Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola claimed his side played “really good” despite their continued struggles, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton at the Etihad on Thursday.
Man City found it difficult to break down Sean Dyche’s well-organized side, and their poor run of form showed no signs of improving.
Despite creating few clear chances, City had a major opportunity to take the lead when Erling Haaland saw his second-half penalty saved by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
However, Guardiola’s assessment of his team’s performance raised eyebrows, as many felt City lacked the spark needed to secure all three points.
His comments on how his players performed came under scrutiny, with some questioning whether the result accurately reflected the overall display.
Guardiola told Amazon Prime: “We played really good but we are in the period right now that is what happens, we create, we concede the first time arrive. But yeah, keep going.
“The performance against that team was really good offensively and defensively.
“We shot a lot inside the 18 yard box but unfortunately couldn’t get the result we wanted.”
The draw extends Manchester City’s dismal run, with the team securing just one win in their last 13 games across all competitions.
This poor form has seemingly extinguished their Premier League title hopes, leaving them facing an uphill battle to even secure a top-four finish and qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Manchester City will conclude their 2024 campaign with a Premier League clash against struggling Leicester City on Sunday.
On that clash, Guardiola added: “Now is time to recover and go there with the best mentality as possible. That is what we have to do.”
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