Pep Guardiola Frustrated After Man City’s Draw with Crystal Palace: 'We Did Everything to Win'

Manchester City had to settle for a point against Crystal Palace in a hard-fought match that saw moments of brilliance, frustration, and controversy. Despite dominating possession and creating opportunities, City couldn’t secure the win, leaving Pep Guardiola visibly displeased after the game.

City fell behind early on but equalized through their star striker, Erling Haaland. In the second half, a defensive lapse allowed Palace to retake the lead with a free header from a corner. Rico Lewis later scored a brilliant goal to bring City level, but his red card for a second yellow in the final stages of the game left City with 10 men and derailed their chances of finding a winner.

Adding to the drama, the match ended with controversy as City felt Jeremy Doku was in a promising position after stealing possession, but the referee blew the whistle for full-time. Guardiola was visibly upset, marching toward the officials to voice his complaints before heading straight to the dressing room.

Pep’s frustration was evident in his post-match comments, where he offered short, sharp responses to key moments. When asked about Rico Lewis’ red card, he said simply, “I didn’t see it.” Regarding his actions at full-time, he brushed it off, saying, “Sometimes I go to the pitch, sometimes I go direct to the locker room.”

When questioned about whether his team looked tired, Guardiola bluntly replied, “No.”

Despite his frustration, Guardiola was full of praise for his players’ effort, especially after going down to 10 men.

“How we played in the last 15, 16 minutes with 10 men was incredible,” Guardiola said. “We have seven potential starting players injured. A lot of players have played heavy minutes, and the physicality of Crystal Palace is always challenging. But we were there, and we did everything to win. I’m really proud of the players.”

Guardiola highlighted the performances of Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva, who worked tirelessly in midfield. He also commended both wingers, including Jeremy Doku, who returned from injury and played a full 90 minutes. Jack Grealish, however, was sidelined after feeling discomfort in training.

Guardiola admitted that the red card was a turning point in the game. “At 2-2, I had the feeling we were there. Unfortunately, we couldn’t finish with 11 men,” he said.

The draw keeps City competitive in the league but shows their growing injury concerns. With seven key players unavailable, Guardiola faces a tough task in managing his squad during this demanding period.