Selhurst stalemate frustrates angry Guardiola

 

Pep Guardiola was left frustrated on Monday night after a goalless draw against Crystal Palace blew the title race wide open again. (Photo credit: Premierleague.com)

This is exactly why we love the English Premier League, it’s never straightforward and teams don’t do social distancing every season like Liverpool did two years ago, this is sensational.

It was probably filed under the fluke folder when Crystal Palace beat Manchester City at the Etihad in the reverse fixture but the goalless affair at Selhurst Park on Monday night was beyond luck for the Eagles and even Pep Guardiola agreed.

Guardiola stuck to the same eleven that beat Manchester United silly last weekend but they failed to spark, chances after chances went without real bit and the lead at the top is only four points with Liverpool able to cut that to one point if they beat Arsenal on Wednesday.

Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne all missed glit edge chances, all struck the wood work and Riyad Mahrez was denied by Vincent Guita twice, it was a game of what could have been but in the end, it ended 0-0.

"Luck doesn't exist in football," Guardiola said after the match. "We have to score goals and we didn't do it.

"We played to score goals and concede few. We struggled a little bit. The team that was there today, was there before and will be there in the next game. I am very pleased with the performance and the way we played."

The visitors threw everything at Palace late on, but the Eagles dug in and held on as they stretched their unbeaten run to five games in all competitions to stay 11th. Those watching on Merseyside will have celebrated this result more than anyone else.

"When you play against City you have to concede chances," Palace manager Patrick Vieira said. "It's all about having your luck on the day, but also putting in a shift as a team.

"We did that today. We fought for the luck and we got a point. We're happy with the performance."

Palace were the last team to shut City out when they beat the champions at the Etihad 2-0 in October, they have done it again and the confidence it would give to their ship is left to be measured.