Blues defeat VARd to swallow!
BLUES’ TITLE BID SUFFERS MAJOR BLOW AS KLOPP’S MEN MAKE MOST OF VAR DECISIONS
PEP Guardiola told his City players not to complain about refereeing decisions and VAR controversies on social media after the Blues were beaten 3-1 by Liverpool at Anfield.
The Blues boss refused to get into a discussion about some of the controversial decisions in the game in his post-match press conference and has told his players not to land themselves in hot water either.
Instead he wants them to focus on the quality of the football on show at Anfield after insisting he was ‘proud’ of his side, who showed why they were back-to-back Premier League champions despite a defeat that leaves them nine points adrift in the title race.
On the pitch City were furious when Trent Alexander-Arnold got away with a handball in his own penalty area 22 seconds before Fabinho fired Liverpool in front. While the handball was checked by VAR the penalty wasn’t given and the goal stood. When a second penalty appeal for handball by AlexanderArnold was waved away in the second half Guardiola stormed towards fourth official Mike Dean waving two wingers in the air.
But he was calm by the time he spoke to the press after the game and he wants his players to keep their cool on social media as well.
“We had chances to score [early on], they arrive twice and have two goals, it’s not easy, but how we react is the process we have to learn,” Guardiola said.
“I don’t have regrets, if I’m not happy I tell the players but at the end I said ‘heads up guys,’ I tell them don’t use social media to say your thoughts about what happened today in some departments, talk about football and how good it was for both sides.
“Maybe one day we’ll have a chance to win.”
City were stung by conceding the controversial first and quickly found themselves 2-0 down when Mohamed Salah scored. Sadio Mane made it three early in the second half before Bernardo Silva’s consolation.
Despite the defeat and a major setback in the title race, Guardiola was happy with the performance of his side.
“Today we showed in the most difficult stadium in the world the reasons we are champions, one of the proudest performances of my career,” he said.
“Unfortunately we lost, congratulations to Jurgen and his fantastic team for the victory. It was a good game for both sides, for the Premier League, for the billions of people who watched this game it was good advertising. “Maybe you have to buy Jurgen and myself a bottle of wine for that.
“We tried, we can’t expect not to concede chances at Anfield.
“We created more than ever. I’m so proud, I like to be manager of these players.”
Today we showed in the most difficult stadium in the world the reasons we are champions Pep Guardiola