Two costly blunders in quick succession from Raheem Sterling and Ederson cost Manchester City its place in the Champions League semifnals, and fans on social media lost no time in highlighting their contributions to the surprise defeat.
Pep Guardiola's men went into Saturday's clash against Lyon as firm favorites to progress, with a last-four match against Bayern Munich on offer for the winners. But it proved to be a torrid evening for the Premier League side, which found Lyon an extremely tough customer throughout the 90 minutes.
Maxwel Cornet fired the Frenchmen ahead after 23 minutes, a lead they retained until deep into the second half when Kevin De Bruyne leveled the score.
At that point City was the dominant team, but its hopes were finally crushed in a frantic finish to the match.
Moussa Dembele restored Lyon's advantage with 11 minutes remaining, before City was handed a golden chance to equalize once more.
Somehow, though, Sterling blazed high and wide with the goal gaping, an error compounded seconds later by the usually rock-solid Ederson.
City's keeper spilled a tame shot and Dembele stole in to net his second and Lyon's third, sealing for the underdogs a memorable 3-1 victory and a place in the semis.
Both players will feel responsible for sending their side out of the competition, although Tottenham's Harry Kane, to judge from the immediate reaction from Twitter users, might just feel vindicated for his decision to ignore Sterling in England's 2018 World Cup match against Croatia.
Raheem Sterling got 2020-ed.
— Jimmy Conrad (@JimmyConrad) August 15, 2020
That's the only way I can explain that miss.
Would like to formally apologise to Harry Kane.
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) August 15, 2020
He knew Sterling would miss against Croatia.
He was right to shoot all along.
Harry Kane is sat in his living room shouting "THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T F*CKING SQUARE IT TO STERLING!"
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) August 15, 2020
Champions league football...... you gotta love it, from sterling missing an absolute sitter to 59 secs later your goalie making an howler and basically getting knocked out 😩😩 heartbreaking if you’re a Man City fan, makes Liverpool’s season even better 😜 #ynwa
— Jermaine Pennant (@pennant83) August 15, 2020
Sterling I know the stakes aren’t the same...but I’ve been there🙇🏾♂️
— Manny (@Manny_Official) August 15, 2020
Liverpool have just replaced the picture of the Premier League trophy on the Champions Wall at Anfield with a photo of that Sterling miss.
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) August 15, 2020
To be fair to Ederson I’d rather make a silly mistake against Lyon than get embarrassed by Bayern too
— Andy Castell (@AJ3) August 15, 2020
Absolute shambles from City.
— Spencer FC (@SpencerOwen) August 15, 2020
Raheem will get the blame for missing a sitter but Ederson should do so much better.
Lyon have been absolutely clinical.
Ederson is the John Stones of goalkeepers.
— ً (@utdrobbo) August 15, 2020
Analysis will look at City result, not at the performance
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) August 15, 2020
Imagine this: Sterling scores, Ederson holds the ball instead of fumbling it, referee considers that someone who lets the ball pass between his leg is intervening in the move
But analysis will say: Pep’s fault 🤷🏽♂️
