“It’s a Penalty” — Pep Guardiola fumes after VAR decision derails Man City vs Spurs

Pep Guardiola cut a frustrated figure once again as Manchester City let a commanding position slip, settling for a 2-2 draw against Tottenham in a game dominated by another controversial refereeing call.

City appeared to be cruising after racing into a two-goal lead, only for a dramatic second-half swing sparked by a contentious Spurs goal to derail their afternoon. While Guardiola insisted his opinion of referees had “not changed”, his comments after the match made it clear that he felt the key moment had gone against his side and shifted the entire mood of the contest.

City in control before turning point

Manchester City started the match with confidence and sharpness, moving the ball quickly and pinning Tottenham back. Their early dominance was rewarded with two goals that suggested another routine home victory could be on the cards.

However, the match took a decisive turn midway through the second half when Tottenham pulled one back in controversial fashion. Dominic Solanke challenged City defender Marc Guehi inside the penalty area, appearing to kick the back of the defender’s leg as Guehi attempted to shield the ball. The contact helped force the ball off Guehi and into the net.

The incident was checked by VAR, but no foul was given and the goal stood. That decision proved pivotal.

Spurs, who had looked out of the contest, suddenly found belief. The equaliser soon followed when Conor Gallagher burst through midfield far too easily, beating two City players before delivering a dangerous cross. Solanke met it with the outside of his boot, sending a looping effort over Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the net to make it 2-2.

City pushed for a late winner but struggled to regain their earlier fluency, failing to create a clear-cut chance as Tottenham held firm.

Guardiola points to refereeing call

After the match, Guardiola was careful not to launch a direct attack on officials, but his frustration was clear. The City manager argued that the incident leading to Tottenham’s first goal should have resulted in a foul, using a simple comparison to underline his point.

“If a central defender does it to a striker, it’s a penalty,” Guardiola said, suggesting that the same standards should apply regardless of position.

He felt that the momentum of the match changed instantly after that decision, with City losing control during a key spell in the second half.

“After that, for 10 or 15 minutes they had the control,” he explained. “They put one more player in, started winning second balls, and created the momentum. After the goal, they had another 10 or 15 minutes.”

Guardiola stressed that City eventually regained some composure but admitted the damage had already been done.

A familiar second-half issue

The draw continued a worrying trend for City, who have increasingly struggled to maintain their level after the break. Guardiola acknowledged that his side had started the second half well, but believed the controversial goal changed the emotional balance of the game.

“We started the second half really well, but it was the goal that changed a little bit,” he said.

The City boss also pointed to the physical nature of Premier League football, explaining how games in England can quickly shift due to long balls, second balls, and emotional swings.

“It happens in the Premier League today,” Guardiola added. “Sometimes we can control it, sometimes not. If it was 0-3 or 0-4, maybe it’s different, but we have a lot of new players.”

City’s inability to kill the game off was another source of frustration. Despite finding promising positions on the counter-attack, they lacked sharpness in the final third.

“We found the players we wanted to run in transitions, but we missed a little bit in the final third,” Guardiola admitted.

Spurs take advantage as City fall short

Tottenham deserve credit for their response, showing resilience and belief after appearing beaten. Gallagher’s direct running and Solanke’s sharp finishing proved decisive, allowing Spurs to capitalise on City’s drop in intensity.

From City’s perspective, the draw will feel like a missed opportunity. They had control, the lead, and the home crowd behind them, yet were unable to close the game out.

Guardiola summed up his feelings by returning to the emotional impact of the refereeing decision, suggesting it disrupted his side’s rhythm and focus.

“I would prefer not to have the transitions,” he said. “But it’s an emotional issue for the first goal that the referees concede to Spurs. After that, the momentum is difficult to control.”

While Guardiola insisted his overall view of referees remains unchanged, this latest incident adds to a growing list of decisions that City feel have gone against them this season. For a team chasing perfection, small moments continue to have big consequences – and against Tottenham, one decision proved enough to turn victory into frustration.