English Premier League: Pep Guardiola downplays animated chat with Josko Gvardiol after 2-2 Brentford draw

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has downplayed an animated conversation he had with Josko Gvardiol immediately after the four-time defending Premier League title holders surrendered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at Brentford.

City conceded in the 82nd minute and again two minutes into stoppage time after Phil Foden scored twice for the struggling champions, who are battling to simply qualify for the Champions League this season.

Before winning their past two league games against Leicester and West Ham, City had won just one in nine to drop out of the Champions League qualification positions.

During that poor run, City conceded two late goals to lose to Manchester United, and also threw away a three-goal lead late in a 3-3 draw against Feyenoord in the Champions League.

Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard were the scorers for Brentford to leave City in sixth place.

Guardiola, who has admitted he is enduring his toughest period as a manager, looked upset and gestured with his hands as the sodden faced Gvardiol watched on. Guardiola also had words with Stefan Ortega.

“How good he played. He played an incredible game,” Guardiola said of his chat with Gvardiol.

“We talked about one action but it’s the same with Ortega - I said how good he played, how good he passed to Erling, how satisfied I am with especially these two players.”

But Guardiola was critical of the team’s defence which had been missing key players such as John Stones and Ruben Dias.

“Our holding midfielders do not have the skills to defend these type of balls because we have another type of player right now. At the end we could not defend,” he said.

“I’m incredibly satisfied with the performance. Of course we are sad because we were close to winning and could not win but sometimes it happens.”

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest demonstrated their unlikely Premier League title credentials by holding Liverpool to a 1-1 draw, backing up their win over the leaders earlier in the season.

It took a header by Diogo Jota from a corner in the 66th minute on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) to earn Liverpool a point that maintained their six-point cushion over Forest, who moved into second place in their improbable bid to qualify for the Champions League - and maybe more.

Forest remain the only team to have beaten Liverpool in the league this season - at Anfield in September - and were on course to record an unlikely home-and-away double over Arne Slot’s team after top scorer Chris Wood scored in the eighth minute.

Liverpool piled on the pressure late but again failed to defeat Forest, who started the season more likely to be in a relegation battle than competing for the title.

“Before the season we needed to get as quickly as possible to 40 points,” said Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels, referring to the total that typically is enough to guarantee safety.

“With 17 games to go, we have got 41, so we can look a little bit higher.”

Liverpool will be happy to see the back of Forest, whose fans goaded Slot at times in a febrile atmosphere at the City Ground.

The leaders have a game in hand over Forest so are still in a strong position to win a record-tying 20th English league title.

Arsenal are in third place, a further point back, and can trim the gap to Liverpool to four points by beating Tottenham in the north London derby on Thursday (AEDT).

“If we continue bringing performances like in the second half today, then we will not always be that unlucky that it ends with a draw,” Slot said.

Chelsea salvaged a 2-2 draw at home to Bournemouth thanks to Reece James’ free kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time, but saw their winless run in the league extend to five games.

Cole Palmer put Chelsea ahead with a cheeky finish in the 13th minute for his 14th goal of the season, only for Bournemouth to respond as Antoine Semenyo won a penalty - converted by Justin Kluivert - and smashed home a rising finish in the 68th.

Chelsea stayed in fourth place - at least until fifth-placed Newcastle play on Thursday.

And Graham Potter secured his first win as West Ham manager as his new team beat Fulham 3-2.

Carlos Soler and Tomas Soucek scored first-half goals before Lucas Paqueta grabbed the crucial third for West Ham, who brought in Potter last week as a replacement for the fired Julen Lopetegui.

Potter’s first match in charge was a defeat at Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Friday.

Alex Iwobi scored Fulham’s goals.

West Ham moved 10 points clear of the relegation zone with the victory.

with AAP