Erling Haaland went two steps closer to joining the Premier League’s 100 club before Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola slammed the standard of refereeing across his decade in charge.
Haaland’s brace against Bournemouth takes him to 98 goals and helped City move back to second but Guardiola was incensed by an equaliser from Tyler Adams after Gianluigi Donnarumma appealed for a foul from a corner.
Anthony Taylor and the VAR Paul Tierney allowed the goal to stand and Guardiola later heavily criticised the refereeing fraternity – suggesting they have been predisposed to award decisions against City throughout his time in England.
‘An unbelievable goal for the official,’ Guardiola said after David Brooks hooked the City goalkeeper’s arm before letting go from the set piece.
‘I’m one decade here and we know each other quite well. I’m so pleased what we achieved with Man City despite everything. It has been so good. So good.’
Guardiola confirmed that he confronted Taylor but claimed that he has never called the PGMOL to query officiating.
Pep Guardiola claimed referees have been against Man City for a decade after his side’s victory over Bournemouth
The Spaniard felt as though Gigi Donnarumma was fouled in the lead up to the visitors’ goal
Erling Haaland meanwhile went two steps closer to joining the Premier League’s 100 Club
‘I don’t have time to waste my time talking,’ he added. ‘No, no, absolutely not. I said to him after when we saw each other, tell me if it’s a foul or not because I’m waiting. If it’s a foul or not, just tell me. Just take a look. It’s fine. They’re brave here. In the Etihad they are brave, so brave.
‘In the past, a lot of prestigious managers called them… I don’t do it. Of course they will not call me. I know all the referees, I know them one decade perfectly, what is going on in this stadium. I know it.’
Haaland’s double took him to 13 of City’s 20 league goals so far this season and Guardiola believes the Norwegian has already hit the heights of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The Catalan is challenging Haaland to keep up those numbers, adding: ‘Has he reached that level? You see the numbers of that guy? Oh my God, yeah, of course he’s at that level.
‘So the numbers from Cristiano and Messi, the difference of Cristiano and Messi, have been for 15 years. You see Messi still in MLS, he scores two or three goals every day. Cristiano and Saudi are the same. But he’s at that level.
‘Look at the way he shoots the ball. It’s like, I’m going to score. This is starvation, right? I’m tough sometimes with him. He’s open-minded and down to Earth. He wants to be better.’
