaving them three points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
“It’s not bad luck, it’s deserved,” Guardiola said. “We gave away two points but if you give away a penalty, you deserve it.”
City, who were without injured leading scorer Erling Haaland, had 19 shots compared to five by Palace, who found the net with both their efforts on target.
Guardiola rejected suggestions his side had eased off, however, and felt they continued to push for more goals after going 2-0 up at the start of the second half.
“Just like in the games against Tottenham [which ended 3-3] and Liverpool [when City drew 1-1], we were excellent,” Guardiola added. “But, again we are not able to win.
“You saw the chances we created [compared] to the chances we conceded and apart from the Chelsea game [that ended 4-4] it was quite similar to the rest of the season – but we are not able to close the game.
“Playing that way, we didn’t concede absolutely anything until their goal – they had a chance in the first half when two of our players slipped, but until they scored they didn’t do anything.
“So, the team was really good, but at the end, when you give them a penalty, it is like the penalty we conceded against Chelsea – we didn’t deserve to win.
“At the end it is about being patient, and not conceding transition – the things we have done for seven or eight years in this type of game.
“But of course in the first action they run and score a goal and then in injury time we give them a penalty. In your 18-yard box you have to be careful, and we were not.”
City’s total of 34 points from their first 17 games is their fewest under Guardiola since he took charge in 2016, and it is the first time they have been outside the top three at this stage with him at the helm.
They could lose further ground at the top of the table in the next few days, as they head for Saudi Arabia to take part in next week’s Fifa Club World Cup, where they face Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds in the semi-finals on Tuesday.
If Liverpool win their next three games, Guardiola’s side will be 12 points behind the Reds by the time they play their next Premier League game, at Everton on 27 December, albeit with two games in hand.
“It would be better to go on on a six or seven-hour flight with a result, of course,” Guardiola said.
“We have just three days to recover, and then just three days for a potential final [on 22 December] but it is what it is.
“Now, we are down and we have to lift for the Middle East as quickly as possible, and go to compete there.”