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Manchester City squandered a golden opportunity to reboot their stagnant Premier League campaign when they welcomed a struggling West Bromwich Albion side to the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday evening.
However, the visitors were in inspiring form at the back as heroic displays from several of their defenders - including former Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone - ensured they didn't leave empty-handed.
The 1-1 draw did lift the Blues into sixth in the Premier League, but they are likely to drop further down after the conclusion of the ongoing gameweek. West Brom, on the other hand, will be delighted with the unlikely point they accumulated from this fixture, as it is sure to prove vital in the fight for survival.
Here are the five talking points from the match.
#5 Manchester City still missing shooting boots
Manchester City's struggles to find the back of the net persisted, as they failed to make use of their lion's share of possession against West Brom.
The Mancunians enjoyed 77% of the ball on Tuesday night, attempting as many as 26 shots. However, only seven of them were directed towards the goal.
This inefficiency has cost Manchester City dearly this season, and the trend isn't looking like it's going to change for the better any time soon. Pep Guardiola has a lot of work to do in that sector.
#4 Kevin De Bruyne leaves it way too late
Arguably the best player in the league, Belgian playmaker Kevin De Bruyne wasn't at his usual best for much of the game. He was marked exceptionally well by the West Brom defenxe every time he got close to the final third. It restricted him from influencing the match as much as he would have liked to for Manchester City.
That being said, the 30-year-old produced two sublime deliveries into the penalty area in added time, both of which should have ended in goals. He was unlucky not to have registered the assist to a dramatic winner, but one can't help but think that he left things too late.
#3 Former Manchester United man steals a point from City
When 27-year-old Sam Johnstone stepped onto the pitch on Tuesday night, he knew he would need to have one of the best days of his career to keep Manchester City at bay.
Much to the joy of West Brom fans, the Manchester United academy product was simply sensational as he thwarted away two headed efforts from close range in the dying moments of the match to secure a draw for his team.
Manchester City would have stolen all three points on just about any other evening, but Johnstone was not to be beaten on this occasion.
#2 Could Pep Guardiola's job finally be under threat?
Manchester City have now accumulated just 20 points from 12 matches in the Premier League this season, a very poor return for a club of their stature.
Moreover, they have been nowhere near their usual high standards in terms of performance on the pitch, which has led to many fans doubting Pep Guardiola's job security.
The Spaniard has never been sacked in his managerial career before. However, with games coming thick and fast, he needs to come up with a quick solution to all the problems if he wants to retain his high-paying job.
#1 Manchester City might need a change in formation
The root of all of Manchester City's problems is ultimately their sudden impotency in front of goal. One of the reasons could be their lack of goalscoring threat from midfield.
Guardiola has often deployed a double-pivot consisting of any two of Rodri, Fernandinho, and Ilkay Gundogan this season. However, that approach seems rather conservative given the status quo.
Perhaps the Manchester City manager should tweak things a little to allow Kevin De Bruyne some more freedom in the middle of the park.
With Sergio Aguero returning from injury, a two-man strike force of both Jesus and the Argentine could be what Manchester City need to rediscover their goalscoring form. They could perhaps revert back to the 3-5-2 they played at times in the memorable 2017-18 season.
