Pep Guardiola stated that Manchester City’s sole focus now is to “get through the season.”

A 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday added to the challenging period for Manchester City. Pep Guardiola urged his players to “accept the challenge” as the defending Premier League champions aim to “survive the season.”

City twice fell behind at Selhurst Park, with Rico Lewis scoring an equalizer in the second half before being sent off, ruling him out of next Sunday’s Manchester derby. Guardiola was missing seven key players due to injury or illness for the match and acknowledged the team’s tough circumstances, saying, “It’s football, and we know this season will be like this.”

He emphasized to his players, “Don’t feel sorry. Please accept the challenge. It will be harder, but that’s the reality, and perhaps at the end we will feel more satisfaction from how we responded to these challenges than in previous seasons when we won the title.”

City, with 27 points, are eight points behind league leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand due to their Merseyside derby being postponed by Storm Darragh. Several key players, including John Stones, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Mateo Kovacic, Rodri, and Oscar Bobb, were absent for the Palace match, and Phil Foden was also sidelined due to illness. Despite this, Erling Haaland’s 13th goal of the season leveled the score after Daniel Munoz’s early goal, and Lewis later scored a second equalizer before his controversial red card.

With key players like Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, Jack Grealish, and Ruben Dias recently returning from injury, Guardiola’s squad is stretched thin. “The season started tough and will continue to be difficult,” said the City manager. “We have to survive the season, take points, win games, and move forward.”

Looking ahead to the Champions League match against Juventus, Guardiola expressed pride in his players’ efforts despite the difficulties, adding, “What they’ve done under these circumstances is really, really good.”

In contrast, Crystal Palace has found form after a slow start to the season, collecting 10 points from their last seven games, though they remain 17th in the league. Manager Glasner, who increased his team’s intensity for the match, acknowledged the need for consistency and fitness, saying, “We need all the players fit, sharp, and ready to play at their best.”