Manchester City 2, Burnley 1: Mixed feelings for Pep Guardiola despite victory returning his team to third in the Premier League
Manchester City 2, Burnley 1
Tetchy Pep Guardiola took a swipe at English officiating after his Manchester City side recovered from an early red card against Burnley to climb to third in the Premier League on Monday.
City captain Fernandinho incurred his third sending-off in the space of six games with a two-footed tackle on Clarets midfielder Johan Gudmundsson, but second-half goals from defender Gael Clichy and substitute Sergio Aguero put the hosts in charge.
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Guardiola appeared to take issue with the red card and a lack of protection for goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, whose aerial weakness was exposed by defender Ben Mee’s goal for Burnley.
“We will accept,” he said. “Like I said before, the team with more ball possession, we always have a sending off. I have to understand the rules here in England.
Guardiola remonstrated with referee Lee Mason after the match (Source: Getty)
“Around the world our keeper in the box is fouled, not here. I have to understand that. Claudio Bravo is fouled. Here not. That is OK but I have to understand that.”
Fernandinho’s red card – City’s seventh in Guardiola’s first season in charge – means the midfielder is set for a four-match ban that would rule him out of Friday’s FA Cup tie at West Ham and Premier League games against Everton, Tottenham and the Hammers.