Man City 'struggling' as Guardiola recalls Cruyff lesson

Manchester City had a heated conversation with referee Simon Hooper because of his whistle which prevented Jack Grealish from securing a fantastic late victory against Tottenham. Nonetheless, everyone agreed that the performances at the Etihad Stadium were genuinely enjoyable.

The game was full of excitement with six goals scored, shots that hit the post and bar, important interceptions, and effective counter-attacks. Both teams showed incredible dedication to offensive play despite struggling to secure victories in the Premier League.

"We're enhancing this game," expressed City's manager, Pep Guardiola following the 3-3 tie.

Ange Postecoglou, the opposing coach, expressed his agreement by stating, "We made a pledge to score goals and we fulfilled it."

"I found it enjoyable. Although I aim to defeat them, one cannot deny their excellence as a team."

If people who doubt the Premier League's title as the top league globally pay no attention to thrilling matches like this, they are neglecting the spectacle of two squads filled with high-caliber athletes battling it out, barely considering their defenses.

Managers have a strong desire to come out victorious, sometimes even if it means making sacrifices. However, if they fail to obtain their desired result, they can still take pride in the happiness they've brought to the 50,000 individuals present at the stadium and the numerous viewers tuning in from all over the world.

Guardiola stated that football can be a pleasant activity when both teams are desirous of participating.

'No Such Thing As Bad Luck In Soccer'

Now that things have calmed down, there are still concerns that both parties need to handle.

The fact that City has drawn for the third time in a row in their domestic matches means that this is the first instance since the end of Guardiola's first season in charge, which was in the spring of 2017, that they have not won a Premier League game for such a long period of time.

Although not a significant cause for crisis discussion, Arsenal's lead over City in the Premier League table could potentially increase to six points before City's match against Aston Villa on Wednesday, which will prove to be a challenging game.

If Erling Haaland had scored either of the two amazing opportunities he had in the first half, the end result could have been altered.

If Hooper had utilized the opportunity given following Haaland's foul during stoppage time, the outcome could have been different. After the incident, Haaland immediately got up and made a pass that would have set up Grealish for a potential goal-scoring opportunity. However, the referee's whistle signaled a halt to the play.

It was a regrettable incident, and Haaland expressed his emotions to Hooper very clearly. Prior to this, Grealish had scored a goal to put City in the lead with a score of 3-2, with Phil Foden also contributing a goal for the home team. The match began with Son Heung-min scoring for both teams within the first nine minutes. Later, Giovani Lo Celso scored for Spurs, and Dejan Kulusevski managed to equalize in the last minute of the game. However, things got heated during stoppage time due to a disputed incident.

City's defense has been struggling recently, having allowed a total of eight goals across three games. They haven't managed to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League since mid-August and have only managed to do so twice.

Guardiola is unwilling to ignore these elements as a mere coincidence.

He mentioned that he gained knowledge from Johan Cruyff’s teachings that misfortune does not exist in the world of football.

We have been receiving comments about our team's concern regarding the goals we let in. We have to clarify that we do not let any goals slip through our defense, but when it does happen, it often results in a point for the opposition. This situation poses a bigger challenge for us.

Great teams aren't characterized only by positive instances. We've been in similar scenarios before - playing well but not seeing good results. Despite encountering such cases frequently, we have always discovered a way out. However, we have currently been struggling since the outcomes don't seem to come our way.

Spurs Show True Character

Just seven days ago, ex-Manchester United captain Roy Keane referred to Tottenham as "Spursy" after they lost a game at home to Aston Villa despite initially being in the lead.

Tottenham had managed to equalize with City earlier in the game on Sunday, but as they approached the end of the match, they were at risk of losing their fourth consecutive game. It was a pattern that had emerged in all four games, with Postecoglou's team scoring the opening goal.

The recent downturn in Tottenham's performance is partly explained by the absence of key players. Ten members of the first-team, including Cristian Romero who is currently serving a suspension, were not able to play during the game at Etihad Stadium.

Additionally, they were competing against the top-ranked team globally on their opposing team's turf.

Despite facing tough challenges, the team didn't lose hope nor surrendered. The point they earned from Kulusevski's header highlights the admirable character of the Tottenham squad, contrary to the superficial quotes that only aim to grab media attention.

Postecoglou was contemplating the spirit of his team when he stated that he believed the group deserved fairness. Despite the mask cast over it by the last three games, their character was not the cause of it.

At the moment, we are facing some serious staffing challenges. Some of our players are being forced to play in roles that they are not used to, and I am adamant about not making any concessions.

However, if you persist in your efforts during these challenging times, remaining loyal to the work you are doing, you will emerge even more resolute, despite any setbacks that may occur during the journey.

At the very least, a day similar to today instills further confidence in the players.