Phil Foden admitted that Manchester City’s chances of winning a fifth consecutive Premier League title are over after a disappointing 2-2 draw at Brentford.
Foden scored twice to give City a 2-0 lead on Tuesday, but they collapsed late, with Yoane Wissa and Christian Nørgaard earning a draw for Brentford.
City, now in sixth place, are 12 points behind leaders Liverpool. Foden conceded that the team must now focus on finishing in the top four.
“The title? Yeah, yeah, it’s done for sure, it’s done,” the England forward said.
“We’re not stupid. We’ve got to aim for the top four now, and then the Champions League as well. It’s not as if the season is over.
“But we’ve got to be realistic. The performances haven’t been good enough to get to the top.”
City are currently two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea in the race for next season’s Champions League.
Foden said the team are learning from their disappointing form, which has come as a shock following their dominance in recent seasons.
“It’s a learning curve,” he said. “It’s about how we get back to our best, not just me, but the whole team.”