Pep Guardiola believes officiating decisions are a “flip of a coin” and constantly urges his Manchester City players to perform better in order to overcome this.
Refereeing and the use of the video assistant referee are being scrutinised once more after Callum Wilson’s late disallowed goal in West Ham’s 1-0 defeat by Arsenal at the London Stadium on Sunday. The decision came after the referee Chris Kavanagh awarded the strike before being advised by the game’s VAR, Darren England, to review the incident at the pitchside monitor. On doing so, Kavanagh ruled the goal out for a foul on Arsenal’s goalkeeper, David Raya.
Arsenal’s victory moved them to 79 points, five ahead of City, with two matches left, meaning that even if Guardiola’s side win their three remaining games they may not be able to catch Mikel Arteta’s team. The first of those comes against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening.
Guardiola did not comment on Wilson’s disallowed goal but did claim that City had lost the last two FA Cup finals, to Manchester United and Crystal Palace respectively, because “referees didn’t do their job, even the VAR”. In the 2024 final, Erling Haaland was not awarded a penalty after appearing to be pushed over in the area by Lisandro Martínez. Later in the game, Haaland appeared to be fouled in the area by Kobbie Mainoo and again no penalty was awarded. In 2025, Palace’s goalkeeper, Dean Henderson, handled the ball outside the area and was booked rather than sent off as he was adjudged not to have prevented a goalscoring chance.
“The only thing we can do is do it [perform] better – that is only in your control,” said Guardiola. “We lost the two finals of the FA Cup because the referees didn’t do their jobs they should do, even the VAR. When this happens it is because we have to do better, not the referees or VAR.
“I never trust anything since I arrived [at City] a long time ago. Always I learned you have do it better – be in a position to do it better because [if not] you blame yourself with what you have to do, because [VAR] is a flip of a coin. You have to do better and better for yourself, and that is focusing on Crystal Palace for us.”
“We play in this game, we go to Bournemouth and the last game in Aston Villa. The important one is tomorrow and we will see what happens to the next games. I always learned that when you lose focus, you are in a dangerous situation.”
Abdukodir Khusanov and Rodri are doubts to face Palace due to injury. Rodri has been absent since sustaining a groin strain in last month’s win over Arsenal and Guardiola was asked if the midfielder may be ruled out of next month’s World Cup. “No,” said Guardiola. “Well, there is a chance if [Luis] de la Fuente [Spain’s head coach] doesn’t pick him. But, we’ll take care of him.”
