Manchester City fans were left disappointed after their team gave up a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Tuesday, January 14. Much of the blame was directed at Ilkay Gundogan, whose performance as a substitute sparked frustration among supporters.
City looked in control when Phil Foden scored the opener in the 66th minute, finishing off a perfect cross from Kevin De Bruyne. Foden doubled the lead in the 78th minute, reacting quickly to a loose ball to make it 2-0.
However, Brentford fought back. Yoane Wissa pulled one back in the 82nd minute, and Christian Nørgaard leveled the game in stoppage time to earn the home side a dramatic point.
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Ilkay Gundogan came on in the 76th minute for Mateo Kovacic, who had been solid in midfield, making key interceptions and controlling the game. After Gundogan’s introduction, City struggled to keep their composure. The midfielder had just 11 touches and misplaced two passes during his short time on the pitch.
Fans were quick to express their frustration online:
“Gundo should go with Walker, please.”
“That Kovacic-Gundo substitute killed us! Gundo is a shadow of himself.”
“Every time Gundo comes on, we fall apart.”
“We need a new midfielder. Gundo looked half asleep out there.”
Pep Guardiola admitted after the game that his team failed to manage the situation. “At 2-0 up, we didn’t handle the game well. In the end, they made a lot of plays in the box, and we weren’t strong enough due to some absences,” Guardiola said.
He added, “We couldn’t close the game. We made poor decisions in the final third, and we take a point.”
Guardiola was visibly upset after the game, especially with goalkeeper Stefan Ortega and defender Josko Gvardiol, showing his frustration on the touchline.
The draw leaves Manchester City in sixth place in the Premier League, struggling to find consistency. Guardiola and his team will now prepare for their next away match against Ipswich, followed by Champions League tie against PSG.
