Manchester City’s problems continued as they gave up a three-goal lead to a 3-3 draw with Feyenoord and Pep Guardiola’s side now went six games without a win.

Guardiola, coming off his worst managerial career, appeared to be on track to lead his side to victory in this Champions League clash when two goals from Erling Haaland either side of half-time sparked Ilkay’s deflected volley Gündogan prevented. But there was late drama.

Anis Hadj Moussa took advantage of a defensive error by Josko Gvardiol to open the scoring in the 75th minute before substitute Santiago Gimenez converted from close range to provide a thrilling experience. David Hancko headed the equalizer and left City at a disadvantage.

It was an extraordinary collapse, a draw that ends a five-game losing streak but will feel like a defeat given the remarkable circumstances. City remain outside the top eight in the Champions League. What’s even more worrying is that the slump in form shows no signs of stopping.

How Man City fell apart

It looked like a routine win, a confidence-boosting result to get City back on track after their recent malaise. This result will only add to the questions facing Guardiola, an unfortunate collapse that suggests this team has lost what it once had.

Nobody in the stadium expected this, as demonstrated by Guardiola’s decision to use Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and James McAtee alongside Kevin De Bruyne when he was three points ahead midway through the second half. He thought it was over, his thoughts turned to Liverpool, to living on Sky Sports on Sunday

Feyenoord had other ideas, but they had help. Gvardiol’s loose back pass was inexplicable. Ederson was bad at all goals. And while there were young players on the pitch, there were also De Bruyne, Haaland, Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish.

In the end, everyone looked shocked, as if they were victims of circumstances they couldn’t explain. Doubts that have crept in now flood the mind. Fifteenth in the Champions League table, they travel to Anfield knowing that a defeat there will increase the gap to the Premier League leaders to 11 points. This is officially a crisis.

Guardiola: Hard to swallow

Man City coach Pep Guardiola speaks at the press conference…

“There is no need to tell them (the players) anything, they know it for sure. Three episodes didn’t allow us to win. He could have scored more goals.

“We give away three, especially the first one. We couldn’t control the last few minutes.”

“The team was so committed. But as soon as something happens, the team is not strong enough.”

“We are not in a position to win games. We were always a team that found a way.”

“What can we do? Rest for a day or two and prepare for Anfield.”

Asked about the crowd booing at the final whistle…

“The last game against Tottenham, 0-4, they were there, applause. They don’t come here to reminisce about the past, they come here to see the team’s performance. Of course, they are completely right to express their feelings.”

Feyenoord coach on an “incredible” evening

Feyenoord head coach Brian Priske speaks at the press conference…

“Coming from Feyenoord Rotterdam, it’s an incredible evening, 3-0 away against what I still think is the best team in the world.”

“Of course you always believe that, but it was a difficult game. They played fast football for the first 25 minutes, we weren’t as close as we wanted, in the end we were too far down.”

“When you’re 3-0 down, you definitely think it’s going to be a long evening, a tough evening, but without any tactical (changes), just individual quality, moments, that gave us the draw.”

“The players stayed in the game, kept pushing and kept believing. I can only praise her.”

Man City’s evening in the statistics

• After Arsenal against Anderlecht in November 2014 and Liverpool against Sevilla in November 2017, Manchester City became only the third English team to fail to win a Champions League game by three goals.
• Feyenoord was 3-0 down until the 75th minute, the last time a team was down by three goals in a Champions League game and avoided defeat.
• Manchester City have conceded two or more goals in six consecutive games in all competitions for the first time since May 1963 – a season in which they were relegated from the top flight.

History of the game in the statistics…

What’s coming up in the Champions League?