Pep’s blushes

confidence in a first half which showed they were not daunted by the runaway Premier League leaders.

And it was certainly not a simple containment exercise. Joe Bryan and Marlon Pack both forced good saves out of Claudio Bravo, while the Robins worried City by winning a number of corners.

City went into the game without Gabriel Jesus, out injured, and Aguero left on the bench. They had the bulk of possession but uncharacteristically were let down by some poor final passes and shooting.

De Bruyne, skipper for the night, tested Frank Fielding with two shots that were heading for the top corner and the Robins’ keeper also saved with his legs from Leroy Sane.

But it was an open game and City were stunned a minute before the break when the Robins took the lead through Reid’s penalty. The two guilty parties for City were their central defenders. Eliaquim Mangala gave the ball away and then John Stones brought down Reid as he raced onto Josh Brownhill’s pass.

It was an easy decision for referee Anthony Taylor and Reid picked himself up to beat Bravo from the spot.

City came close to an equaliser just before half-time when from a typical pacy break Raheem Sterling exchanged passes with Silva and lobbed a shot over the advancing Fielding. It looked a goal but Aden Flint scrambled back to head the ball over the bar and send the Robins in at the break with their noses in front.

City stepped up the tempo at the start of the second half and squandered two chances before equalising. Just as it looked it might be one of those nights for City they equalised after a classic pitch-length move.

Bravo picked out De Bruyne with a clearance. The City skipper ran 50 yards unchallenged before slipping the ball out to Sterling, whose first-time return pass was fired home by De Bruyne. For the first time the Robins looked rattled. Flint had to obstruct De Bruyne after leaving a backpass short and was booked and he was relieved when De Bruyne crashed the free-kick against the wall.

It was the signal for Guardiola to send on the cavalry in the shape of Aguero in the hope of snatching a winner. The little Argentinian did not let him or his team down with his 19th goal of the season.

MAN CITY Referee: (4-3-3): Goals: BRISTOL CITY (4-4-2): Goal: