When it comes to timewasting, Pep Guardiola asserted that Premier League referees have treated Manchester City unfairly.
The Blues manager is still furious with Anthony Taylor’s yellow card given to Ederson at the Emirates last month for taking too long to take his goal kicks. In order to maintain their advantage against Arsenal, City’s captain Ilkay Gundogan had been admonished by the referee about their lethargic play. Ederson was singled out as a specific offender, and when the goalkeeper hesitated before his subsequent kick, Taylor issued him a warning.
Both teams received fines following a contentious game for encircling Taylor during various match decisions, and Guardiola is still upset about Ederson’s yellow card. When compared to all the goalkeepers at the Etihad who receive no punishment for what he believes to be comparable offenses, City’s manager condemned the judgment as unfair and exploited the recent criticism of Newcastle for timewasting to vent his ire.
“If there is timewasting, we will have a yellow card for Ederson, don’t worry,” he said, sarcastically. “We are the team with the least waste of time in the career and the first time we go to Arsenal away, and after 36 minutes we got a yellow card so don’t worry about wasting time.
“I was not paying attention to that. I’m paying more attention to what we have to do to bеat them and the way they press and the problems we suffered in some moments when we play away at the beginning of the season when for many many aspects, the rhythm of the game, what happens, so I don’t know.
“It depends on the referee but I’m pretty sure the yellow will be for Ederson. How many thousand million games do teams come to Etihad Stadium and waste time for the keepers?
“Twenty seconds every time, the goal kick and long ball and long ball and long ball nothing happens. Absolutely nothing happens.
“And after we go there [to Arsenal], we want to be active to play and we get a yellow card. And after that we define this kind of positions.
“And that is why I’m far away about comments about the referees because I don’t care one second. I don’t even know before the game who the referee is that’s going to whistle, I know when I see their face I know who they are but I don’t talk with them before or after.
“I don’t talk with the Premier League, we are accused by them. No referees, no Premier League, no care. Newcastle.”
While Guardiola pointedly said that he was only calling treatment of the specific incident unfair rather than a general pattern, this is third game in the last 11 where the City manager has spoken about a lack of consistency in handing out yellow cards. He previously contrasted the standards applied in the Leeds and Everton matches.
Pep Guardiola just had one query regarding Vincent Kompany’s return to Manchester City
After the FA Cup, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola anticipates having Vincent Kompany back in the dugout at the Etihad.
After the FA Cup quarterfinal, Pep Guardiola anticipates having Vincent Kompany back in the dugout at the Etihad.
This month, when his Burnley team plays Manchester City for a spot in the FA Cup semifinals, Kompany will return to the stadium where he is memorialized with a statue for the first time in his managerial career. Although some predicted the Clarets would ꜱtrugglҽ after being demoted from the Premier League, their ascent to the top of the Championship has been aided by the hiring of Kompany.
The triumph of City’s season under Kompany would not be diminished by United ending Burnley’s aspirations in the League Cup, and City will aim to do the same in the FA Cup, especially if they are able to secure promotion back to the Premier League. Guardiola thinks that after a stint at Anderlecht, Kompany has impressed him to the point where the only uncertainty about his selection as the next City manager would be the timing.
“I’m impressed with the consistency,” said Guardiola. “The Championship is so difficult for the amount of games.
“Their consistency so far is unbelievable. They are close to being promoted to the Premier League next season. Personally I’m delighted with Vinnie’s success at Burnley.
“All of us, the fans are happy he will be back. He will be back here sooner or later, his destiny to become a Manchester City manager is already written in the stars. I don’t know when, but it’s going to happen.”