Guardiola insists Manchester City must keep fighting despite draw
Pep Guardiola insisted Manchester City have no choice but to press on after their title hopes suffered another setback following a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium, leaving them seven points adrift of league leaders Arsenal, reports BritPanorama.
City had established leads on two occasions during the match but failed to secure all three points. Antoine Semenyo opened the scoring for City shortly after the half-hour mark, but Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White equalized eleven minutes into the second half.
Rodri then temporarily restored City’s advantage with a header from a corner, only for Elliot Anderson to equalize once again, allowing Nottingham Forest to leave with a valuable point in their battle against relegation.
Guardiola expressed disappointment with the outcome, reflecting on the team’s effort: “Disappointed for the result, we did everything again, we did not concede much and we had chances at the end especially and during the game as well,” he told TNT Sports. He acknowledged the importance of home fixtures at this stage of the season but maintained his determination. “We keep going,” he added.
The draw was particularly damaging for City, especially following Arsenal’s narrow 1-0 victory over Brighton earlier on the same night. Given that City has one match in hand, the missed opportunity is likely to weigh heavily as the title race intensifies.
Despite the disappointment, Guardiola praised the commitment of his players, indicating that they must not dwell on setbacks as the campaign progresses. “We don’t have time to look back, so look forward,” he stated. With critical fixtures on the horizon against Newcastle in the FA Cup and Real Madrid in the Champions League, Guardiola emphasized the need for focus across all competitions.
As City navigates a demanding schedule, the resilience of the squad will be vital. Guardiola remarked, “We are used to playing in a lot of competitions and we will go for that game, there are a lot of games to play so we have to continue.” City will look to rebound from this recent league disappointment and maintain their pursuit of both domestic and European silverware.
