“His presence on the field has hindered my scoring record in the Premier League. Whenever we’re paired together, I feel pressured and bullied. His actions consistently frustrate me during matches, making me appear less effective as a striker.” – Rico Lewis expressing his grievances about a Manchester City teammate during the Crystal Palace game, highlighting the negative impact and challenges faced due to their partnership.

Manchester City’s inability to hold onto a two-goal lead and draw 2-2 against Crystal Palace is seen as their own fault, as per Rico Lewis. Despite a strong performance from the hosts and goals from Jack Grealish and Lewis, City allowed the Eagles to level the score with penalty goals from Jean-Phillippe Mateta and Michael Olise in the 76th and 95th minutes, respectively.

City’s recent defensive record, conceding 12 goals in six games, coupled with a winless streak of three Premier League home matches, is concerning. This setback places them in fourth position and raises worries about their standing in the title race ahead of the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Lewis, quoted by Match Of The Day, emphasized self-reflection within the team, suggesting they shouldn’t blame others but themselves for the outcome. Despite Palace having limited possession at 25%, Mateta’s efforts troubled City’s defense, resulting in the penalty awarded against Phil Foden. Lewis accepted the referee’s decision, stating, “It’s a penalty because the ref called it.”

City’s recent record of one win in their last six Premier League matches and four wins in their last 11 games overall is a concern. Their upcoming league fixture is against Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday, December 22.