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“We Were a Bit Scared” – Rodri Exposes Manchester City’s Fear of Chelsea’s Counter Attack After 1–1 Draw

Published 02/17/2024, 9:03 PM EST

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Yesterday, Manchester City endured a cruel twist of fate in the English Premier League. They were held 1-1 at the Etihad Stadium, as Chelsea managed to only snatch a tie from the jaws of victory. While the result brought discontent for Cityzens who were exposed on the counterattack, goal scorer Rodri has stood his ground by insisting that ‘it’s always more difficult to come back’. 

City stumbled when they needed the 3 points the most. They have slipped to 3rd behind Arsenal and have a 4-point gap between leaders Liverpool. Following the game, Rodri gave his honest review of the match. “[I’m] a bit disappointed, to be fair. We could do better in some situations,” he said in the post-match interview, as per Mancity.com. Although City have often pulled off miracles to make a comeback, this time they fell short, even after being so close, and the fact they ‘gave everything.’

Pep Guardiola‘s former star Raheem Sterling gave Chelsea the lead moments before the end of the 1st half with a fine curl into the corner. However, Rodri came to the rescue in the 83rd minute with a brilliant strike. “We knew about their counter-attacks and fast players, but I think we have to defend the counter-attack better. We have to be honest with ourselves. From there, it’s always more difficult to come back,” added the 27-year-old. While acknowledging that a single point isn’t bad, he wants City to ‘learn from the mistakes.’ 

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via Reuters

In conclusion, the Spanish midfielder urged his side to get back on track. Although Rodri did the job well, Erling Haaland failed to find the net. However, Guardiola quickly threw his weight behind his star player.

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Amid Rodri’s lifesaving goal, Pep Guardiola defends Erling Haaland missing the target 9 times!

The night again ended dry for Erling Haaland, as he missed not one but 9 chances against Mauricio Pochettino’s side. Even the 23-year-old didn’t react well to his performance, showing obvious signs of frustration. However, Pep Guardiola quickly came in defense of his star player. Despite insisting that he isn’t a ‘proper man‘ to advise strikers, considering he scored 11 goals in 11 seasons, the Spaniard threw his words of wisdom

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“We created the chances and next time he’s going to score. I don’t blame him. Next day he’ll score,” said Guardiola. Manchester City will now start their preparations for the Premier League midweek fixture, as they will be hosting Brentford at home. Pep Guardiola and Co. will certainly try to win the match as they rally for the top spot on the table. 

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Written by:

Abhishek Mishra

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Abhishek Mishra is a senior Soccer Writer at EssentiallySports. His early exposure to playing soccer earned him many accolades at college divisions, making him a sports enthusiast. While closely following daily updates for over a decade, Abhishek is well-versed in European soccer and now the MLS, as well.
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Edited by:

Daniel D'Cruz