Ryan looks ahead

Ryan Mason quickly switched his focus to this week's back-to-back home games after the defeat at City.

The midfielder caught the eye again against the champions but admitted that meant little as we lost out 4-1 at the Etihad.

We now take on Asteras Tripolis in the Europa League on Thursday night and the Bill Nicholson Anniversary Match against Newcastle in the Premier League on Sunday.

We make it three home games in a week with the Capital One Cup fourth round tie against Brighton on Wednesday week, October 29.

"We had a couple of good results in the Premier League and we were determined to get the win at City," said Ryan. "We had a positive mindset.

“We’ve got a massive game now on Thursday and then Newcastle at the Lane next Sunday – hopefully we’ll put things right.”

Ryan might well have scored twice in the first half at City only to be denied by Joe Hart on both occasions.

City led 2-1 at the break and Hart was there again to keep out Roberto Soldado’s penalty and another chance from the striker on 62 and 64 minutes.

However, Aguero’s hat-trick from the penalty spot and subsequent red card to Federico Fazio five minutes later left the 10 men with a mountain to climb and Aguero drilled home his fourth soon after.

“The lads are devastated because we came here to win the game and we had a chance to do that,” reflected Ryan.

“The penalty miss was massive and the sending off killed our momentum. It ended in a 4-1 scoreline but I don’t think the game reflected that."

It was Ryan’s third-successive start in the Premier League and he set-up our equaliser, winning the ball from Fernando to allow Roberto to play in Christian Eriksen, who finished.

“On a positive note I felt I did alright but we lost, so it’s bitter-sweet and I’m more gutted about losing,” he added.

Below: Ryan's heat map at City - more stats, reaction, video and Social Hub on the Match Centre...