Soccer

Pep Guardiola insists fatigue not a factor in Man City’s draw at Crystal Palace

City moved within eight points of league leaders Liverpool having played a game more.

Pep Guardiola insisted fatigue was not the reason for Manchester City dropping more points
Pep Guardiola insisted fatigue was not the reason for Manchester City dropping more points (Adam Davy/PA)
By Rachel Steinberg, PA

Pep Guardiola refused to blame fatigue after his injury-depleted 10-man Manchester City side were held to a 2-2 draw by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Erling Haaland cancelled out Daniel Munoz’s fourth-minute opener with his 13th goal of the season, drawing him level with Mohamed Salah in the Golden Boot race.

Maxence Lacroix fired the hosts back in front after the break, but Rico Lewis salvaged a point in the 68th minute before he was sent off for picking up a second yellow late on.

With Liverpool’s Merseyside derby called off due to Storm Darragh, City moved within eight points of the league leaders – having played one more match – while once-struggling Palace have now picked up 10 points from their last seven top-flight games.

Guardiola said: “We’ll take the point. I’m proud of the players, incredibly proud of the players, how they fought, came back twice and difficult conditions.

“Selhurst Park is always difficult, the weather conditions for both sides (were difficult), but we fought as always.”

Guardiola, who counted Phil Foden, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji among his unavailable talent, was emphatic when asked if his remaining men looked tired at any point against the Eagles.

“No,” he replied, sternly, later adding: “We played the last 10, 15 minutes with 10 against 11. We have seven potential starting 11 injured, and a lot of players with minutes.

“The physicality for Crystal Palace is there, but we were there and we did try everything to try to win. I am really proud and pleased for the players.”

Rico Lewis was sent off after scoring the equaliser
Rico Lewis was sent off after scoring the equaliser (Adam Davy/PA)

Lewis was sent off in the 84th minute for a challenge on Trevoh Chalobah, though replays suggested he might have been unlucky to receive the second booking.

Guardiola was more forthcoming when asked about Haaland, who nodded home from Matheus Nunes’ pinpoint delivery.

He said: “We are so lucky that we have him this season. We’re lucky we have Rico, we’re lucky we have Bernardo (Silva), Gundo (Ilkay Gundogan), all these players that have been all the season playing without rest.

“Erling (scored) an essential goal and the threat is always there. We are lucky to have him.”

Guardiola was full of praise for Palace boss Oliver Glasner, whose side moved up to 16th, level on 13 points with Leicester, who have a game in hand.

Palace might have wanted even more from their first-half chances, though the Austrian boss said he did not want to nit-pick a side that also secured a 1-0 victory at Ipswich on Tuesday night.

Glasner said: “We were always looking where maybe we have an advantage against City, and it’s not so easy to find this.

“We knew we could play a higher intensity, or the data showed this. It’s also no secret.

“Many, many parts were very positive today. It’s a good performance, so I don’t want to be too critical, but when I watched the game, I think if we had performed at our best level, we should have won the game.”