Jack Grealish knows Manchester City have no margin for error in Champions League | OneFootball

Jack Grealish recognises Manchester City are now playing knockout football in the Champions League before the latter stages have even begun.

City are in danger of failing to progress beyond the first phase of the competition for the first time since 2012-13 after a calamitous 4-2 defeat at Paris St Germain on Wednesday.

The 2023 winners led 2-0 early in the second half of what was a crucial encounter for both teams at the Parc des Princes only to capitulate alarmingly.

The defeat left City outside the top 24 in the league table and needing to beat Club Brugge next week to scrape into the play-off round.

“Next week is like a final for us. We have to win,” said Grealish, who came off the bench to open the scoring for City in the French capital before setting up their second for Erling Haaland.

“But since I’ve been here there’s been so many moments when people have questioned us as a team and we’ve always come up. Hopefully we can do that next week and get through to the next round.”

As Club Brugge are one of the teams above City who they can catch, the equation will at least be straightforward at the Etihad Stadium, with no dependence on other results.

Grealish said: “It’s in our hands to qualify, which is lucky. We don’t have to rely on anyone else, it’s down to us.

“So we’re going to need the Etihad rocking, like it is on Champions League nights. We all know it’s a must-win game and hopefully we can go and get it.”

Next week is like a final for us. We have to win

Jack Grealish

City were outplayed for most of a game played in pouring rain and fortunate not to concede in the first half after Achraf Hakimi had a goal disallowed.

They looked to have weathered the storm with their quickfire double after the restart but PSG, roared on by a vociferous crowd, hit back immediately through Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola.

Joao Neves then headed the hosts ahead 12 minutes from time and Goncalo Ramos had the final word in stoppage time.

It could have been even worse for City with Dembele hitting the woodwork and having another goal ruled out in a rampant PSG display that lifted the French side above City and into the top 24.

It was the second time in three outings City had given up a two-goal lead after being held to a draw at Brentford last week.

In a sobering campaign after all their successes of recent years, they also contrived to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord earlier in November having led 3-0.

Grealish said: “It’s usually perfect for us if we come to these grounds and go two goals up.

“I think that’s when we’re at our best (in terms of) managing the game, keeping the ball, a lot of passes and stuff.

“Unfortunately, too many times this season we’ve been a couple of goals up and then we end up losing it.

“I’m not sure why that is, whether it’s a confidence thing or not. I’m not too sure at the moment. We had the momentum and then it just switched all of a sudden.

“Credit to them. In the end they deserved to win the game and it’s down to us now to try and win the game next week.”