-Credit:PA
Pep Guardiola furiously ranted at goalkeeper Stefan Ortega moments after the final whistle confirmed Manchester City dropped two points against Brentford.
Facing off against the Bees at Gtech Community Stadium, Phil Foden scored two second-half goals to give the Premier League champions a dominant advantage. However, Yoane Wissa reduced the deficit late on before Christian Norgaard leveled the scoring in stoppage time.
While Ortega got a hand to the Brentford midfielder’s header, he was unable to keep it out as the last-gasp moment of drama ensured the points were shared. At full-time, Guardiola did not hold back on the 32-year-old, who filled in for the benched regular No. 1 Ederson.
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Following the final whistle, the City boss could be seen passionately shouting and screaming in the face of Ortega. Guardiola appeared to scream at the goalkeeper before hugging him three times as part of a series of wild gesticulations.
The Spaniard appeared particularly incensed at times but, when he finished and felt he had gotten his point across, both he and Ortega calmly walked away from one another. After the game, Guardiola explained his frustrations with the result.
“We’re a bit disappointed but at 2-0 up we didn’t manage to hold on to the lead and unfortunately we couldn’t close the game,” he told TNT Sports. “Today we didn’t take the right decisions in the final third. I had the feeling that we didn’t take the right decisions in the final third to close the game.”
Addressing his team’s fatigue, Guardiola said: “With the absence of the central defenders, Rodri, with many things, we are not [at our best] and we didn’t take the right decisions. It’s fine, it’s not a good place to come. Unfortunately, we couldn’t win.”
Guardiola confirmed he was happy with a point before being asked why City are struggling to hold onto leads: “I don’t know, it can happen. Sometimes it happens. We have to manage a little bit better but today was not bad.”
After a horrendous run of form towards the end of 2024, City appeared to get over the hump with recent results thanks to three steady wins. However, their attempts to close the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool have taken another hit, even after the Reds drew themselves with Nottingham Forest.
Victory for City would have seen the club move above Newcastle and level on points with fourth-place Chelsea, who scored a last-gasp equalizer in a draw with Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge. But instead, Guardiola, Ortega, and the rest of the City squad will rue more missed opportunities and dropped points.
City will look to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they travel to Ipswich Town on Sunday, Jan. 19.