Manchester City sit fifth in the Premier League after they drew 2-2 with Brighton at the Etihad, with an Abdukodir Khusanov own goal earning the Seagulls a point
Pep Guardiola admitted Manchester City are feeling the pressure after seeing his team drop two more vital points in their bid for Champions League qualification.
The Premier League champions remain in fifth place, which should be enough to take a place in Europe’s elite club competition for the 15th consecutive season. But Brighton are one of a number of clubs who are closing in on City after a nervous afternoon at the Etihad.
And Guardiola said: “Nine games left and nine finals. It is what it is. I think it will go right to the end. I am always confident.
“In some moments I have doubts, but I always try to find the right way. You can feel the pressure in the stadium. We have to play better and the fans want it so bad. Everyone feels it.
“We played better than we did at Nottingham Forest. We had spirit. We were there. At Forest we were too passive. Brighton are so good and for 10 or 15 minutes after they scored we were unstable. But we take a point and think of the next game.”
Brighton have never won at City – and this was the first point they have taken from the Blues on their own soil. Carlos Baleba’s glaring late miss cost Fabian Hurzeler’s team the chance to make history.
Hurzeler said: “Sometimes you score these chances, sometimes you miss, sometimes you’re the hero, sometimes not. I think Carlos showed a great performance.
“It was one of two or three really big chances when we could have scored the winner. We have to do better next time. I never chase individual records.
“I chase performances – and I felt we showed we can compete with any team in the Premier League. It’s good to get our first point here but we are disappointed not to go home with three points.”
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