Manchester City

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Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton is "not so sure" Manchester City can recover their confidence and form this season.

Despite looking like they were going to finally overcome their recent dip in form, Pep Guardiola's side managed to surrender a 3-0 lead over Feyenoord in the final 15 minutes of the game on Tuesday night.

The result leaves them sitting in the play-off positions of the Champions League table, but just two points off the top eight.

"They just look a bit fragile at this moment in time. They are a team clearly lacking belief," Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"In the Champions league, they will be fine, they will qualify, so it's one of those where they want to finish in the top eight and not going into one of those knock-out rounds as such.

"They will be fine in that sense, it is whether they can recover overall which is the big question.

"When does a blip turn into a crisis? We are just at the stage now where we are looking at Manchester City and can they recover that confidence and really kick on this season? I'm not so sure they can."

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Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Once Premier League teams spot weaknesses they will exploit them mercilessly.

‌Pep Guardiola insists on playing Josko Gvardiol at left full-back. He is great on the ball, extremely dangerous going forward and could become one of the great modern centre-backs of his age, but a top end defensive full-back he isn’t.

‌I have long suspected this and it was underlined while watching him being torn to shreds by a 19-year-old Scottish winger while playing full-back for Croatia last week.

‌As a winger, I loved it when natural centre-backs came out to mark me, it was bordering on too easy to feel like a fair competition. Those defensive roles are hugely different, even if they are only 20 or 30 yards apart on the pitch. It isn’t a problem for City when they have the ball all the time and they do not have to defend, but that is not the case now.

‌In Gvardiol's defence, that little Scottish winger was Ben Doak, currently on loan at Middlesbrough from Liverpool. With a turn of pace that is unfair bordering on cheating, Liverpool will be keen to use his services again sooner rather than later.

‌Then again, Doak must zoom his way past Mo Salah to get a start, so Liverpool needn’t rush the Scottish wonderkid. But I was wondering, is Mo going to sign a new contract? The news suggests maybe not.

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We asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Champions League game between Manchester City and Feyenoord.

Here are some of your comments:

Damian: I’ve been a City fan for years and this is too reminiscent of the dark times. I know we got a point but it should have never been 3-1, let alone 3-3. Everyone looks exhausted and we’ve become too dependent on our striker to score.

Scott: I'm extremely disappointed that we managed to squander a comfortable three-goal lead. With Rodri out long term, Kova struggling for consistency, and Gundo still working his way back, the lack of leadership in the midfield is glaringly apparent.

• Not a City fan? Find your club's page here

Brian: Man City are most definitely having trouble defending a lead and holding a clean sheet. They are open to goals on the counter attack. Confidence is low and fitness a serious concern. This season is going to be a no trophy season. Time out needed to rebuild and re-energise the squad.

Geoff: Why did Guardiola make three substitutions? Instead of hammering more goals, and giving the team and fans confidence, and also shutting up the doubters, he’s made a massive error in my opinion. Don’t blame the substitutes, blame the manager.

Usama: An absolute disaster. Individual errors, poor game management and just completely broken. Such easy goals we give away against average teams. This season is going to be long for us. Can’t wrap my mind around it. Wouldn’t be surprised if we go 10 without a win. Squad needs an urgent revamp. Top four looking like a stretch at this rate. Sort it out.

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan says travelling to Liverpool on Sunday will be as tough as it has ever been given City's recent performances and results.

A trip to Anfield is probably the last thing Pep Guardiola will want after blowing a 3-0 lead over Feyenoord on Tuesday in the Champions League but Gundogan is hopeful a result could give them "the chance for a boost".

"Anfield is always tough, no matter the situation," the German told BBC Radio Manchester. "We have struggled in recent years to go there and we know that Liverpool are a great team.

"They are full of confidence right now, so it is going to be as tough as possible. But perhaps that sums up this season somehow, in that we are going to have to do it in the toughest way possible.

"Hopefully we can get out of this as quickly as possible and especially when this [game against Liverpool] is such a big game, there's the chance for a boost. We have to perform well first of all, but then we have to try and get something out of the game. That is how we will approach it.

"We have to use these moments to lift ourselves up and to get up as quickly as possible."

On whether it is a must-win game to keep City's title hopes alive: "Yes, because 11 points would be a huge gap. But it is still early in the season and there are still a lot of games to play. A lot of things can happen and not just on our side.

"We would like to better ourselves and do the things that we can do better. We have to take it, get our heads down and work hard to prepare for this tough game."

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Teams will "feel differently" about playing Manchester City now knowing that they will be given "a chance" in games, says former Everton midfielder Leon Osman.

By blowing a 3-0 lead at home to Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday night, it leaves Pep Guardiola's side without a win in six games across all competitions.

It is the worst period of form the side have had under Guardiola and the City boss said the team are "fragile" after the draw.

"You think about the [recent] games we're talking about, Manchester City aren’t suddenly a poor team," Osman told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily.

"Even against Feyenoord, 3-0 up after 75 minutes, it seemed done. In the games against Spurs, Brighton, Sporting, for the large majority of those games they were the dominant team.

"But, you know now that if you can get a bit of momentum in the game, because every team will have at least a five or 10-minute spell, in that 10-minute spell you can actually blow Manchester City away at the moment. They concede one and they look like their doors are open. It seems to be a mental thing at the moment. The game management doesn't seem to be there.

"There's a way of getting the game back, Manchester City don't seem to be doing that. They keep making mistakes or leaving the opportunity there for the opposition.

"Would I feel differently [about facing City now]? Yeah, I think there's a chance of beating them at the moment. Even if we've been battered for 75 minutes, I still think that your mental attitude is, if we can just hang in here, they'll give us a chance."

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds

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Wednesday's papers lead on Manchester City's 3-3 draw with Feyenoord and point to the Premier League champions surrendering a three-goal lead.

City became the first team in Champions League history to be leading a match by three goals as late as the 75th minute and fail to go on to win.

For the first time in what was the 942nd game of his managerial career, Pep Guardiola has seen his side fail to win a match after leading by three goals.

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Manchester City’s Erling Haaland recorded and surpassed 50 goal involvements in the Champions League on Tuesday against Feyenoord.

He has now scored 46 goals and registered five assists in the competition, reaching 50 in fewer appearances than anyone else in the competition's history (44th game).

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Manchester City wanted a morale-boosting win before their game with title rivals Liverpool on Sunday.

Instead they head to Anfield a team in disarray after blowing a 3-0 lead against Feyenoord in the Champions League.

The wretched losing run might be over but City's problems continue after a sixth game without a win.

After establishing a commanding 3-0 lead soon after half-time, City inexplicably threw it all away and head to Liverpool with more questions about their shoddy defending.

This was Pep Guardiola's 900th game as a manager. It was also the first time he failed to win a game despite being three goals up.

"Conceding the way City did at the weekend [against Tottenham] and three again this weekend they look weak, they look light, they look frail," former England captain Alan Shearer told Amazon Prime.

"Even with two minutes to go and 3-2 up, they take a quick free-kick. Why? Kill the game. They were in such a comfortable position."

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Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, speaking to BBC Radio Manchester: "In regards to the game, I don't really have answers. The goals we conceded are explainable in terms of the way we conceded them.

"There is only ourselves to blame. The situation [we are in] is a bit unexplainable.

"I don't know [what is going wrong]. Sometimes you will struggle in games against any opponent and concede chances because any opponent is good enough. But at 3-0 up we were controlling the game and then we gave it away so easily.

"They were ruthless. We are to blame but they punished us in every situation they got and it is obviously very tough to take."

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Manchester City defender Nathan Ake, speaking to Amazon Prime: "[It is] difficult. 3-0 up and we played quite well and were under control, but then it all changed.

"You just have to stay strong mentally. At 3-1 they then push on, but I think we need to go for it a bit earlier so we could keep the pressure on them, but we stayed playing at the back and maybe invited more pressure on us.

"Then when you concede the second one there is even more pressure and then we have to stay stronger mentally."

On if City gave the game away: "Yes I think we did. If you are 3-0 up at home you can never give it away like this. It is what it is at the moment. The only thing we can do is fight back and stay strong."

On whether the draw feels like a defeat: "When you are three goals up it feels like a defeat when you give up three goals at home. It is tough now, a tough night, but the only thing we can do is look forward to the next one. Liverpool is a big game and it is another challenge to overcome."

On if problems are a mental issue: "Maybe it is. It is difficult to say. Obviously we have not been in this situation many times but this is where we have to show our character. When everything seems to go against us and everyone is writing us off, we have to stay strong mentally, believe in ourselves and stick together.

"Every season there is a period when they write us off. We have to make sure we stay strong as a team and staff and make sure we get out of it."

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Former England midfielder Andros Townsend, on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Injuries can always be disruptive, but I am not giving Manchester City a pass and definitely not tonight.

"You can't use players playing out of positions and changes being made as an excuse, when you are playing Feyenoord at home and you are 3-0 up. They have still got world-class players in their squad.

"Maybe against Tottenham, you can make an excuse that they had a midfield three without a recognised number six. They had no legs [against Tottenham], but tonight, I can't make an excuse for them."

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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking to Amazon Prime: "The game was fine at 3-0, playing good, but then we concede a lot goals because we were not stable. We gave them the first and then the other one, that is why it was difficult.

"We have lost a lot of games lately, we are fragile and of course we needed a victory. The game was good for the confidence. We were playing a good level but the first time something happened we had problems.

"I don't know if it is mental. The first goal cannot happen and the second as well. After that we forget what happens, we were desperate to win and do well.

"We do well but don't win games.

"The situation is what it is. We played a good game but at that level we can't give them away.

"We have to recover and prepare for the next game. If we are not able to win games like we did today it is difficult to do it."

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Former Premier League winger Andros Townsend says Manchester City have put themselves under even more pressure after blowing a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League.

"I'm lost for words," said Townsend on BBC Radio 5 Live. "It wasn't vintage Manchester City but they were cruising.

"It was a comical defensive error from Josko Gvardiol that allowed Feyenoord back into the game and they capitulated. Gvardiol then gave the ball away for the second goal.

"For the third goal, there's no need to play the high line when you are one minute away from a first win in six matches.

"In the end, all that hard work from City is undone, and the pressure now mounts even more ahead of the Premier League game against Liverpool.

"We have never seen defensive frailties like this from Manchester City before. It seems to be popping up in every single game they've played recently. But I think it's a good thing that it's individual errors that are costing them, as opposed to the structure in which they are playing."

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Manchester City have conceded two or more goals in six successive matches in all competitions for the first time since May 1963 – during a season in which they were relegated from the top-flight.

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Come back to this page on Wednesday to find a selection of your replies

Nine matches make up Tuesday's Champions League schedule, with Manchester City and Arsenal both in action.

• Slovan Bratislava v AC Milan (17:45)

• Sparta Prague v Atletico Madrid (17:45)

• Barcelona v Brest

• Bayer Leverkusen v Red Bull Salzburg

• Bayern Munich v PSG

• Inter Milan v RB Leipzig

• Manchester City v Feyenoord

• Sporting v Arsenal - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Young Boys v Atalanta

All kick-off times 20:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Freddie Pye
Fan writer

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We all love Ilkay Gundogan, but he needs to stay away from the line-up... for now.

When Gundogan returned to Etihad Stadium on a free transfer last summer, you would have really struggled to fine one Manchester City fan who was not left overjoyed to see him back.

The German is an all-time hero and legend of the football club, and will always be remembered for inspiring the squad and the wider organisation to securing the greatest season in City's long history back in 2022-23.

But something is not quite right this season, and this certainly is not the player that left the club on a free transfer after that night in Istanbul.

Is that down to a season in Spanish football that has taken his sharpness and cutting edge away from him in comparison with the relentless nature of Premier League football? Or merely the difference in age in comparison with the Treble season?

His eye for a pass remains the same, but his speed at reading the game has deteriorated and his legs are not quite up to speed when it comes to the fast-paced nature of the English top flight, meaning he is continuously caught out of possession in arguably City's most vital position.

Gundogan is in desperate need of support through an energetic defensive midfield partner, or more likely needs to be removed from the position entirely.

Pep Guardiola said it himself on Monday, pointing out that the 34-year-old is an attacking midfielder, and remains one of the best at arriving late into the box for chances at goal.

But until Mateo Kovacic returns, or the club have a full complement of central defenders back at Guardiola's disposal, the flaws in our defensive game via Gundogan's inability to operate in the lone defensive midfield role will remain.

And they could not have come at a worse time with a visit to Liverpool on the horizon. Given the standard of performance so far, you would not be blamed for dreading the possibility of a cricket score at Anfield.

Find more from Freddie Pye at City Xtra, external

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, former Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown believes the club's injuries "have cost them" in the first few months of the season, after Pep Guardiola's side suffered a fifth consecutive defeat on Saturday.

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

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The loss of injured midfielder Rodri and "poor" recruitment in midfield in recent seasons have been pivotal in Manchester City's run of five successive defeats, according to ex-Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher.

"Rodri is the obvious one but the problem they have got is the players they have brought into the midfield have struggled," said Carragher on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.

"It was a problem last season, in terms of conceding goals on the counter-attack, but there were lots of problems there. A lot of the goals I look at [this season] come down to midfield.

"Rodri is a huge miss, but the player profile of who they have brought in - people say they have brought older players in like Kovacic and Gundogan, but the younger players they brought in didn't work.

"They're playing Nunes out wide when he plays, when he was bought as a central midfield player, and there's also Kalvin Phillips, so their recruitment in that area has been really poor and that's what's really costing them right now."

City's next Premier League match is at leaders Liverpool on Sunday and they would be 11 points behind the Reds if they lose at Anfield.

"If you go 11 points clear of a rival and you've only got to play them one more time as well, I think it is a long way back for City," added Carragher.

"It's not so much the points, it's watching City. I think with 26 games to go, the way City are right now, you could probably still see them losing another four or five games of those 26.

"You can't win the league if you lose six or seven games. I think it will be tough for City if they don't get the result they want at the weekend."