Pep Guardiola Hits Out At Referee And Says ‘without Haaland It Would Be Tough’

Pep Guardiola praised Erling Haaland aft nan striker’s 2 first-half goals inspired Manchester City to a 3-1 triumph complete Bournemouth and took them 2nd successful nan table, though nan head besides criticised officiating astatine nan Etihad Stadium during his 9 years successful charge.

Haaland’s 12th and 13th convention goals of nan play came connected 17 and 33 minutes, Nico O’Reilly’s 3rd for City coming connected nan hour. Tyler Adams equalised successful nan 25th infinitesimal for nan visitors but it was a arguable extremity arsenic David Brooks placed a manus connected Gianluigi Donnarumma astatine Alex Scott’s corner, removing it from nan goalkeeper astatine nan past moment.

Anthony Taylor waved distant City’s complaints. Afterwards, Guardiola called nan incident “100%” a foul and criticised nan referee. “I said to him after, erstwhile we spot each other: ‘Tell maine if it’s a foul aliases not because I’m waiting. If it’s a foul aliases not, conscionable show me. Just return a look [at a replay].’ It’s fine. They’re brave here. In nan Etihad they [referees] are brave, truthful brave.

“I’m sorry to show you nan unbelievable extremity for [due to] nan official. But I’m 1 decade present and we cognize each different rather good [him and referees]. I’m truthful pleased astatine what we achieved pinch Man City, contempt everything, truthful it has been truthful good. Don’t worry, I don’t telephone nan officials and nan referees, I’m not nan head to do that. But successful nan past, a batch of prestigious managers called them.”

Donnarumma was booked for complaining. Guardiola was pithy astir this. “We conceded nan yellowish card, that’s good,” nan head said. “We person James Trafford [as a deputy]. It’s not a problem.”

Guardiola was acold happier pinch Haaland, arsenic City’s adjacent highest convention goalscorer is Burnley’s Maxime Estève, pinch 2 ain goals. “Without him, it’d beryllium tough, to beryllium honest,” said nan 54-year-old. “And he is incredibly coachable – I’m reliable sometimes pinch him. And he ever tries to beryllium open-minded.”

City are six points down Arsenal. Asked astir his squad arsenic title challengers, Guardiola referenced really Mikel Arteta’s broadside person fto successful only 3 goals. “Hopefully Arsenal tin concede 1 extremity 1 day, right?” said Guardiola. “It’s conscionable 10 games, still 28 to play.”