admin Manchester City saw the referee play a key role in recent matches against Brighton ahead of the Premier League tie.
Manchester City have won the title but Pep Guardiola is still angry because the mistake cost them another victory. Erling Haaland headed Cole Palmer’s Brighton cross in the dying minutes, only for VAR to intervene and spot the Norwegian’s shot at defender Levi Colwill. Guardiola received a yellow card for protesting and continued to express his thoughts after the match.
“If this is denied, any action against Erling Haaland by all centre-backs is a foul,” he said.”Every action. And we saw one or two.
“It was a goal because he was bigger, he was stronger, he got the position and it was an incredible move by Cole Palmer and the goal must be scored. But it proves that what we get on the field is ours and no one gives us anything.”
Brighton had their own reasons to be angry in the reverse match.The contact Haaland made with Colwill was unlike the contact he made with Lewis Webster at the Etihad when he blocked him to score the opener in the 3-1 win, but referee Craig Pawson sees it as a natural fit together and VAR saw no reason to intervene; Webster continued to complain until half-time, but the goal was still upheld.
Guardiola may be right that the referee did not help City achieve what they did, but the officials have had their say on how the last two games against Brighton have gone. It is to Roberto De Zerbi and his players’ credit that they caused enough problems for the Blues that marginal decisions helped decide the final matches.
This was clearly no fluke, with wins over Newcastle and United and a draw against Liverpool this season cementing their status as a dangerous team not to be underestimated. Guardiola is delighted with what De Zerbi has brought to the league, so there will be no chance of resting on his laurels on Saturday.
However, there may be more controversy from those responsible. Mateo Kovacic was lucky to stay at the Emirates Stadium for a foul that saw him receive a yellow card that could have been red to continue the conversation around the refereeing level
And before there is further conspiracies about decisions favoring Man City, one bad decision was overlooked last weekend when the shock decision in the Spurs-Liverpool match caused a stir. Wolves striker Hwang Hee-chan was sent off for a long time in the match against Man City. Second yellow card before scoring the decisive goal.
As the Blues boss plans to return to winning ways after back-to-back defeats for the first time in five years, he will know his side will need to improve their form because Brighton are strong enough so that Man City cannot rely on luck or external factors. to achieve victory.
