Man City at risk of being kicked out of the top four by Man Utd

Twice taking the lead, Manuel Pellegrini's team lost the advantage and let Arsenal hold them to a 2-2 draw at home.

Man City benefited from the excellence of Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne. While their attack did not create any breakthroughs, the classy handling and finishing of these two stars helped the home team continuously take the lead.

However, "holding the gold and letting it fall", the laxity of the defense made Man City pay the price. Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez scored in turn to help Arsenal keep a point. In the 88th minute, Wilfried Bony volleyed against the crossbar but that was all Man City could do. They left dismayed faces in the stands with the fear of losing their Champions League spot looming before their eyes.

The home team started the game proactively. They attacked right after the opening whistle, showing that they were the ones who needed the points more. Aguero's opening goal in the eighth minute was a worthy reward for them. The Argentine striker controlled the ball skillfully, finished with a tricky left foot, and defeated Petr Cech. This was Aguero's 23rd goal this season, he is now one goal behind Jamie Vardy and two behind Harry Kane in the race for the Golden Boot.

Aguero's efforts could not help Man City win all three points. Photo: Reuters.

However, Arsenal equalised just two minutes later. A poor combination between Nicolas Otamendi and Joe Hart led to a corner kick for Arsenal. From there, the ball fell to Olivier Giroud and the French striker did not miss the opportunity. The fault lay with Eliaquim Mangala as he chose the wrong landing spot, rushing forward and leaving Giroud in a comfortable position.

In the second half, Man City dominated again with consecutive dangerous situations. In the 52nd minute, Kevin De Bruyne showed why he is considered the most important player for Man City this season. The Belgian midfielder defeated Hector Bellerin with strength, skillfully dribbling and speed from the middle of the field to the edge of the penalty area and then fired a dangerous low shot. The ball went close to the right post, leaving Petr Cech helpless. In this match, the former Chelsea goalkeeper conceded twice from low shots. Cech is not good at this type of play, but both Aguero and De Bruyne's shots were very dangerous.

Sanchez's goal cost Man City the right to decide in the race for a Champions League spot. Photo: Reuters.

Arsenal failed to create any notable attacks in the second half but they scored with their first chance. Alexis Sanchez made his mark in the 68th minute, enough to remind everyone of him in a lacklustre match. The Chilean striker exchanged passes with Giroud, ran into the middle of the Man City penalty area as if it were empty and coolly curled the ball past Joe Hart.

The mistake of Man City players when they had up to 5 men but could not keep up with Arsenal's striker duo. The three players following Sanchez, Jesus Navas, Fernando and Fernandinho, all showed superficiality while the central defenders Mangala and Otamendi were distracted. In the remaining minutes, Man City poured forward to attack. But Bony's shot hitting the crossbar only made them regret more.

This draw puts Man City in danger of losing fourth place to Man Utd. They have 65 points, two points more than their rivals but have played one more game. If Man Utd wins the make-up match against West Ham on the morning of May 11, Man City will officially lose the right to decide in the final match against Swansea.

According to VNE