Pep won’t FINGER BOSS
NO NEED TO POINT A AT REF CLAIMS CITY
FRUSTRATED Man City boss Pep Guardiola refused to blame referee Andre Marriner for his side’s shock first home league defeat of the season.
Marriner controversially sent off centre-back Aymeric Laporte in first-half injury time for hauling down Wilfred Zaha.
And to rub salt into a painful wound, Gabriel Jesus’ 60thminute ‘equaliser’ was also chalked off after also being referred to VAR, with provider Phil Foden ruled offside in the build-up.
“We didn’t lose because of that sending off,” said Guardiola.
“The red card depends on the decision of the boss, the referee.
“I didn’t see the goal which we had disallowed, but I imagine the linesman said Foden was offside.
“Unfortunately many, many things went wrong and we lost the game. Even with 10 against
11 we created more chances than them, but they defended really well.”
Zaha’s 50th Premier League goal and Chelsea loan star Conor Gallagher’s sweet 88th-minute strike stunned City and earned the Eagles only their second league victory this season.
City had not conceded in the league at The Etihad this season before this defeat as Guardiola’s
200th game in charge of the club ended in bitter disappointment.
“We conceded an early goal but they didn’t have many chances,” said the Catalan coach.
“We had enough chances in the first half to score, but we just have to keep creating the chances – and do it well.”
City had not conceded here in the league in 360 minutes of football this season, but it took the visitors just six minutes to break that impressive record.
Laporte sold his fellow centreback Ruben Dias short with a weak pass and the visitors swooped.
Zaha did brilliantly, combining well with Gallagher and picking out the bottom right corner despite scuffing his left-foot shot.
City rallied and Portuguese left-back Joao Cancelo had a powerful shot charged down in the box.
They would have equalised moments later if midfielder Rodri had not rifled straight at keeper Vicente Guaita.
Jesus and summer signing Jack
Grealish both had powerful strikes blocked on the edge of the box as City kept the Eagles under the pump.
Marc Guehi made a fine block from a Jesus shot soon after, before Canelo had a shot charged down.
Foden saw his close-range shot blocked but, on the stroke of half-time, Laporte saw red and City’s comeback challenge became even tougher.
Mariner deemed Laporte was the last man when he hauled down goalscorer Zaha – and a VAR check agreed with the West Midlands official .
Rodri lashed a left-foot shot at Guaita as City started brightly after the break, before Grealish was again the provider, this time for Jesus who also failed to properly test the keeper.
Zaha thought he had a second goal just before the hour after nutmegging Ederson, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
City believed they had equalised after a fine pass from substitute John Stones picked out Foden and Jesus headed in his floated cross at the back post.
But the hosts’ celebrations were short-lived as VAR went against them for a second time.
Jordan Ayew blazed high and wide with a great chance to kill off the contest, while Cancelo tested Guaita from distance.
Ederson thwarted Gallagher from point-blank range to keep the home side in the contest, but the midfielder deservedly sealed the deal with his late strike.
Eagles boss, ex-City star Patrick Vieira, said: “Today I’ve seen a side of the team which I’ve not seen before.
“When you come to a place like City you expect to suffer, but also hope some of the decisions go in your favour. We have to be pleased with that.”