Wild celebration leads to police probe
Fans invade pitch after Man City’s Sterling scores winner in stoppage time
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND— Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling was sent off for exuberantly celebrating a stoppage-time winner that led to fans spilling onto the pitch at Bournemouth and sparked a police investigation on Saturday.
Sterling was shown a second yellow card after celebrating scoring in the seventh minute of stoppage time among jubilant away fans to clinch a 2-1 victory in the English Premier League.
As City fans leapt on the field, City striker Sergio Aguero also exchanged words with a policeman and Benjamin Mendy was held back by other officers.
Police said two fans were arrested, while Britain’s Press Association said the case could look at the actions of a City player following a complaint by a Bournemouth steward.
“Officers are reviewing CCTV of the pitch encroachment as part of an ongoing investigation to establish whether any other offences may have been committed,” Dorset Police said in a statement. “This investigation is in the very early stages.”
City manager Pep Guardiola was bewildered that Sterling saw red.
“If you cannot celebrate with the fans, the best solution is not to invite the fans,” Guardiola said. “You can imagine how happy he is, how happy the fans are.”
Bournemouth was left with nothing to show for a strong performance after City forward Gabriel Jesus initially cancelled out a fine strike from Charlie Daniels.
Before Sterling’s strike looped in off Andrew Surman on the south coast, it looked as though Guardiola was going to be left frustrated for the second time in a week following the home draw against Everton.
“It is absolute madness,” City captain Vincent Kompany said. “Just like we had against Everton, the few chances we have, we maybe don’t score them. Today we deserved to win but they made it incredibly hard for us.” Bournemouth has now opened the season with three losses, while City has seven points from nine.