Man City could fall 12 points behind leaders after complacency strikes again

Hosts were 2-0 ahead against Palace, only to draw at home for a third straight time in the league

Manchester City fly to Saudi Arabia this weekend expecting to be crowned world champions by the time they next play in the Premier League, yet they could also be 12 points off the pace by then. Pep Guardiola recently took aim at Sky Sports pundits for calling his team complacent but another late slip here provided evidence of a team careless as the clock ticks down.
The feeling when they board the plane for the Fifa Club World Cup will be one of deflation after drawing against a Palace team who could barely put 11 senior players on the pitch. This match went the way of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham, with dramatic comebacks and late equalisers. Jack Grealish and Rico Lewis had given them a comfortable lead but Jean-Philippe Mateta pulled a goal back and won a stoppage-time penalty that Michael Olise converted.
Guardiola insisted after those initial draws that his team were still playing like champions, despite the dropped points. But they have lost the ruthlessness that saw them crowned treble winners last season. Of course, Erling Haaland leaves the biggest of holes in the team as he recovers from a foot problem, but they had enough to put the result to bed early and start thinking of facing Urawa Red Diamonds on Tuesday.
“The seven-hour flight would be better with a result but it is what it is,” said Guardiola. “ow we are down and we lift as quickly as possible to go and compete there.”
Even if City are 12 points behind by the time they play Everton on December 27, this team will clearly still be in the title race. Other teams can fall behind by that margin and be written off, but City have been here before. Guardiola will hope that these draws, along with the humbling at Aston Villa, will provoke his team into a run of victories.
City need to find the home form that saw them on the brink of breaking records. They won 23 consecutive matches at the Etihad but have now gone three matches with fans going home without a victory to celebrate. This draw came with Roy Hodgson putting a system together based on what personnel was available, with his most experienced fit players shoehorned into a formation.
Yet, they stayed within touching distance, largely thanks to Dean Henderson on his return from his long-term thigh injury, then scented a result in the late stages. When Phil Foden lost the ball, they seized their opportunity. Mateta pinched the ball and was kicked as Foden tried to make amends.
“It’s not bad luck, it’s deserved,” said Guardiola. “We gave away two points. When you give away this penalty, you deserve it. You see the chances we created and conceded it’s quite similar to all this season apart from the Chelsea game – but we are not able to close the games. That is the feeling.”
One of the happiest people at the Etihad would have been Gareth Southgate, who watched on as his England players took centre stage. Firstly Grealish. He has faced questions over his place in City’s team and a response has come in the last fortnight.
There had been suggestions the poster-boy of the Treble celebrations might find it a little tougher after the monumental efforts to win three major trophies. He even said himself there was a case of “what now?” this season.
But this was his third consecutive Premier League goal, the first time he has managed it in his career. With Jérémy Doku breathing down his neck for a starting place, the £100 million is not stepping aside for the new left-winger to claim a place easily. His chance arose when Foden threaded the ball through Joel Ward’s legs, presenting Grealish with a simple finish.
City fans were not happy with Var, which took an inordinate amount of time to confirm Grealish was onside. Stuart Attwell was based at Stockley Park and ruled out a Julian Alvarez goal as Rodri was interfering with play in an offside position. And there was another check when Lewis grabbed his goal.
Grealish played his part by putting the ball in the danger area and Rodri could claim an unofficial assist. Without touching the ball, the Spaniard was more like an NFL offensive lineman by blocking opponents and allowing Lewis to volley home from close range. “F— Var” sang the City fans as another check was made.
Southgate would have noted Marc Guehi’s measured pass over the top of City’s defence that helped set up Mateta’s goal, which was a tap-in from Jeffrey Schlupp’s cross. Then came the late drama of Olise’s penalty, five minutes into stoppage-time. Enough to make Hodgson fall in love with football again, after appearing so disillusioned last week after defeat at Liverpool.
“I don’t regret what I said last week but I regret people saying I have had enough of football,” he said. “I like to think I can keep it in some perspective. Last week I was by no means suicidal, this week I am by no means raving about football and how wonderful it is. There are going to be moments when I can waver between the two emotions.”.