Manchester City implode at Wolves after VAR drama; Pep Guardiola fires warning
Pep Guardiola: "I said many times it is unrealistic to think about Liverpool; we need to think about Leicester"; Nuno says: "Let's trust referees more"
Saturday 28 December 2019 16:47, UK
Even more VAR controversy could not hog the limelight as Wolves' win over Manchester City left the champions' title hopes in further tatters.
It had appeared the decision by VAR official David Coote to award Manchester City a penalty - and then allow it to be retaken following an encroachment from Conor Coady - would have a significant impact on the result at Molineux, despite City being reduced to 10 men early on when goalkeeper Ederson was sent off.
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But an angry reaction from the home stands was turned to jubilation more than an hour later when Matt Doherty completed a stunning turnaround from the hosts, who came back from 2-0 down with an 89th-minute winner to leave the Premier League champions 14 points off the pace and lift themselves within two points of the final Champions League spot.
Guardiola: Title talk unrealistic
Pep Guardiola was in no mood to talk up his side's already outside hopes of lifting the Premier League for the third season in a row after the game.
He labelled the idea his team could recover a 14-point gap to Liverpool - who also have a game in hand - in the second half of the season mere fantasy - and also fired a top-four warning.
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He said: "We cannot prioritise the cup competitions because if so next season we might not be in Europe.
"We are used to being at the top and now we are far away so we have to adjust mentally to that. I said many times it is unrealistic to think about Liverpool; we need to think about Leicester. Now it is about trying to catch the second one. We had the chance to return to second but we remain third.
"It's difficult in the Premier League, but especially this side. We took advantage, but we could not defend it. They fought incredibly, ran even in the last minutes, we conceded the goals but we could've avoided them.
"The team fought, I've got no regrets, they did everything to defend the result. We have to play 11 against 11 in that level. You can always avoid conceding, but sometimes it's fatigue, it's tiredness, it's a lot of minutes to defend and it's difficult sometimes.
Nuno urges trust in on-field decisions
While Guardiola stayed schtum on the VAR's influence, victorious Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo said he wanted to see more trust in on-field decisions from officials at Stockley Park.
He told Amazon: "Someone has taken the referee's decision the other way, so we must trust VAR. They have time, they see the images, and if it's correct decisions will be equal. But it's not about the referee. Take him to the screen, if he sees it in slow motion, maybe he will change his mind.
"The game is fluid, he can measure the speed of the ball, the intensity of the players, everything. With Diogo [Jota potentially fouled by Kyle Walker] he won't reach the ball, that's obvious, but the touch is there. If you go to a slow motion, the touch is there but VAR cannot judge whether he'll reach the ball. Let's trust the referees more.
"It's there, we must trust it, but maybe trust referees more and the on-field decisions. He can see, he can feel everything. Even the reactions of the players, there are so many things which can help the referee."
Analysis: Both sides put through the wringer
Sky Sports' Adam Bate at Molineux:
The first half created such a strange game, because both sets of supporters were put through a rollercoaster of emotions, from Ederson's early red card to the interminable delay that preceded the penalty decision when Leander Dendoncker trod on Riyad Mahrez's foot in the box.
From Raheem Sterling seeing his first penalty saved only to get a second chance because of encroachment, to him then wasting another opportunity only to stroke home the rebound.
There was huge anger in the stadium, and the replay of the penalty decision on the big screen did not achieve the desired outcome of quelling any frustration among the home support.
Why was Sterling's penalty retaken?
Sky Sports News' Bryan Swanson:
"When Raheem Sterling's penalty was saved by Rui Patrício and Wolves defender Conor Coady cleared the rebound, the VAR identified that both Coady and Manchester City players had encroached inside the penalty area before the ball was kicked.
"Because Coady's encroachment had a material impact, the VAR advised the referee that the penalty should be retaken."
