- Pep Guardiola’s side slumped to a draw against the Dutch outfit after being 3-0 up
- German star Gundogan admitted that Champions League result ‘feels like a loss’
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Ilkay Gundogan admitted this is the toughest season of his Manchester City career and conceded that losing at Anfield would spell the end of their title aspirations.
City’s campaign plumbed new depths after blowing a three-goal lead in the final 15 minutes of a crucial Champions League tie at home against unfancied Feyenoord.
Defeat against Liverpool on Sunday would leave the Premier League champions 11 points behind the leaders and facing an uphill battle to secure a fifth consecutive crown.
It is now six games without a victory in all competitions – conceding 17 goals in the process – and Gundogan believes the squad need to take personal responsibility for performances.
‘Right now it is tougher,’ Gundogan said. ‘Feyenoord feels like a loss. If we lose 2-0 at home obviously we would be disappointed but the way we did it, urgh… it could have only been worse if we’d conceded a fourth goal and lost the game.
‘The sensation right now, if I’m honest, is a big disappointment. The goals we conceded are inexplicable, in terms of the way we conceded them.
Ilkay Gundogan admitted this is the toughest season of his Manchester City career
City plumbed new depths after blowing a three-goal lead in the last 15 minutes versus Feyenoord
Defeat against Liverpool on Sunday would leave the champions 11 points behind the leaders
‘There is only ourselves to blame. The way things are going right now, it is a bit inexplicable.
‘It seems we have to go through this season the toughest way possible. Obviously we’ve done this ourselves a little bit but hopefully we can get out of that as quickly as possible.’
Asked if the trip to Liverpool has become must-win, the German replied: ‘To stay in the title race probably yes, because 11 points would be a huge gap.
‘Anfield is always tough, no matter the situation. We’ve struggled in recent years going there.
‘We know Liverpool are a great team full of confidence right now. It’s going to be as tough as it is possible to be. But that sums up the situation right now.’
City have won just once at Liverpool in 21 years – that coming during Project Restart without fans inside stadiums – and they head into the clash as rank outsiders.
Gundogan was left shocked by the capitulation against Feyenoord after players had felt they could turn a corner following the 4-0 defeat by Tottenham last weekend.
‘Even though the Tottenham result was incredible, the sensation I had was we were still able to perform for periods on a high level,’ he added.
Gundogan was left shocked by the capitulation against unfancied Dutch side Feyenoord
City players had felt they could turn a corner following the 4-0 defeat by Tottenham last weekend
‘The result didn’t show this at all, in the end. Tottenham played well and deserved to win but we have to use in this situation, these moments to lift ourselves up and to get up as quickly as possible.
‘Football sometimes creates incredible moments and difficult moments that you have to face.
‘You only get through it when you face it, when you accept it, when you get challenged and you try to do your best to get out of this situation as quickly as possible.
‘We have to look at ourselves and try to do the things we can do better, as quickly as possible. We take it, stay humble, head down and try to put in the work in the next few days and prepare as good as possible for a tough game.’