Pep Guardiola aimed a dig at Liverpool and Manchester United after he was left unimpressed by the referee decisions during Manchester City’s draw against the Reds.
Guardiola was adamant that a Liverpool player should have been sent off during Sunday’s clash after James Milner – already on a yellow card – chopped down City’s Bernardo Silva.
Referee Paul Tierney only gave Man City a free-kick but did not give a second yellow card, while VAR did not intervene as it was not seen as a ‘clear and obvious error’.
Guardiola reacted furiously on the sidelines and his mood got even worse just minutes later when Mohamed Salah produced a moment of magic to give Liverpool a 2-1 lead, after earlier goals from Sadio Mane and Phil Foden.
Manchester City refused to be beaten, however, and secured a deserved point ten minutes from time through Kevin de Bruyne’s deflected striker.
Guardiola said it was ‘clear’ that Milner should have been given a red card and claimed a City player would have received a red if the situation was reversed, while he brought up Manchester United in his response to the incident.
The Manchester City manager said: ‘It’s a [second] yellow card. It’s a yellow card. It’s clear. ‘It’s Anfield, it’s Old Trafford. In our situation a City player is sent off. It’s too much clear. It was a second yellow.’
On his team’s performance in the draw, Guardiola added: ‘What a game. That is the reason the last years Man City and Liverpool were always there because we try to play in this way.
‘Unfortunately we couldn’t win – but we didn’t lose. That’s why the Premier League is the best [that it could go either way]. It was great, really great.
‘It is what it is. The result is the result and we cannot change it. I know how difficult it is against these players and this manager.
‘Every time it is incredible challenge for us. The way we played at Stamford Bridge, in Paris and today shows we are a great team.
‘When we lose the way we play in Paris [against Paris St-Germain] and draw today it is good. I pray we continue and player come back from their national teams safe.’
