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- Man City drew 1-1 with Everton in the Premier League on Boxing Day
- The Citizens have won just one of their last thirteen games in all competitions
- LISTEN NOW: It all starts! New formation, some new faces, but the optimism is gone at Old Trafford
Manuel Akanji remains confident Manchester City will rediscover the spark despite another frustrating result for the ailing champions.
City’s malaise now appears to have taken root after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day.
They at least avoided the outrage of a tenth defeat in thirteen games in all competitions, but the surrender of two points left them fourteen behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand.
With just one win since October, it’s been a dramatic fall from grace for Pep Guardiola’s previously all-conquering side, but defender Akanji remains optimistic.
The Switzerland international said: “It felt like a frustrating afternoon, but if you compare it to the other games, we played really well from the first minute to the last.
‘We tried to score a goal, we tried to play attacking football, but they basically scored out of nowhere. We did enough to win the game, but it didn’t go our way.
Manuel Akanji remains confident Manchester City will rediscover their spark
Man City are around 14 points behind leaders Liverpool after their latest setback against Everton
‘We have to keep working and the next opportunity is in a few days. There is nothing else we can do at this time. We try everything.
“We’ve had a lot of injuries so it’s not easy at the moment, but even now we will find a way out and get out of this and luck will be on our side again.”
City had started strongly and with clear determination to get back to winning ways, taking a deserved early lead after Bernardo Silva’s deflected goal.
But Silva squandered a good chance to double the lead and Everton leveled before half-time through Iliman Ndiaye.
Everton then noticeably grew in confidence after Jordan Pickford – early in the second half – saved a penalty from Erling Haaland and City powered through the remainder of the encounter.
The visitors might even have claimed victory had Jack Harrison shown more composure on a late breakaway.
However, Akanji is optimistic and, ahead of a visit to relegation-threatened Leicester on Sunday, does not believe much needs to change for City’s fortunes to turn around.
The 29-year-old Swiss international defender said: “A match like this actually happens to us every year.
Thursday’s draw against Everton means City have won just one of their last thirteen games
“I remember two years ago at Everton at home we had a lot of chances and they got one shot in from 20 yards and we couldn’t score. It happens.
“In a bad series like this it’s hard to explain, but we have to keep working and the next chance is in a few days.”
‘Sometimes you have a bad run and things don’t go your way, so it’s good to look at things that aren’t working so well – but you shouldn’t be at the point where you’re changing everything because not everything was before good and not everything is bad now.
“I still believe we will get back to the way we used to play; that will come sooner or later.’