Manager Pep Guardiola received a yellow card for shouting at the referee after Erling Haaland's goal was disallowed in Manchester City's draw against Brighton.
In the 79th minute, midfielder Cole Palmer crossed the ball from the left to the far post for Haaland to head it into the net, making the score 2-1 in favor of the visiting team, Man City. However, after reviewing the situation and consulting VAR, referee Simon Hooper disallowed the Norwegian striker's goal, believing that Haaland had pulled defender Levi Colwill's shirt before shooting.
Guardiola (front left) complains to the linesman after Manchester City were denied a goal in their 1-1 draw against Brighton at the Amex Stadium in the Premier League on May 24, 2023. Photo: PA
Manager Guardiola and his staff were furious and ran towards the linesman to protest. The Manchester City coaching staff also repeatedly shouted at the other referees. At one point, Guardiola pulled the linesman's arm to imply that Haaland had previously been grabbed by the shirt by Colwill. However, Guardiola's actions went too far, resulting in referee Hooper issuing him a yellow card.
After the match, Guardiola still maintained that Haaland's goal should have been allowed. "Haaland's body was covered in bruises after the game," he said. "If Haaland's shirt-pulling is considered a foul, then every situation where a defender does that to him should also be considered a foul, but the referee didn't blow the whistle. Haaland was stronger, which is why he won the challenge, and the goal should have been allowed."
Man City shared the points at Brighton with a 1-1 draw, ending their 12-match winning streak in the Premier League. This result is important for the home side as it marks their first-ever qualification for the Europa League. "Brighton are an outstanding team, and the game was truly football," Guardiola added, praising his opponents. "We had to play with the determination of champions to even get a draw."
Man City won the Premier League for the third consecutive time this season, with three games to spare. They lifted the trophy after a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium last weekend. Despite facing two more finals ahead – the FA Cup against Manchester United and the Champions League against Inter – Man City fielded a nearly full-strength team against Brighton. Midfielder Phil Foden and center-back John Stones showed signs of injury during the match, but Guardiola maintained that neither player had serious problems.
Man City will play their final Premier League match of the season at Brentford on May 28th, followed a week later by an FA Cup clash against their city rivals.
Hoang An
Source link
Comment (0)