Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola upset with referee after Manchester City draw

The match between Manchester City and Tottenham ended in a 3-3 tie that didn't sit well with the champions. Pep Guardiola refused to make a remark similar to one made by Mikel Arteta in the aftermath of the game, while Erling Haaland expressed his frustration by writing "wtf" about the referee's decision to pause the game as Jack Grealish was about to score in extra time.

During the game, Hooper didn't stop play despite Haaland getting fouled. But then, Hooper stopped the game when Grealish got through the Spurs defence after a pass from Haaland. The ref's decision made City players angry, and they all surrounded him. This may lead to the Football Association charging them. Guardiola also talked to the fourth official. When the game ended, Haaland left the field looking very unhappy.

When asked about the incident, Guardiola responded straightforwardly by saying "next question." He referenced a previous comment made by Mikel Arteta, but clarified that he didn't want to do the same thing. Upon reviewing the video, Guardiola found it confusing that the referee blew the whistle after previously indicating to play on. He couldn't comprehend this decision.

Guardiola brought up Arteta's remarks regarding the recent goal by Anthony Gordon, which was deemed valid by VAR after three separate checks. Arteta expressed his disappointment with the decision, stating that it was "completely unacceptable".

When questioned about Haaland's response at the end of the game, the City manager was quite open. He stated that it was a typical reaction and that Haaland reacted similarly to 10 other players. According to the rules, players are not allowed to talk to the referees or fourth officials, so there were multiple players who should have been sent off on that day. As for Haaland, he is said to be a bit disappointed with the outcome. Even if the referee were playing for Man City, he would have been upset about what happened as well.

Guardiola rejected attributing the outcome to the decision. He acknowledged that both he and the players make errors. He opted not to condemn the decision-maker, stating that he did not desire to. Though, he did acknowledge that at times, he loses control and exhibits improper gestures on the sidelines. However, he noted that in his years of experience as a manager, he typically refrains from making comments when he is composed. Guardiola highlighted that the decision did not contribute to the team's failure to secure a draw.

Haaland posted an abbreviation for a common curse word on X when he shared a video of an incident. The Football Association might only press charges against Haaland or Guardiola if they are found to have doubted the referee's honesty. The game was very exciting with Son Heung-min scoring the first goal just six minutes in, but then Tottenham's captain made a mistake and scored an own goal three minutes later. Manchester City came back and took the lead with a goal from Phil Foden, but Giovani Lo Celso evened out the score after halftime. Jack Grealish scored to take the lead again at 3-2, but Dejan Kulusevski managed to score a goal and tie the game in the end.

Ange Postecoglou suggested that he was dissatisfied during half-time. When Sky Sports asked him to clarify his comment, the Tottenham Hotspur manager said, "I probably have only a few words to say. Seriously, I was trying to motivate the players and encourage them to have confidence in themselves rather than showing annoyance towards them."