ON the plus side – at least the run of five straight defeats is over.
But the slump goes on for Manchester City as they somehow blew a three goal lead by conceding three goals in 14 minutes to leave Pep Guardiola black and blue.
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The manager was left with striking red marks all over his head at the end – no doubt a result of it spending much of the calamitous second half in the beleaguered Spaniard’s hands.
City are the first team in Uefa Champions League history to be leading a match by three goals as late as the 75th minute and fail to go on to win.
It leaves their European hopes in serious peril with games at Juventus and Paris Saint Germain still to come – as they sit 15th in the competition’s standings.
But where does it leave their season with a huge trip to Liverpool looming on Sunday?
It looked like normal service was resumed as they took a three goal lead in the 53rd minute – thanks to two goals from Erling Haaland.
Somehow though they let it slip as the Dutch side came storming back and grabbed an astonishing equaliser a minute from time.
It was Bernardo Silva who said City were in a dark place after they were beaten at Sporting Lisbon earlier this month.
Guardiola didn’t agree then – but they have lost twice more since, including a 4-0 hammering by Spurs last Saturday.
Kevin De Bruyne admitted it has been “chaotic” with all their problems.
But it has now got that little bit darker.
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There were flashes of the City we have come to know over recent seasons though – but also of how fragile their confidence has become in their dismal run.
With tricky games still to come, this was one City simply had to win.
It is the kind of European tie they have normally made light work of in recent years but these are not normal times for Pep Guardiola’s men.
A run of five straight defeats – across three different competitions – made it the worst run of the Catalan’s managerial career.
In fact it was 2006 last time a City team last went on a six-match losing streak – back in the days when Stuart Pearce was in charge.
Early on they looked in determined mood and came close to going ahead as Haaland’s flick header hit the base of the post before Timon Wellenreuther clawed away the rebound
A volley from Jack Grealish looked destined for the net but hit the back of team-mate Phil Foden and ballooned over the bar.
Foden almost made amends with a low shot that was pushed around the post by Wellenreuther at full stretch.
The home side were in full control and should have been ahead by more before a triple change in the 60th minute.
City fans were starting to worry they have seen this script before.
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Brian Priske said beforehand he was worried about a backlash from the English champions but they had held firm.
And their first decent chance of the night came when Igor Paixao got through but fluffed his attempt to chip Ederson.
Back at the other end Dutch defender Nathan Ake came close as his header from a Grealish corner drifted just wide.
Haaland was denied by a last ditch tackle from David Hancko but from the resulting corner he went down under challenge by Quinten Timber.
The Romanian ref pointed to the spot and there was even some suggestion it was given for a handball.
Whichever way, it looked a soft one but apparently there was not enough to suggest a clear and obvious error.
City’s top scorer – who missed his last spot-kick in Lisbon earlier this month – was made to wait but looked confident as he sent Wellenreuther the wrong way.
That’s 16 for the season already for the Norwegian – and people say he has been struggling recently.
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Yet as Guardiola said on Monday – with hardly anyone else chipping in, where would they be without Haaland’s goals?
It’s now 51 goal involvements for Haaland – 46 goals and five assists – in just 44 games in his favourite competition.
That lifted some of the tension that was building around the Etihad and Matheus Nunes went close as his effort was deflected into the side netting.
The resulting corner was only half cleared and Ilkay Gundogan’s 20 yard shot was deflected past his own keeper by Hancko.
It might not have gone in without the defender’s help but a bit of good fortune was just what the German needed.
City’s treble winning skipper has found it difficult since returning to the Etihad after a year in Barcelona but that will do his confidence no harm.
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And three minutes later, the tie appeared to be over as Nunes burst clear down the right and sent over a low cross that a stretching Haaland turned in.
Having reached his half century in the first half, he had now made a start towards the next one.
You could see the confidence returning to the home side and now it seemed just a question of how many they would score.
But Josko Gvardiol gifted the visitors a way back in as his lazy pass back to the keeper did not have the legs to reach Ederson.
Anis Hadj Moussa nipped in and went round the keeper to give the Dutch a bit of hope.
And they were dreaming of a famous comeback as Gvardiol again gave the ball away to put the visitors on the attack.
Jordan Lotomba’s cross somehow squeezed between Ederson and the post and sub Santiago Giminez chested it over the line.
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Now it was panic stations and as Paixao got in ahead of Ederson who had dashed out of goal.
He then kept his cool and crossed for Hancko to head home at the back post. A truly astonishing ending.
Alan Shearer believes the draw could be WORSE for morale than City’s recent five consecutive defeats.
It’s the first time Guardiola – whose head went down at 3-1 – failed to win a game from 3-0 up in his managerial career.
And the first time City have not won from 3-0 up since 1989 against Bournemouth.
Speaking after the game, a shell-shocked Guardiola said: “I don’t need to say anything to (the players), they know it perfectly.
“It’s so difficult to swallow right now, the game was good, we scored three, we could have scored more, but in the end we give it away, we are not stable enough.
“What can you do? Rest one or two days and prepare for Anfield.”
Asked how he will lift the squad for the massive trip to Liverpool on Sunday, he added: “I have to, it’s my job.”
Some City fans booed at the end, but Guardiola wasn’t angry with them.
He said: “Last game against Tottenham, the 0-4, they were there, they support us, they applause. They are disappointed of course, we understand it.”
Amazon pundit Shearer though was left fearing for the all-conquering Spaniard after this unprecendented slump.
He said: “This could spell disaster for Guardiola. I can’t believe the decision making at the end of that game.
“They looked light, they looked weak, they looked frail.
“You cannot give the opposition a chance, give them hope, and that’s exactly what they did.
“With two minutes to go they tried to take a quick free-kick. Why?
Their game management was awful. It’s been a disaster for them.”
City head to Prem leaders Liverpool on Sunday looking rather shaky.
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