Will they ever win again? Manchester City found a new path to infamy last night. Three goals ahead with fifteen minutes to play. Discarded within 15 minutes.
What are we witnessing here? A total collapse of trust. A crisis. Erling Haaland, who had scored two that evening, stared blankly into space as Davids Hancko pulled away for the equalizer in the final minute.
It was dead quiet in the Etihad Stadium when Feyenoord scored their third goal and despite all the defeats in the competition, this was just as painful. The way they threw away the win was completely inexcusable and how Pep Guardiola picks City up from here is anyone’s guess.
After the demise in Lisbon three weeks ago, another player arrived here under completely different circumstances, impacting their place in the Champions League and their overall confidence heading into a trip to Anfield.
City could win at Liverpool on Sunday, because this is City and this is Guardiola. However, the chances are slightly better than usual, especially after they threatened to gift Feyenoord a return to this tie late in the match.
That side of Stanley Park is not their favorite destination; they have only won there once since 2003 and never in front of an audience. They go there with a squad full of players who are only half fit or injured, others out of form and Guardiola looking for tactical answers in midfield.
Manchester City’s winless run continued under astonishing circumstances on Tuesday evening
The Premier League champions were three goals ahead before drawing 3-3 against Feyenoord
The solutions weren’t going to be perfected last night and basically City found themselves with nothing to hide. Lose and the world falls apart. It turns out that throwing a three-goal lead means the world is in on the action, too.
That’s how it goes here these days. Supporters had to push their way past fans of heavy metal band Sleep Token beforehand, a performance that conflicted with City’s busy schedule.
The way those heading to the Co-op Live Arena – right next to the Etihad – were dressed, and the heavy and dark gothic make-up, might as well have been a statement about City’s form.
Unexplored territory here. Guardiola might outwardly say that this kind of dip was always in the back of his mind, and to be fair there have been plenty of warnings over the years, but there comes a shock with such a painful run.
He spoke on Monday about how performance is now becoming more important than results – although in the next breath he claims the only disappointing performance has been the defeat at Bournemouth – and that the visit of a fourth Eredivisie side could hardly have offered a better opportunity .
Feyenoord, whose rowdy supporters had stormed the streets of Manchester in the afternoon singing You’ll Never Walk Alone and about Arne Slot, achieved notable Champions League victories at City’s sister club Girona and Benfica. And yet there were few more attractive opponents Guardiola could have chosen.
The match may have been over in thirteen minutes, but here too the chances you would normally expect from City scores left much to be desired. Haaland’s was difficult, heading Manuel Akanji’s cross towards the back post. It clipped the woodwork before Timon Wellenreuther clawed for the rebound. Tough, but Haaland at his sharpest has nestled it at home.
Jack Grealish’s was clearer. Encouragingly for City that the ball was the result of intense pressure in the away box. Wellenreuther conceded a cheap ball and Grealish happily pounced on Bernardo Silva’s center. The volley was true, straight into Phil Foden’s midriff.
The Norwegian scored twice to put Manchester City in full control early in the second half
His first-half penalty was added early in the second half by midfielder Ilkay Gundogan (left).
The blitz continued as Haaland scored again to make it two goals in three minutes for the hosts
They find every conceivable way not to score when they are on top early in the match as this meant another decent start. A reaction to the weeks before, a dominance and a threat. And no direct goals, Foden’s sharp turn signal and trademark darting effort produced an eye-catching save. David Hancko charged at Haaland.
So on the one hand an inability to capitalize and on the other a reminder of their porosity. Josko Gvardiol had to quickly take cover as Akanji jumped out of the back four in an attempt to win an unwinnable game. The Swiss later daydreamed, allowing an easy through ball for Igor Paixao, but the winger panicked and shot straight at Ederson.
In the Premier League, those moments cause problems. They are being stormed, as has become apparent in recent weeks. Here, on Europe’s biggest stage, they weren’t – not yet, anyway – and City led seconds before half-time.
Either Quinten Timber kicked Haaland or Antoni Milambo converted a shot from a sloppy corner – both are always given – and City’s number 9 tapped home the spot-kick to become the youngest man to score 45 goals in the competition.
Haaland casually ran to the net and rammed it in again for good measure. It’s all a bit like that at the moment.
Haaland feels he is in a difficult period, but that was his third goal in six games. When Guardiola discusses standards and ‘where this team has come from’ – in other words, the heights they reached meant the only way was down – he is discussing expectations.
Haaland seemed happier afterwards, shared a joke with Feyenoord coach Brian Priske and had his seconds eight minutes into the second half.
This was more like City, with Matheus Nunes sprinting clear and picking out the Norwegian, throwing all his limbs at the drilled cross. That was their third of the evening, with Ilkay Gundogan’s volley going in from a corner three minutes earlier.
David Hancko completed Feyenoord’s sensational comeback with a goal in the 89th minute
Manchester City will face Liverpool and Feyenoord’s former manager Arne Slot in a crucial match this weekend, having already fallen eight points behind in the Premier League.
Yet this wouldn’t be a City game without a defensive catastrophe and Gvardiol obliged with an awkward bouncing hook back to Ederson. Anis Hadj Moussa was looking forward to it, rounded the goalkeeper and smashed into the far post.
Amazingly, Gvardiol wasn’t done there yet. He handed possession to the Dutch on the edge of his own penalty area and was then helpless to prevent the visitors from scoring an unlikely second goal, while Jordan Lotomba managed to keep the move alive on the byline, squeezing past Ederson in the path of Santiago Giminez.
It felt embarrassing but ultimately unimportant, because surely City would be professional enough to get through it? Wrong. City were shot down and with seconds left Paixao galloped down the right wing and floated slightly for Hancko to attack. Hancko beat Rico Lewis and found the net. City fell to the ground. It will take a while for them to get back up.