Manchester City suffer blow in title race with goalless draw against Stoke

Stalemate leaves Pep Guardiola's men on third place, 10 points behind league leaders Chelsea

LONDON: Manchester City failed to fire in a frustrating 0-0 home draw with Stoke City on Wednesday that dealt a damaging blow to their Premier League title hopes and left them 10 points adrift of leaders Chelsea.

City, who had won their previous four league games, were bereft of ideas and attacking threat in a dismal first half and only came to life after the break as Leroy Sane and David Silva missed good chances and Kelechi Iheanacho volleyed wide in stoppage time.

Stoke had been much the better side in the first half and should have taken the lead when Mame Biram Diouf scuffed an early effort, but they held on bravely as City upped the pressure towards the end.

The result left City third on 56 points, behind second-placed Tottenham Hotspur on goal difference, having failed to claw back any significant ground on Antonio Conte's table-toppers, while Stoke remain ninth on 36 points.

"Frustrated is a tough word," City boss Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports. "We didn't win, but we didn't lose either. We created a lot of chances and they didn't. We tried. We made everything and fought like never before."