Ilkay Gundogan has admitted that Manchester City’s Premier League title hopes could effectively end with a defeat to Liverpool on Sunday, as the club struggles to overcome a poor run of form.
City’s disappointing 3-3 draw against Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday followed five consecutive defeats in all competitions, including three straight losses in the Premier League. The draw, in which City squandered a 3-0 lead, marked a rare occurrence in Pep Guardiola’s managerial career — his first failure to win a match after leading by three goals.
Having won the last four Premier League titles, City now finds itself eight points behind league leaders Liverpool. Guardiola has conceded that a loss at Anfield on Sunday would leave City with little hope of retaining the title.
Gundogan, who captained City to the treble last season and rejoined the club after a short stint at Barcelona, echoed Guardiola’s concerns. “To stay in the title race, probably yes, (it’s a game City can’t afford to lose), because 11 points would be a huge gap,” he said. Gundogan acknowledged the difficulty of facing Liverpool at Anfield, noting the challenge presented by their high confidence and formidable team.
The match against Feyenoord had seemed like a turning point when City led 3-0, thanks to goals from Erling Haaland and a deflected effort from Gundogan. However, two defensive mistakes from Josko Gvardiol, followed by a costly error from goalkeeper Ederson, allowed Feyenoord to equalize.
Gundogan admitted that the nature of the draw, after such a commanding lead, felt like a defeat. “The sensation right now is big disappointment but football is football,” he said. “It creates incredible moments and difficult moments that you have to face.” With Liverpool looming, City must find a way to bounce back or risk seeing their title challenge slip away.
