Pep Guardiola RAGES at referee for booking Jeremy Doku for diving against Brighton – and confirms injury blow to key Man City star
Pep Guardiola fumed at the referee for booking Jeremy Doku for diving during Manchester City’s dismal 2-2 draw against Brighton on Saturday.
The Belgian winger jumped over Jan Paul van Hecke during the Seagulls’ player’s tackle in order to avoid being hit or cleared out during the Citizens’s attacking phase.
After Doku fell to the ground, match official Simon Hooper was quick to hand the 22-year-old star a yellow card for diving in a moment which sparked heated debates at City’s bench.
Following the final whistle, the Spanish manager approached the referee for an explanation and claimed that Doku could have suffered a severe injury should he not jumped over the Dutch centre back.
‘If he doesn’t jump, he could break his leg,’ Guardiola said. ‘To go on the grass is a tackle and he jumps so there is no contact. Jeremy is not a diving player.’
‘They should know but it is what it is. We didn’t win or lose because of that decision. I said to the referee: “If he doesn’t jump he’d have been kicked hard”.
Pep Guardiola was spotted fuming at referee Simon Hooper after the match official showed Jeremy Doku a yellow card for diving
The Manchester City boss claimed the Belgian could have suffered a severe injury should he not jumped over Jan Paul van Hecke
Doku’s booking came during another dismal display by the Citizens, which concluded with a 2-2 draw against Brighton at the Etihad Stadium
‘He jumped to protect himself but it doesn’t matter, don’t ask me about that.’
The incident came during another disappointing display by the reigning Premier League title holders, who failed to climb to Champions League spots in the table.
The game at the Etihad Stadium started well for the Citizens, with Erling Haaland giving the lead through a penalty attempt in the 11th minute.
Newcomer Omar Marmoush – featuring in his fresh role as a No 10 – doubled the lead for City with a right-foot thunderbolt from outside the box in the closing stages of the first half.
However, two disappointing goals conceded by Brighton – with the second one coming from Abdukodir Khusanov – have marked the Citizens’ 39th and 40th in the Premier League, the biggest number under Guardiola.
Doku’s yellow card came just moments after Bernardo Silva appeared on the pitch in the 58th minute to replace Savinho on the right wing.
But the game was marked by an unexpected substitution of the Portuguese just 18 minutes after he stepped on the grass.
While many thought this could be another innovative idea from Guardiola, the Spaniard clarified the reasons for taking Silva off.
The 22-year-old winger’s yellow card came just moments before Bernardo Silva appeared on the pitch on Saturday
However, the Portuguese was forced off the pitch just 18 minutes after, with Guardiola confirming the injury blow
The Citizens failed to ease fears of missing out on the Champions League next season remaining on the fifth place in the Premier League
The former Monaco star did not show any apparent signs of a setback, and the Spaniard is unsure how long he will be sidelined.
‘I don’t know I didn’t speak to the doctors,’ Guardiola told Match of the Day. ‘Bernardo is so strong.’
The Spaniard endures the worst season in his Manchester City career, with the team already out of two competitions – the Champions League and Carabao cup – following defeats to Real Madrid and Tottenham respectively.
His situation in the domestic league is no better – the team sits in fifth place, without hopes of a triumph and 22 points behind leaders Liverpool.
The reigning champions can even drop to sixth place since Newcastle – who sit one position behind City by just one point – have one game in hand.
‘It was a good game. A tight game – I know how difficult it is to make the process which we’re in now,’ he added. ‘The players gave everything – we take the point and we keep going.
‘Of course, I have confidence and I always have. The young players played good. All the defenders were so clever. We were close, but unfortunately we couldn’t do it.’
