Will they ever win again? Manchester City found a new avenue into ignominy last night. Three goals up with 15 minutes to play. Thrown away in 15 minutes.
What are we witnessing here? An utter collapse of confidence. A crisis. Erling Haaland, who had scored two on the night, stared blankly ahead as David Hancko wheeled away on equalising in the final minute.
The Etihad Stadium was deathly silent as Feyenoord had their third and, for all the defeats in the league, this stung just as much. The way they threw victory away was completely inexcusable and quite how Pep Guardiola picks City up from here is anybody’s guess.
After the demise in Lisbon three weeks ago came another here in altogether different circumstances, with ramifications for their Champions League spot and for their general confidence going into a trip to Anfield.
City could win at Liverpool on Sunday because this is City and this is Guardiola. The odds, though, are slightly longer than normal – especially after they threatened to gift Feyenoord a way back into this tie late on.
That side of Stanley Park is not their favoured destination, winning just once there since 2003 and never in front of a crowd. They go there with a squad full of players only half-fit or injured, others out of form and Guardiola searching for tactical answers in midfield.
Manchester City winless run continued in astonishing circumstances on Tuesday night
The Premier League champions were three goals ahead before drawing 3-3 with Feyenoord
Pep Guardiola’s side may have ended their five-game losing streak but it’s another poor result
The solutions were not going to be perfected last night and really, City found themselves on a hiding to nothing. Lose and the world falls in. It turns out that throwing a three-goal lead means the world falls in as well.
Such is the way of things around here these days, supporters had to battle their way past fans of heavy metal band Sleep Token beforehand, a gig clashing with City’s packed schedule.
The way in which those heading for the Co-op Live Arena – right next door to the Etihad – were dressed, heavy and dark gothic make-up, might as well have been a statement on City’s form.
Uncharted territory here. Guardiola might outwardly say that this sort of dip was always in the back of his mind, and in fairness there have been enough warnings down the years, but there comes a shock with such a galling run.
He talked on Monday about performances now becoming more important than results – although in the next breath is claiming that the only disappointing display has come in defeat at Bournemouth – and the visit of a team fourth in the Eredivisie could hardly have offered a better opportunity.
Feyenoord, whose rowdy following had pounded through the Manchester streets in the afternoon cheekily chanting You’ll Never Walk Alone and about Arne Slot, picked up notable Champions League victories away at City’s sister club Girona and Benfica. And yet, there were few more appealing opponents Guardiola could have picked.
The game might have been done within 13 minutes but again, the sort of chances you’d usually bank on City scoring went begging. Haaland’s was tough, skimming a head on Manuel Akanji’s cross towards the back post. It clipped the woodwork before Timon Wellenreuther clawed at the rebound. Tough but Haaland at his sharpest has nestled those home.
Jack Grealish’s was more obvious. Encouraging for City that it came about from intense pressing in the away box, Wellenreuther giving up cheap ball and Grealish gleefully bounded onto Bernardo Silva’s centre. 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 to by midfielder Ilkay Gundogan (left) early in the second half
The blitz continued as Haaland netted again to make it two goals in three minutes for the hosts
They’re finding every conceivable way not to score when on top early on in games, because again this represented a decent start. A reaction to the weeks prior, a dominance and a menace. And no immediate goals, Foden’s sharp jink in direction and trademark arrowed effort producing an eye-catching save. David Hancko threw himself at Haaland bursting through.
So a failure to capitalise at one end and a reminder of their porosity at the other. Josko Gvardiol was required to quickly cover when Akanji jumped out from the back four in an attempt to win an unwinnable duel. The Swiss later daydreamed, allowing an easy through ball for Igor Paixao, only for the winger to panic and clip straight at Ederson.
In the Premier League, those moments spell trouble. They are pounced upon, as seen in recent weeks. Here, on Europe’s biggest stage, they were not – not yet, anyway – and City led seconds before the break.
Either Quinten Timber kicked Haaland or Antoni Milambo handled a shot at a scrappy corner – both of those are always given – and City’s No 9 stroked in the penalty to become the youngest man to reach 45 goals in this competition.
Haaland ran toward the net nonchalantly and battered it in again, just to be sure. It’s all a bit like that at the moment.
Haaland feels like he’s in a tricky spell yet that was his third goal in six games. When Guardiola discuss standards and ‘where this team has come from’ – in other words, the heights they scaled meant the only way was down – then he is discussing expectations.
Haaland appeared chirpier thereafter, sharing a joke with Feyenoord coach Brian Priske, and had his seconds eight minutes into the second half.
This was more like City, Matheus Nunes sprinting clear and picking out the Norwegian – hurling every stretched limb at the drilled cross. That was their third of the evening, Ilkay Gundogan’s volley deflecting in from a corner three minutes prior.
David Hancko completed Feyenoord’s sensational comeback with a goal in the 89th minute
Manchester City take on Liverpool and Feyenoord’s former manager Arne Slot in a crucial match this weekend, having already slipped eight points behind them in the Premier League
Still, 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 fancied it, rounded the goalkeeper and popped into the far post.
Amazingly, Gvardiol was not done there. He handed possession to the Dutch on the edge of his own box and then helpless to stop the visitors carving an unlikely second goal, Jordan Lotomba managing to keep the move alive at the byline, squeezing past Ederson and into the path of Santiago Giminez.
It felt embarrassing but ultimately immaterial because surely City would be professional enough to see it through? Wrong. City were shot and, with seconds left, Paixao galloped down the right wing and floated something for Hancko to attack. Hancko beat Rico Lewis, found the net. City dropped to the floor. It’ll take a while to haul themselves back up.
