During the thirteenth round of the Premier League, Pep Guardiola questioned the decision to deny Ruben Dias a goal that would have doubled the difference between the two teams, which resulted in Man City and Liverpool drawing 1-1.
Manuel Akanji, a midfielder for Manchester City, jumped to a quarrel with Alisson, the goalie, in the 68th minute, when the team was leading 1-0 following a corner kick. After the ball had rebounded out, Ruben Dias was able to shoot into an empty goal since he was at the perfect distance. The referee, Chris Kavanagh, made a mistake by not awarding a penalty because he believed that Akanji had fouled Alisson. The video assistant referees did not alter the decision that was made on the field.
When asked about this choice after the match, Guardiola responded, “After the ball in the Newcastle and Arsenal matches, I really don’t know.” Guardiola was asked about this decision. Even I haven’t gone back and watched that argument again. It is possible that you have examined that circumstance more thoroughly than I have.
The controversial decision that the video assistant referee made during Newcastle’s 1-0 victory against Arsenal earlier this month was brought up by the Spanish coach. In the solitary goal scored by Anthony Gordon, Joelinton appeared to push Gabriel Magalhaes, a midfielder, down during a high ball challenge; nonetheless, the video assistant referee (VAR) still recognized the goal. The head coach, Mikel Arteta, referred to this judgment as “shameful” and attacked the qualifications of the referees presiding over Premier League matches.
Man City played better than Liverpool at Etihad Stadium on November 25, handling the ball 60% of the time and finishing 16 times with five hits on target. Liverpool, on the other hand, had eight and three shots on target. Erling Haaland scored the game-winning goal for the home team in the 27th minute after Nathan Ake dribbled past two Liverpool defenders and helped Haaland in scoring. This gave the home team the lead.
Man City was forced to pay the price because they were unable to finish the contest, which included Dias’s goal being disallowed. Trent Alexander-Arnold was able to make a spectacular play in the 80th minute by shooting a low shot from outside the penalty area. The ball was sent diagonally, which was beyond Ederson’s ability to grasp. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, which knocked Manchester City down to second place in the Premier League. They are now one point behind Arsenal, who won their match against Brentford by a score of 1-0.
Guardiola stated that his students were really dissatisfied with the loss of victory against Liverpool, but he was content with the fact that they had earned one point. “That is the reason why, after a great number of years, we continue to play well, even when the players are still disappointed and hungry after this draw. According to the Spanish coach, the players believe that they have a chance to pull off the victory. I told the guys that this was an incredible match that they should not miss. And that is how football works. From a statistical standpoint, it is irrelevant who is more deserving of victory. In our match against Liverpool, we have earned a point, and I’ll accept the bottle with only one point.
Even after the referee blew the final whistle, the tight atmosphere of the vital encounter at Etihad Stadium did not stop. This was because Guardiola got into an argument with striker Darwin Nunez that continued until the finish of the contest. A response was given by the coach, who is 52 years old, regarding this incident: “Nothing happened. There is no one stronger than Nunez. I am not dissatisfied with the outcomes; rather, I am really content with them.
Additionally, Coach Jurgen Klopp did not take this situation seriously. According to the German coach, “that has absolutely nothing to do with the competition that takes place on the field.” Simply put, it’s a sensation. Although I am not involved in the incident, I am trying to reconcile with both of them because I love them both. As for me, I had no idea what had occurred, and I couldn’t comprehend a single word. It is Guardiola’s desire to win, and so is ours.