Manchester City squandered a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Dutch side Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday, another disastrous performance from Pep Guardiola’s stuttering side.

Erling Haaland bagged a brace for the hosts, who looked set for a comfortable win to erase their woeful five-match losing streak in all competitions. But huge defensive blunders in the final minutes saw them lose their lead and drop to 15th in the Champions League with eight points.

City have conceded two or more goals in six consecutive games in all competitions for the first time since 1963 – a season in which they were relegated from the English top flight.

They also became the first team in Champions League history to lead a match by three goals in the 75th minute but fail to win.

“Difficult,” said City defender Nathan Aké. “We were playing quite well, all under control, but then things changed. We have to stay mentally strong, believe in ourselves and stick together… and make sure we come out.

“All we can do is fight back and stay strong… When you’re three-nil up, it feels like a defeat when you concede three goals at home.”

City parked on the visitors’ side for most of the night and after a number of near misses in the first half, Haaland got the home side on the scoresheet in the 45th minute with a thrilling penalty past Timon Wellenreuther after making a mistake in the penalty area. .

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Ilkay Gundogan doubled the lead in the 50th minute with a low long-range shot that took a deflection, before Haaland completed his brace three minutes later when he poked home Matheus Nunes’ cross for his 46th goal in Europe’s elite competition.

At that point it was all smiles among the relieved Etihad crowd.

But astonishingly, Feyenoord responded within fifteen minutes with three goals, first from Anis Hadj Moussa, who pounced back on a careless ball from Josko Gvardiol in the 75th minute.

Then Santiago Giménez struck seven minutes later when he headed home Jordan Lotomba’s cross, created after another wayward pass from Gvardiol, that left an irate Guardiola with his head in his hands for several minutes.

Dávid Hancko equalized in the 89th minute when City keeper Éderson was beaten by Igor Paixão who sent a cross for Hancko to head in.

What could have been a huge confidence boost for Guardiola’s struggling side now raises more questions ahead of their toughest test of the season so far, a clash with Premier League leaders Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

A defeat would leave City eleven points behind the Reds.

Feyenoord, fourth in the Dutch Eredivisie, is twentieth in the Champions League rankings with seven points.