Pep Guardiola chose to look on the bright side as the season still has a long way to go, after Manchester City could only manage a goalless draw away at Sunderland, resulting in Arsenal pulling 4 points clear at the top.
On 2 Jan 2025 GMT+7, Pep Guardiola, Manchester City's manager, remained composed after his team drew 0-0 at Sunderland in the Premier League, causing the Sky Blues to lose ground in their chase of league leaders Arsenal.
In that match, Man City failed to break down the home side's defense despite several clear chances, especially close-range opportunities. Their streak of eight consecutive wins ended, while Sunderland maintained their unbeaten home record this season impressively.
As a result of this outcome, Arsenal moved further ahead at the top of the table by 4 points after crushing Aston Villa 4-1 at home.
After the game, Guardiola told Sky Sports,
“It's good that we took one point back. The second half was very good. We missed several important chances. We got into the six-yard box multiple times but couldn't convert into goals.”
“They were dangerous and very strong. I am satisfied with our performance, especially in the second half. We created many chances at this stadium. In the first half, we struggled with pressing, but once Rodri helped connect play and break lines, the game clearly improved in the second half.”
The Spanish coach also commented on the tough nature of the game,
“They were strong and played with high intensity. This is not surprising. We accept the result as it is. The season is still long.”
For their next fixture, Manchester City will return to the Etihad Stadium to host Chelsea this Sunday.