Man City’s torrid run continues after they let a three-goal slip against Feyenoord in the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola‘s side were 3-0 up at the Etihad on Tuesday night and looked set to end their five-match losing run in style with a comprehensive victory.
However that proved to be too much to ask with the Dutch side drawing the game level to 3-3 with three goals in 14 minutes.
It means that City are the first team in Champions League history to be leading a match by three goals as late as the 75th minute and fail to go on to win.
Guardiola has seen his side fail to win a match after leading by three goals for the first time in his 942-game managerial career.
City are now winless in six matches in all competitions, with the Premier League champions drawing one and losing five in that time.
City have also conceded two or more goals in six successive matches in all competitions for the first time since May 1963.
It also puts the 2023 winners in an unfortunately group.
The only other English sides to fail to win a Champions League game in which they were three or more goals ahead were Arsenal vs Anderlecht in November 2014 (3-3) and Liverpool vs Sevilla in November 2017 (3-3).
City surged into a dominant position when Erling Haaland opened the scoring before half-time from the penalty spot.
Ilkay Gundogan struck next, before Haaland netted for a second time to put City 3-0 up.
With the game seemingly under control, Feyenoord struck three times in 14 minutes to draw the game level and leave the Etihad Stadium shell-shocked.
Speaking after the match, Pep Guardiola said: “The game was fine at 3-0, playing good, but then we concede a lot goals because we were not stable. We gave them the first and then the other one, that is why it was difficult.
We lost a lot of games lately, we are fragile and of course we needed a victory, the game was good for the confidence. We were playing a good level but the first time something happened we had problems.
“I don’t know if it is mental. The first goal cannot happen and the second as well. After that we forget what happen, we were desperate to win and do well, we do well but don’t win games.
The situation is what it is. We played a good game but at that level we can’t give them away.
Right now I am not ready to think about that [need to win final three games to finish top eight]. We have to recover and prepare for the next game. If we are not able to win games like we did today it is difficult to do it.”
Reflecting on the result, Darren Bent told talkSPORT: “You’ve got to find a way to get it over the line.
“That was criminal – for Man City to be 3-0, I was thinking ‘right that game’s over’ but the fact that they’re three goals up and can’t see it over the line against a side who are fourth in Holland, there’s serious problems there.
“I know it’s not a defeat but in a game that they had wrapped up, for them to let it slip tells me that there’s a mentality issue there which hasn’t been there for so long.
“They’re going to have to pick themselves up because they’ve got a hard, hard game this weekend against Liverpool but that performance and that result will not do them any favours.”
Bent added: “We’re used to Man City bouncing back, but now when they go 3-0 down and concede it’s like they go into survival mode.
“Usually the Man City we know would put their foot down or keep possession and see the game out.
“Now they concede goals and look like they’re in crisis.”