Manchester City’s Premier League title hopes suffered a major blow as they needed a late Samir Nasri goal to rescue a 2-2 draw against bottom club Sunderland on Wednesday. Manuel Pelligrini’s side are now six points behind leaders Liverpool with just one game in hand after they failed to beat a side seemingly destined for relegation.
And it could have been worse, as two goals from Connor Wickham threatened to hand City only a second home defeat of the season, until Nasri saved face at the death. City went ahead after just two minutes through Fernandinho, but following Wickham’s late brace, they were indebted to a howler from Sunderland goalkeeper Vito Mannone, who fumbled Nasri’s 88th-minute shot over the line.
City had wasted no time in looking to close the gap on Liverpool as they went ahead with their first attack at the Etihad Stadium.
Pellegrini had made five changes -- some enforced, some tactical -- to the side beaten 3-2 at Liverpool on Sunday and the reunited strikeforce of Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo was key to the hosts’ flying start.
Aguero’s pass, after Lee Cattermole had tamely surrendered possession, was cleverly dummied by Negredo for Fernandinho to run through and steer a shot past Mannone at his near post.
For a side bereft of points and confidence, it was the worst possible start, and Sunderland must have immediately feared the worst.