Fernandinho staying positive

29 December 2014 15:32

Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho looked on the bright side after the champions squandered the chance to close right in on Chelsea.

City blew a chance to move within a point of the Barclays Premier League leaders on Sunday as they surrendered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with relegation battlers Burnley at the Etihad Stadium.

Fernandinho was at a loss to explain City's capitulation but pointed out that no ground was lost on Chelsea - who drew at Southampton - and immediately looked to the next opportunity.

The Brazilian said: "I don't know exactly what went wrong. In the first half we played so well, and created so many chances to score, but in the second half we didn't do it.

"It was a result we didn't expect but it happened. We need to keep heads up and think about the next game. It is not over, there are still a lot of games to play.

"It is not a bad result - a bad result is losing. We have one point and we will try to win the next game to get the three points.

"Chelsea drew, we drew and the Premier League is still open. The race for the title is still open.

"It is too early to decide the title now, and we need to keep playing and winning games, and we will see what will happen."

City had a club record 10th successive win in their sights as, again without a recognised striker on the pitch, they controlled the first half.

Burnley were not outplayed but there only seemed one result as David Silva struck his fourth in three appearances and Fernandinho doubled the lead with a stunning long-range strike.

"I am so happy to score that goal," said Fernandinho, of his powerful hit that cannoned in off the underside of the bar. "But unfortunately it was not enough to help us win the game."

City were rocked two minutes into the second half as the Clarets hit back, although there was controversy over George Boyd's 47th-minute strike.

The Scot was in offside position as he got the faintest of touches to help a Danny Ings cross-cum-shot past Joe Hart.

There was debate over whether Boyd made contact at all but replays indicated that there was and that City were therefore unlucky.

But the hosts still let their intensity slip and all the energy after the break came from Burnley.

They arguably deserved the point that came their way as Ashley Barnes lashed a fierce drive into the roof of the net nine minutes from time after Jason Shackell had lofted a free-kick into the box.

The result was not enough to lift them out of the bottom three but the performance offered further proof that they have the wherewithal to survive.

Despite a run of just one win in seven games, Burnley have shown their battling qualities of late, not least in their narrow loss to Liverpool on Boxing Day.

Midfielder David Jones said: "From the start of the season we have been growing in belief and here that was evident and proof, if we needed it, that we can compete with anybody.

"It is one of the toughest places, if not the toughest, place to come. There are a lot of positives and we're very happy.

"Outside of our own camp there wouldn't have been much belief that we could get something, especially when we went 2-0 down.

"But that is what the manager has built at this club - a relentless mentality to keep going and see where it leads us at the end of the 90 minutes. That was evident in the second half. We never stopped.

"We felt we could have got more on Boxing Day. We definitely didn't deserve to lose the game, and we felt we should have won it really.

"But to bounce back in this fashion is great for us and gives us that belief to go and do what we have got to do."

Source: PA