Manchester City's Premier League title hopes suffered a setback Thursday as they were held to a frustrating goalless draw against a resilient Sunderland side, allowing Arsenal to extend their lead at the top of the table.

The match at the Stadium of Light was a tactical battle that showcased Sunderland's defensive prowess, with City dominating possession but unable to break through the Black Cats' resolute backline. Despite creating 14 shots and controlling 67% of the ball, Pep Guardiola's team could not find the decisive goal.

City captain Bernardo Silva was candid about the team's performance, acknowledging their struggles: "We are not happy because we wanted better than this. In the first half, we didn't play that well and didn't control the counter as we should have."

The return of Ballon d'Or winner Rodri provided a silver lining for City, with Guardiola praising the midfielder's impact after recovering from a hamstring injury. "He changed the game," Guardiola said. "He proved in 45 minutes that he is the best in his position."

Sunderland manager Regis le Bris was understandably delighted with the result, highlighting his team's strategic approach: "We showed strong character against probably one of the best teams in Europe. We were bold, tried to be aggressive, and disturbed their routine."

With Arsenal now four points clear at the summit, the title race is heating up. City will need to regroup quickly, facing a grueling schedule of 10 games across four different competitions before February 1st. The pressure is mounting on Guardiola's squad to maintain their challenge and avoid a second consecutive trophy-less season.

The match also raised concerns about City's injury situation, with Guardiola noting that new signing Savinho "doesn't look good" after hobbling off, and uncertainty surrounding Nico Gonzalez's condition. These injury challenges could prove critical in the second half of the season.