Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola sent out a warning to title rivals Arsenal that his team would ‘breathe down the neck’ of the league leaders, as an angry Arne Slot was left reeling at double-standards from referees.
Challengers City came from behind to cancel out a Dominik Szoboszlai stunner after Bernardo Silva goal and Erling Haaland penalty helped salvage a potential season-defining day to keep them six points behind.
It was their first league double over Liverpool since 1937 but Slot was incandescent as City defender Marc Guehi was not sent off for a tug on Mohamed Salah at 0-0 – but Szoboszlai was for a similar denial of a goal-scoring opportunity in the last minute.
Asked for his thoughts on refereeing decisions, Slot said: ‘When you ask me about what decision, I thought what do you mean… the disallowed goal at City (earlier in the season)? The penalty they got in the away game against us?
‘The clear red card (for the foul) on Mo Salah in the second half here? Or the penalty they got in the second half, or do you mean the Szoboszlai (red card) decision?
‘That’s only over two games, and the ones that follow Liverpool know how many decisions I can come up with in all the other games as well, all the big decisions that could have gone in some situation to a 50-50.
Slot fumed at the decision not to give a foul on Salah after Guehi appeared to pull him down – with the Liverpool boss claiming he had been denied a clear goalscoring opportunity
Szoboszlai was then subsequently sent off in the final moments for taking down Haaland
‘I can live with the fact – although I don’t like it – that the referee follows the rulebook and Dominik makes a foul on Haaland in that situation which is a clear shirt-pull and he was through on goal so he would have scored. That’s a red card.
‘The Sunderland manager is really happy he gave a red card (as Liverpool play them next). If you follow the rulebook, and you have a clear shirt-pull by Guehi on Salah, who for eight years has been scoring that (chance) 100 times out of 100.
‘And it is not a red card? Then there is more of my frustration. I can live with the red card for Dom. If you like football you say, “Ah, leave it as a goal, it’s good for them and good for everyone” but as the Sunderland manager you prefer to see it as a red card.
‘That’s the rule and following the rules is all I ask.’
City captain Bernardo Silva admitted that defeat would have spelt the end of their title aspirations and was ready to concede to Arsenal.
But while claiming that his side were again below par in the second half, Guardiola wants to pile the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s leaders.
‘Thirteen games, in my experience, is a lot of time,’ Guardiola said. ‘When you go in the last games playing a team in the relegation battle, it’s a proper football game. They live to survive. They give their lives. They have long weeks to prepare.
‘All we can do is breathe down the neck of Arsenal and (continue) being there, try if they go asleep, if they (make a mistake), to use it.
Guardiola fired a warning to Arsenal, saying: ‘All we can do is breathe down the neck of Arsenal and (continue) being there, try if they go asleep, if they (make a mistake), to use it’
‘I have a feeling that improving (just) a little bit will not be enough to compete against Arsenal but still we have margin (to improve). We have to (play them) at home, of course we have to beat them.’
City won at Anfield for the first time in front of supporters since 2003 and Guardiola added: ‘I am really proud. The first half was incredible.
‘We are not consistent over 90 minutes, but we strive to grow. We have been in that position many times because maybe we still are not completely ready. Maybe in one month we will be ready.’
Liverpool’s goal-scorer Szoboszlai is now suspended and they are not expecting Joe Gomez or Jeremie Frimpong back for the trip to Sunderland on Wednesday.
