Manchester City’s longest Premier League winless streak in six years is no cause for concern, according to manager Pep Guardiola following his team’s exciting 3-3 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
City thought to have won the game after Jack Grealish’s 81st-minute goal, but Dejan Kulusevski’s header in the 90th minute condemned City to a third consecutive tie.
Guardiola and his team were also enraged when Grealish raced through alone deep in stoppage time, only to have play stopped by referee Simon Hooper for a foul on Erling Haaland in the build-up after he had initially given the advantage.
After the dust settled on a frantic match, City fell to third position in the table, three points behind champions Arsenal and one point behind Liverpool. Guardiola had also regained his calm after losing it in the final stages.
His team has now conceded eight goals in their previous three Premier League games, as well as two in the Champions League against RB Leipzig in midweek.
“The performance was very similar to what we’ve been doing recently,” Guardiola said during a press conference. “People say you’re worried about the goals you give up, but not about the chances we give up.”
“It’s not the first time we are in this situation where we are playing good but results don’t come.”
Guardiola declined to blame the late drama for his team’s failure to win.
“I make mistakes, and the players make mistakes,” Guardiola acknowledged. “It surprised me because if you whistle when Erling goes down, it’s fine, but if he stands up and continues and the ref makes the gesture to play on, then after he makes the pass, he stops the game.”
“He stopped the game after (Haaland) made the pass.” I’m not going to criticise them. On the sidelines, I occasionally lose my mind; my gesture was inappropriate.
“I believe we did not draw for that.” Tottenham is pleased with the point. We are less pleased, but our performance is comparable to what we have been doing recently.”
Injury-hit Tottenham broke a three-match league losing streak, and manager Ange Postecoglou expressed hope that his squad was emerging from a difficult spell that began with a loss to Chelsea.
Injuries and bans have wreaked havoc on his team after a strong start to the season, but Sunday’s draw at City should put them in good spirits for Thursday’s home game against West Ham United.
“I always feel that if you can get through these tough periods in the manner of staying true to the team you want to be then you come out of it stronger, irrespective of the knocks you get along the way,” he remarked.