Manager launches post-match tirade over penalty denial and recent officiating, while praising impact of new signings.
A 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers was not enough to quell Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s frustration, as he launched into a pointed critique of recent refereeing decisions, claiming his side’s success has come in spite of them.
Guardiola’s ire was sparked by two incidents. During Saturday’s match, referee Farai Hallam—officiating his first Premier League game—was advised by VAR to review a potential handball by Wolves’ Yerson Mosquera but stuck with his original decision not to award a penalty. This followed last weekend’s incident where Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot escaped a red card for a challenge on City’s Jérémy Doku.
“These two seasons I had the feeling, why don’t I have the players? That is my only regret,” a clearly frustrated Guardiola said. “I would love to have the players to fight against that. They won despite them.”
He added sarcastically of the new referee: “He made a huge debut. Now everybody will know him.”
On the pitch, Guardiola’s tactical choices paid dividends. Resting star striker Erling Haaland, he saw stand-in Omar Marmoush open the scoring, while new signing Antoine Semenyo added a second goal, his third since joining from Bournemouth this month.
The manager reserved significant praise for another January arrival, defender Marc Guéhi, who made a composed debut following his move from Crystal Palace. Guardiola drew a direct comparison to the transformative impact of Rúben Dias.
“Marc, I don’t need to tell you who he is. He knows everything… He’s a guy you can rely on,” Guardiola said, visibly brightening. “He’s the perfect age and he’s the perfect signing for many, many years.”
While the win keeps City within four points of league leaders Arsenal, Guardiola’s sharp comments underscore a simmering tension, suggesting that in his view, the battle for the title is being fought on two fronts.
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