Pep Guardiola: Manchester City in survival mode this season

Pep Guardiola demanded his Manchester City players "accept the challenge" as the defending Premier League champions look to "survive the season."

City fell behind twice in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Selhurst Park, where Rico Lewis scored a second-half equaliser before he was sent off, ruling him out of next Sunday’s Manchester derby.

Guardiola was missing seven potential starters through injury or illness for the trip to south London and he said: "It’s football, and we know that this season will be like this.

"What I said to the players was 'Don’t feel sorry. Please accept the challenge’.

"It will be more difficult, but that’s what it is and maybe at the end we will have more satisfaction, in the way that we are going to respond to these problems, than maybe in the other seasons that we won the title.

"All teams want their players always fit and ready and unfortunately since the beginning that could not happen, and it’s going to be, I think, for longer.

"But one way or the other, we are going to try."

City, with 27 points, are eight behind league leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand after their Merseyside derby was postponed by Storm Darragh.

John Stones, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Mateo Kovacic, Rodri and Oscar Bobb were all ruled out of the Palace trip by injury while Phil Foden was unavailable due to illness.

Erling Haaland’s 13th goal of the season cancelled out Daniel Munoz’s fourth-minute opener.

Summer signing Maxence Lacroix opened his Palace account to fire the hosts back in front after the break, but Lewis salvaged a draw in the 68th minute before he was controversially booked for a second time following a challenge with Trevoh Chalobah.

With Kevin de Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, Jack Grealish and Ruben Dias all having recently