Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini blamed the hangover from defeat by Liverpool for his side’s damaging 2-2 draw at home to the Premier League’s bottom club Sunderland.
City needed to win the first of their two games in hand on Liverpool to keep the pressure on the league leaders and second-placed Chelsea.
But Wednesday’s draw with Sunderland, in which they needed a late equaliser from Samir Nasri just to avoid defeat, means that they are still six points behind Liverpool with just one extra game to play.
Pellegrini hopes that wins in City’s five remaining fixtures will still give them a chance, but he admitted that his team had been unable to recover from the mental strain of losing 3-2 at Anfield last weekend.
“Of course our chances are less than before the match,” he said.
“It was very important for us to win this match. We could not, but we will continue fighting until the end.
“I don’t think we could take out of our minds the game against Liverpool. That’s why the team did not play well today (Wednesday).
“It was difficult for the players to get Liverpool out of their minds. We needed more intensity, but maybe it wasn’t in their minds to do it.
“They were mentally tired. It was difficult to play this game after Liverpool.
“Before the match I was very worried, because when you play against a team that might be relegated at the end of the season, they come and fight for every ball like it’s the last.”
The injury suffered by Yaya Toure at Liverpool also had an impact as his absence was clearly felt in City’s midfield, along with that of David Silva.
Silva was ruled out with an ankle problem, but Pellegrini hopes the playmaker will be fit to face West Bromwich Albion next Monday.
And despite this setback, which looked like being a defeat after Connor Wickham scored twice to put Sunderland ahead, the Chilean is not writing off City’s chances of an unlikely title success
He added: “There are five more games to play and we must try and win them and see where that takes us at the end of the season, and which team has the most points.
“Maybe Liverpool and Chelsea have a better chance than our team, but we will continue fighting until the last game. It’s difficult, but this wasn’t the last game played today.”
Sunderland’s concerns are at the other end of the table and despite a heroic effort, they are now without a win in 10 games.
Goalkeeper Vito Mannone’s late fumble of Nasri’s shot cost them dear, but manager Gus Poyet was delighted by his players, who hit back through Wickham’s brace after Fernandinho had given City a 2nd-minute lead.
“We played a great game and deserved something. I thought for a few minutes it was going to be all three points,” said Poyet.
“The situation we are in, bottom of the table and we concede a goal after two minutes. Everyone would have expected us to collapse, but we didn’t.
“The players showed how important it is, for the club and the fans, to go to the end, whatever the result is.
“I am proud of the players. They kept going and it was not easy. It’s going to give us a bit more of that word I hate -- confidence -- and will give us a different approach on Saturday (at Chelsea).”
The result did little to help Sunderland’s plight at the foot of the table as they remain six points away from safety.
But Poyet admitted that his fellow Uruguayan, Liverpool striker Luiz Suarez, will have been delighted by the outcome.
He added: “We were playing for ourselves, not for Liverpool, although we have helped them for sure and Mr Suarez will be happy tonight.”
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Company Profile
Founders: Tamara Hachem and Yazid Erman
Based: Dubai
Launched: September 2019
Sector: health technology
Stage: seed
Investors: Oman Technology Fund, angel investor and grants from Sharjah's Sheraa and Ma'an Abu Dhabi
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
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- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
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MORE ON THE US DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
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At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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RESULTS
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
The bio
His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell
His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard
Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece
Favourite movie - The Last Emperor
Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great
Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
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The specs: McLaren 600LT
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Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
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Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Rankings
ATP: 1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 10,955 pts; 2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 8,320; 3. Alexander Zverev (GER) 6,475 ( 1); 5. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) 5,060 ( 1); 6. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 4,845 ( 1); 6. Roger Federer (SUI) 4,600 (-3); 7. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,110 ( 2); 8. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 3,960; 9. John Isner (USA) 3,155 ( 1); 10. Marin Cilic (CRO) 3,140 (-3)
WTA: 1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 7,030 pts ( 3); 2. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 6,290 ( 4); 3. Simona Halep (ROM) 5,582 (-2); 4. Sloane Stephens (USA) 5,307 ( 1); 5. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5,100 ( 3); 6. Angelique Kerber (GER) 4,965 (-4); 7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,940; 8. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,430 ( 1); 9. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 3,566 (-6); 10. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,485 ( 1)
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Specs
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
