Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has questioned why a foul in Rodri was not checked by VAR following his side’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham on Saturday.
Goals from Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero were cancelled out by a first-half strike from Erik Lamela and a second-half header from Lucas Moura.
City looked to have sealed a late win when Gabriel Jesus popped up in the box to score in injury time before the VAR then disallowed the goal after it was judged that Aymeric Laporte had handled the ball in the lead up to the goal.
Jesus was irate with the match officials following the game while Guardiola raised a potential foul on Rodri in the box and an incident involving Fernando Llorente during last year’s Champions League quarter-final where City were eliminated by Spurs after a late VAR decision.
“It was the same,” Guardiola said in his post-match interview.
“The last action. We scored a goal and the referee disallows it because of VAR. What should I say? It’s the second time. It’s tough. Honestly, it’s tough but it is what it is.
“They’re the new rules and it happened last week in the Wolves game and we saw one hand from Liverpool and Chelsea, like Chelsea with the clear hands, and the penalty with Adrian, he moves so they have to fix it.”
He continued: “VAR is here. We saw the images inside and they were not quite clear but if they believe it is hands, sometimes it’s hands from Llorente in the Champions League and sometimes it’s not hands.
“That is where it is. Now you have to accept it and keep going from here. From the beginning there was a penalty with Rodri in the first-half and the referee said no. Why not VAR? VAR is going to review in the last minute so I don’t know, believe me.
“Only thing we can do is play in that way and when we get those decisions accept it.”
