Why the game was the way it was — Pep Guardiola on Tottenham

Manchester City faced a disappointing stalemate against Tottenham Hotspur in a gripping 3-3 showdown, with manager Pep Guardiola placing the blame squarely on his team’s inability to secure a decisive victory.

City initially seized the lead through an own goal and a precise strike by Phil Foden, nullifying Heung-Min Son’s opener for Spurs. Despite Giovanni Lo Celso leveling the score, City surged ahead once more courtesy of Jack Grealish’s adept finish from a low cross.

In what appeared to be a firm grasp on all three points, City’s aspirations were dashed by Dejan Kulusevski’s late header, forcing a frustrating draw for the Premier League champions.

Guardiola, addressing the press post-game, expressed disappointment at his team’s failure to seal the win, citing a recurring issue:

“Unfortunately, against Liverpool as well, this happens [City do not kill the game]. This was a moment where we get to see the team, how they react, how we step forward. It was a top performance again against a top, top team.”

Analyzing the game, Guardiola highlighted Spurs’ second-half resurgence, noting,

“Second half, Spurs stepped forward, a little higher up the pitch. But when you concede just three or four chances to them, of course, they have important absences but even with that, they get the result. But yeah, it is what it is.”

The draw against Spurs serves as another instance where City fell short of capitalizing on their lead, prompting introspection within the team about their ability to secure victories despite dominating performances.

On the refereeing decision, the former Barcelona boss sarcastically slammed Simon Hooper stating;

“It’s normal. If the referee played for Man City today, he would have been disappointed too.”