Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola laments his side’s inability to score more goals after their 1-1 draw at home to West Brom.
The Citizens dominated possession and, on 30 minutes, took the lead when Raheem Sterling’s smart cut-back was sidefooted in by Ilkay Gundogan.
An own-goal by Ruben Dias and the heroics of goalkeeper Sam Johnstone allowed West Bromwich Albion to earn an impressive point at the Etihad.
City have now dropped points for the seventh time this season and are in sixth, having won just five of their opening 12 games.
Manchester City are five points behind leaders Tottenham and have a lot of work to do if they are going to win back the Premier League title.
Speaking after the match, as cited by BBC Sport, Guardiola insisted that his side did ‘everything’ but score a second goal:
“We didn’t create much in the first half, they had a lot of people back, we struggled to win the second balls. In the second half, we did everything we just couldn’t score. We created enough to win the game, 26 shots I think, you just have to put the ball in, We are struggling with that. We have to be optimistic.
“You don’t have to be so clever to see the gap between this year and previous years [in our results]. It is not confidence, Sergio Aguero is injured for four months, but we create chances, we are there we just can’t score.
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Guardiola warned that they have to be winning these kind of games if they can expect to challenge for the Premier League again.
“It is not about the points [to the top of the league], you have to win games like this. We know it, we drop points. These are the ones you have to win. It’s not far away to the top of the league but you have to beat West Brom at home. There are a lot of games left.
“This situation is weird for everyone. We deserved to win the game but we didn’t win it.”
Attention now turns to Saturday’s trip to the St Mary’s Stadium with Guardiola urging his side to seek to continue to improve.
“It is an important week. We didn’t start well and get three points, but you have to continue. We go to Southampton and try to play a good game,” said the City boss.
“We try to continue to play as best as possible and keep improving. Try to create 27 chances, try to be solid behind and continue to try to do it.”
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