Manchester City's Premier League title defense faced another setback as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Crystal Palace on Saturday. Despite ending a seven-game winless streak earlier in the week, City dropped crucial points at Selhurst Park.
Palace took the lead twice during the match, with City managing to equalize on both occasions. The draw leaves City in fourth place in the standings, trailing leader Liverpool by eight points. Liverpool has a game in hand following the postponement of their derby against Everton due to a storm.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa secured a 1-0 victory over Southampton, moving them into fifth place in the league standings, just two points behind City. Villa's recent form has seen them bounce back from an eight-game winless run with consecutive wins.
In another match, Brentford emerged victorious with a 4-2 win over Newcastle. The game saw an entertaining first half with both teams exchanging goals before Brentford pulled away in the second half to secure the win.
City had the opportunity to climb to second place and narrow the gap with Liverpool to six points with a win against Palace. However, they found themselves trailing early in the match before eventually salvaging a point through a hard-fought performance.
Guardiola praised his team's fighting spirit despite the challenges they are facing within the squad. He commended their effort and determination in securing a draw against Palace.
With the title race heating up and teams jostling for position in the league table, every point becomes crucial. City will look to bounce back in their next fixture as they aim to close the gap on the league leaders.
