‘If Phil Foden kept the ball…’ - Pep Guardiola bemoans lack of game management against Crystal Palace as Man City boss rues two points dropped in Premier League title race

Pep Guardiola bemoaned Man City's lack of game management after his side threw away a lead to draw 2-2 with Crystal Palace on Saturday.

WHAT HAPPENED?
City were 2-0 up and cruising after 75 minutes at the Etihad Stadium, but Jean-Philippe Mateta pulled a goal back before Michael Olise equalised through a 95th-minute penalty. Speaking after the match, City boss Guardiola admitted that his side's capitulation was completely avoidable.

WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID
Guardiola told reporters: "We had enough chances to score more goals... There’s 10 [Palace] players in the 18-yard box, it’s difficult! They don’t want to come out, and in the last minutes when it’s 2-1, they make one or two actions, always they have the motions, and we have to control it better!"
On the penalty incident, which saw Phil Foden hack down Mateta, Guardiola said: "Don’t give away that penalty, the game will be over. If Phil [Foden] kept the ball, or Bernardo [Silva] kept the ball, the game will be over. After, they have quality. The strikers, physicality from Crystal Palace always has been really, really, really good."
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
City have now won just one of their last six Premier League games, and are winless in their last three league fixtures at the Etihad Stadium. Despite that, Liverpool's goalless draw with Manchester United on Sunday means the champions are only five points behind table toppers Arsenal.

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WHAT NEXT FOR CITY?
City will take a break from their domestic troubles by flying out to Saudi Arabia for the FIFA Club World Cup. On Tuesday they will take on Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds in the semi-final.

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