Manchester City’s French midfielder Samir Nasri (right) scores the equaliser for his side during their English Premier League clash against Sunderland on Wednesday. (AFP)
DPA/London
Manchester City slipped further out of Premier League title contention as they were held to a 2-2 draw on Wednesday by bottom side Sunderland.
They even needed an 88th-minute equalizer from Samir Nasri to secure a point, which leaves them six points behind leaders Liverpool and four behind Chelsea with a game in hand.
Everton, meanwhile, suffered a shock home defeat, going down 3-2 to Crystal Palace to hand the initiative to Arsenal in the race for the fourth Champions League qualifying spot.
Roberto Martinez’s side trail Arsenal by a point with four games remaining as the Gunners beat West 3-1 on Tuesday.
“It is not enough because we have Liverpool and Chelsea on top of the table, and we needed to add three points—we’ll see in the future what will happen, but our chances are less,” City boss Manuel Pellegrini told the BBC.
He said Sunday’s 3-2 loss to Liverpool weighed on the team.
“At this moment it is more mental than physical,” Pellegrini said. “When it no longer depends on what you can do it is very frustrating, but we must finish season the way we have done practically the whole season. We must try to win our last five games—and hope that team will do it.”
It took City just two minutes to open the scoring at the Etihad, Lee Cattermole conceding possession cheaply, and Alvaro Negredo dummying Sergio Aguero’s pass for Fernandinho to fire home.
City were far from their best, though, and, with 17 minutes remaining, Connor Whickham turned in Emanuele Giaccherini’s cross to level.
The same combination created an improbable second goal 10 minutes later, Giaccherini breaking at pace and laying in Whickham, who beat Joe Hart at his near post. But City fought back to level when Nasri squeezed a shot under Vito Mannone with two minutes remaining.
The defeat leaves Sunderland adrift at the bottom of the table, six points from safety, having played one game less than the three teams above them.
“Survival was the challenge from the beginning, and it is still possible,” manager Gus Poyet, who has denied that he is set to quit the club, told Sky Sports. “We will fight. There are too many rumours and too much stupidity, too many people talking, but at the end of the day I will be here.”
Jason Puncheon was the star of Palace’s victory. Midway through the first half, Tim Howard pushed out a Yannick Bolasie cross to Marouane Chamakh. He laid the ball off for Puncheon, who curled home a precise finish.
Bolasie then hit the post before Scott Dann headed in a corner after 49 minutes to double Palace’s lead. Everton pulled one back 12 minutes later, when Steven Naismith forced the ball in from close range after Leighton Baines had headed down Kevin Mirallas’ cross.
But Palace restored the two-goal margin after 73 minutes, when Puncheon found Cameron Jerome, who scored with a powerful right-foot shot. Kevin Mirallas brought it back to 3-2 late, but Palace held out.
“It’s a real disappointment, a result which is hurtful,” Martinez said. “The first half we were fearful—the way we conceded the first goal shows that. They didn’t have the threat to score three goals.”
Results & Standings
Everton 2 Crystal Palace 3
Manchester City 2 Sunderland 2
Arsenal 3 West Ham 1
Team P W D L Pts
Liverpool 34 24 5 5 77
Chelsea 34 23 6 5 75
Man City 33 22 5 6 71
Arsenal 34 20 7 7 67
Everton 34 19 9 6 66
Tottenham 34 18 6 10 60
Man United 33 17 6 10 57
Southampton 34 13 9 12 48
Newcastle 34 14 4 16 46
Stoke City 34 11 10 13 43
Crystal Palace 34 12 4 18 40
West Ham 34 10 7 17 37
Hull City 33 10 6 17 36
Aston Villa 33 9 7 17 34
Swansea City 34 8 9 17 33
West Brom 33 6 15 12 33
Norwich City 34 8 8 18 32
Fulham 34 9 3 22 30
Cardiff City 34 7 8 19 29
Sunderland 33 6 8 19 26
