'Stupid errors' - Ex-Manchester City duo slam mistakes in Champions League draw

A brace from Erling Haaland sandwiched by İlkay Gündoğan’s goal gave City a seemingly insurmountable lead, before Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Giménez, and David Hancko completed the Dutch side’s fightback.

After losing five games on the run, Pep Guardiola’s side looked to be cruising to a much-needed win and their first since October. Feyenoord were invited back into the game by Joško Gvardiol, whose sloppy pass played Anis Hadj-Moussa through, who rounded Ederson to score.

After the goal, the camera panned to Pep Guardiola sitting in the dugout with his head in his hands - a sign of the lack of confidence the Catalan currently has in his team.

Feyenoord threatened again after 78 minutes, when Quinten Timber was able to turn, without pressure in midfield. He tried to play Giménez through, who would have been one-on-one with Ederson, had the ball not bounced off the back of his right heel.

Gvardiol was again culpable for City squandering possession in the build-up to the second goal. He made a risky pass into James McAtee deep into City’s half, who was immediately tackled by two Feyenoord players.

Then the visitors played a string of passes before they crossed the ball to the back post, where Matheus Nunes had failed to follow the run of Jordan Lotomba. The Swiss international got the ball back across goal, where it was converted by Giménez. City’s mistakes were slammed by Alan Shearer, the co-commentator on Amazon Prime Video Sport.

He said: “Stupid errors, lapses in concentration, and inviting the opposition back into the game.” And City were unable to see out their one-goal advantage, making several basic errors. Gvardiol took a throw-in which went straight to an opposition player, before Jack Grealish’s naïve decision to take a quick free-kick, despite City preserving a one-goal advantage with just three minutes left to play.

The equaliser arrived after 88 minutes when Igor Paixao was played through, exploiting City’s vulnerable high line.

The onrushing Ederson was unable to get there, and Paixao crossed for Hancko to convert at the back post. Grealish came the closest to rescuing a late win for the hosts, when his deflected strike hit the woodwork in stoppage time, but they had to settle for a point.

After the game, the pundits on Amazon Prime were critical of City, who have now conceded two or more goals in six consecutive games for the first time since 1963. Gaël Clichy said: “If there’s no pressure on the ball you cannot have your line flat, so high, you can if it is your philosophy, but you need to make sure that you have the legs to cover.”

Stuart Peace said: “The high line, defensive mistakes, frailties at the back, individual errors, they all were evident in the second half. You’ve got to see the game out.”

Josephine Henning said: “I think this is a mental thing.”

Manchester City return to action on Sunday at league leaders Liverpool, knowing a defeat would see them slip to 11 points behind Arne Slot’s side.