‘A missed opportunity’ – Three things learnt from Middlesbrough 2-2 Manchester City

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Manchester City miss chance to put daylight between rivals

When Pep Guardiola’s side heard that Manchester United were held to a draw with Swansea earlier in the day they would have been relishing the chance to go three points clear of their rivals.

Yet they could never have anticipated the challenge that Middlesbrough would present at the Riverside Stadium, and after 90 minutes of absorbing football it’s a missed opportunity for City.

With Liverpool still to play on Monday evening, the gap between the Citizens and third place could be four points with four games left to play – perhaps a mountain too big to climb even for a man like Guardiola – and it means that they only have a single point advantage over Jose Mourinho’s side.

Next up on Saturday is the visit of Crystal Palace to the Etihad in yet another crucial match; with United facing top four rivals Arsenal, it could turn out to be a fruitful weekend for City’s prospects.

The return of Gabriel Jesus – who managed a whole 90 minutes on his first start since returning from injury – and impact of Leroy Sane will give Guardiola hope that his side can get the win next week.

Featured Image: All rights reserved by Serg Holohok.