The 42

MANCHESTER CITY’S crisis deepened as they surrendered a three-goal lead late in the game to draw 3-3 against Feyenoord in the Champions League.

Pep Guardiola’s side at least avoided the indignity of a sixth successive defeat in all competitions but alarm bells continue to ring at the Etihad Stadium after a dramatic late capitulation.

A double from Erling Haaland — the first from the penalty spot — and a deflected effort from Ilkay Gundogan, all in the space of nine minutes either side of the break, looked to have ensured a return to winning ways.

Yet Guardiola was left with his head in hands as Feyenoord roared back in the last 15 minutes with goals from Anis Hadj Moussa, Sergio Gimenez and David Hancko, two of them after Josko Gvardiol’s errors.

City almost snatched a late winner when Jack Grealish hit the woodwork but there was no masking another dispiriting result.

It was hardly the preparation City wanted for Sunday’s crunch trip to Liverpool, and the Feyenoord fans took great delight in rubbing that fact in.

They sung the club anthem they share with Liverpool, You’ll Never Walk Alone, and chanted the name of their former manager Arne Slot, the current Reds boss.

Guardiola arrived at the ground with a cut on the bridge of his nose and, once again, his side have been struck a nasty blow.

Despite not being at their best, they had dominated early on against what seemed limited Dutch opposition.

They threatened when a Gundogan shot was deflected wide and Haaland then went close to opening the scoring when he turned a header onto the post.

Feyenoord goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther gifted City another chance when he passed straight to Bernardo Silva but Grealish’s fierce volley struck team-mate Phil Foden.

Foden forced a save from Wellenreuther but City had a moment of alarm when Igor Paixao got behind the defence only to shoot tamely at Ederson.

Nathan Ake missed the target with a header but some luck finally went City’s way just before the break when Quinten Timber, brother of Arsenal’s Jurrien, was harshly adjudged to have fouled Haaland.

The Norwegian rammed home the resulting spot-kick and City returned re-energised for the second period.

They won a corner when a Matheus Nunes shot was turned behind and Gundogan fired the hosts’ second — albeit with aid of a deflection — with a firm volley from the edge of the box.

City turned up the heat and claimed their third soon after as Gundogan released Nunes with a long ball and his low cross was turned into the net by a sliding Haaland.

It seemed City were heading for a morale-lifting victory but a couple of Gvardiol errors changed the script.

The Croatian, who had a torrid time in Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing by Tottenham, first horribly misplaced a backpass and allowed Moussa to nip in and round Ederson.

Ordinarily, that 75th-minute reply would have been a mere consolation and City would close out the game, but Gvardiol had another moment to forget eight minutes from time.

Again he gave the ball away and Feyenoord pounced. The ball was lofted into the box and Jordan Lotomba fired a shot that glanced the post and deflected across goal, where Gimenez chested in.

Ederson then blundered as he raced out of his area and was beaten by Paixao, who crossed for Hancko to head into an empty net.

Amid some moments of unrest in the crowd, when objects were thrown, City tried to rally in stoppage time.

Grealish had an effort deflected onto the bar but the hosts had to settle for a draw.

Written by The 42 and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.