Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is confident his side can secure qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League despite a disappointing 2-2 draw against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
The reigning Premier League champions have endured a disappointing season, with the FA Cup their only chance of attaining a silverware at the end of the season.
Erling Haaland opened the scoring from the spot, becoming the fastest player to reach 100 goal contributions in EPL history, to put the Cityzens ahead in the 11th minute before Pervis Estupinan equalized with a stunning strike for the seagulls minutes later.
“Until the end, I think so. Nine games, nine finals”, Guardiola said when asked about his side’s chances of qualification.
“I’m always confident. I am a master. I find the positiveness in everything. It will be difficult.”
January signing Omar Marmoush put the champions 2-1 ahead at halftime, although Brighton were back on level terms through an Abdukodir Khusanov’s own goal early in the second half, the 40th league goal conceded by the Cityzens this season
“We started the second half 2-1 up and had a good chance. In the corner we were sloppy and they equalized then we were unstable. That is normal”, the former Bayern Munich manager continued.
“We came back in the game and had really good moments. They had one clear chance then but we were there and we pushed until the end. We’ll take the point.”
The draw leaves Manchester City fifth on the standings, one point behind fourth-placed Chelsea who travel to London rivals Arsenal later today.
After the international break, Pep Guardiola’s side have a chance to bounce back with a victory when they travel to Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarterfinals, before hosting relegation-threatened Leicester City few days later in the Premier League.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
