Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has blamed Michael Oliver and the rest of the refereeing team for doing a poor job during their game against Arsenal on Sunday.
City went into the game with a 100% record having won four games, Arsenal were also unbeaten. The game delivered in the first half, with three goals being scored. Manchester City took the lead as Erling Haaland went through on goal and knocked it past David Raya. Arsenal equalized through a brilliant effort from Calafiori at the edge of the box. Gabriel rose unmarked and headed home from a corner to give the Gunners a 2-1 lead.
Leandro Trossard was sent off in first half added time after kicking the ball away. Arsenal played the second half with 10 men and were still able to secure a result – this frustrated City midfielder Bernardo Silva who said Arsenal ‘did not come to play football’.
Pep Guardiola blames Michael Oliver’s refereeing
Manchester City players were angry with the first goal because the referee had called their Captain Kyle Walker for a discussion when Arsenal took a quick free kick before Martinelli laid it off to Calafiori who scored.
City also contested the second goal as replays showed Ederson was being obstructed by multiple players before the goal was scored. Pep Guardiola believes Michael Oliver should have done better on the first goal:
“I was annoyed with Kyle [Walker for Arsenal’s equaliser], but Kyle was right,” he said to Sky Sports after full-time.
“Because the referee asked him to come to talk to him and the other ones, and when that happens some players have to be close to the ball, and we have to readjust the back-four, but they didn’t have time.
“But Kyle arrived in position, and after [Riccardo] Calafiori made a good goal. But we knew always every free-kick they contact quick with the wingers. They are really good with [Bukayo] Saka and [Gabriel] Martinelli, and I don’t like the back-four when it’s a foul and they move on.”
The Spaniard urged the Premier League to speak to referees on how to handle such incidents, and even suggested that he will tell his players not to go to the referee anytime they are called:
“But when the referee says, ‘Come to talk to me’, at least leave him to come back to the position. Because next time, we will not go to talk to them.”
Arsenal securing a crucial point after going down to 10 men was a positive result. The Gunners remain two points behind the league leaders after already having beaten Aston Villa and Tottenham away from home.
