Guardiola praises resilient Boro after Manchester City scrape a draw

Gutsy, determined, and desperate to avoid the drop, Middlesbrough’s spirited performance against Manchester City was far from a surprise for Citizens boss Pep Guardiola.

Boro have won just five times all Premier League season, but almost stunned City with a sixth before Gabriel Jesus grabbed a late equaliser to spare visiting blushes at the Riverside.

That halted Guardiola’s charges in their bid for a top-four place, they’re now just one point ahead of Manchester United with four games left to play having drawn for the fifth time in eight outings.

But the former Barcelona manager – who will go without a trophy in a season for the first time in his career – was quick to praise relegation-threatened Boro, who twice led in the North East.

“We were much better in the second half and created enough chances to win the game, but it’s not easy against a side like Middlesbrough who are fighting down at the bottom,” he said.

“I think the fight for the top four will go down to the last game – everyone who is competing for those places have tough games so it will not be easy but we will give absolutely everything in these last few matches to try and be in there.

“In the first half we had problems to control their counter-attacks, but the second half was much better. We did absolutely everything to get the winner, but it wasn’t enough. It’s a point and we are still there and it now all depends on the final few games at the Etihad.”