Man City blows 3-0 lead, booed by fans

MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City blew a three goal lead to draw 3-3 against Feyenoord in a Champions League thriller on Tuesday, extending its winless run to six games.

Jeers rang out around Etihad Stadium after the final whistle.

"They are disappointed, of course. We understand it," City manager Pep Guardiola said. "They are completely right to express what they feel."

The English champion did snap a five-game losing streak, but did little to boost confidence ahead of Sunday's crucial trip to Premier League leader Liverpool by conceding three times in the final 15 minutes.

Guardiola admitted his star-studded squad was "fragile" and lacking in confidence after the worst run of his managerial career.

Two goals from Erling Haaland, either side of Ilkay Gundogan's deflected effort, looked set to restore some order for City.

But, the defensive frailties that have been the root cause for a staggering collapse in recent weeks was exposed in the closing stages.

Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Gimenez and David Hancko hit back to salvage a vital point for the Dutch giant.

"We concede a lot of goals because we are not stable," said Guardiola.

"We lost a lot of games lately. We are fragile and, of course, we need a victory.

"The game (at 3-0) was good for the confidence, playing at a good level, but, the first time something happens, we have problems."

A draw leaves City with plenty of work to do to reach the knockout stages with trips to Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain to come in its next two Champions League games.

Only the top eight progress directly to the last 16, with a place in the top 24 of the 36-team table enough to reach the playoff round.

City drops to 15th on eight points from five matches, just one point ahead of Feyenoord in 20th.

Clinical Haaland

Guardiola reacted to a first home defeat for two years — a 4-0 humbling by Tottenham on Saturday — by making three changes.

Jack Grealish, Matheus Nunes and Nathan Ake came into the starting lineup, but it still took City time to find its rhythm.

Nerves around a far from full Etihad Stadium were frayed when Igor Paixao wasted a big chance to give the Dutch giant the lead.

Instead, City got the break it needed when Haaland was fouled inside the box from a corner.

The Norwegian missed from the penalty spot in City's 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Sporting Lisbon last time out in the Champions League.

This time, though, Haaland was clinical, smashing the ball into the net to relieve his frustrations of recent weeks.

Gundogan's volley from the edge of the box, which deflected in off Hancko, gave City breathing space early in the second half.

Haaland then slid in to meet Nunes' cross for his 46th Champions League goal in 44 appearances to, seemingly, put City on easy street.

But, there was a sting in the tail for the home side, as Josko Gvardiol's slack backpass allowed Moussa to round Ederson and fire in from a narrow angle.

Guardiola held his head in his hands in response, but worse was to come when Ederson failed to deal with Jordan Lotomba's near-post effort and the ball fell kindly for Gimenez to make it 3-2.

More inept defending gifted Feyenoord an equalizer, as Rico Lewis played Paixao onside. He eased around the onrushing Ederson and crossed for Hancko to head into an unguarded net.

City has now conceded two or more goals in six consecutive games for the first time since 1963.

There was still time for more drama, though, as Grealish's shot came back off the crossbar in City's search for a late winner.

Instead, it had to settle for a point that will feel just as damaging as the previous five defeats for a side so used to winning.

"It is a remarkable result for us," said Feyenoord coach Brian Priske. "At 3-0 down, in some phases of the game, we were dominated by City, who for me are the best team in the world.

"But, we were able to handle three key moments to perfection and get the three goals to come away with the draw."

AFP