Football
Jonathan Smith, Manchester City correspondent 7y

Pep Guardiola praises Sergio Aguero-Gabriel Jesus partnership despite draw

MIDDLESBROUGH, England -- Pep Guardiola praised the partnership of Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus after they both scored in Manchester City's 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough.

The City strikers started together for the first time since Gabriel joined the club in January, and each pulled City back level after they had twice fallen behind to relegation-threatened Boro.

Speculation has grown over Aguero's future following the brilliant impact made by 20-year-old Gabriel, who now has four goals from five starts for City.

Guardiola, though, says they can play together, although Aguero, who now has 13 goals in his last 14 appearances, is a slight doubt for next Saturday's clash with Crystal Palace after hobbling off in injury time.

"They connected well," Guardiola told a news conference. "They scored both goals. We wanted more people there [in the box].

"We expect the team to be close and were waiting to have more chance to create in the crosses and connect between each other but we were not able to contract when we lost the ball.

"Tomorrow we will see but I think [Aguero] is injured. We will make tests and see."

City fell behind in the first half from a goal from former City striker Alvaro Negredo. They were level in the 69th minute with a controversial Aguero penalty when Leroy Sane went over under a challenge from Marten de Roon.

Callum Chambers prodded Middlesbrough back ahead before Gabriel rescued a point five minutes from the end when he headed in an Aguero cross.

The draw keeps City's hopes of finishing the top-four but Guardiola, who refused to be drawn on the penalty decision, said his side deserved all three points.

"We deserved to win, definitely. In the second half we made absolutely everything. They crossed the line twice," he added.

"It will be tight until the last game in London against Watford. We have three games at home now. All the games are tough.

"We knew that, we could not forget about the position of Middlesbrough. We came here, they are fighting to survive to stay in the Premier League and this is the most difficult team to face.

"Now we have three games at home -- Crystal Palace, Leicester and West Brom -- and those games will decide whether we deserve to be in the Champions League next season or not."

Middlesbrough boss Steve Agnew wasn't happy with the penalty decision but praised his side's fighting spirit.

It means his side are still battling for survival although with games against Chelsea and Liverpool, it looks a tall order to escape the drop to the Championship.

"We were disappointed to concede at the end, but I think that the effort and bravery was a credit to the players," he said. "That was the fighting spirit that we have shown over the past few weeks.

"From where I was I didn't think that it was a penalty and I thought Sane went down very, very easily. I find it strange that the referee can give the penalty from where he is positioned.

"There are still nine points to play for and with the spirit that the team has shown, there is no reason that we can't win more matches."

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