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Manchester City were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle at St James' Park in a fractious game that saw Pep Guardiola get in an argument after full-time.
Pep Guardiola said his full-time row with Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes came about because he asked the Brazilian what had happened with Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The Manchester City goalkeeper was furious after he wasn't given a free-kick when impeded by Guimaraes just before Newcastle retook the lead at St James' Park. Donnarumma was booked for his complaints and got into an argument with the Magpies' assistant, Jason Tindall.
That row continued after full-time as Donnarumma showed his anger and Guardiola's discussion with Guimaraes also got heated, but the City boss tried to play it down after the game.
"I asked what happened with Gigio and him. Everything is fine," he said.
'Everything is fine' was a phrase Guardiola repeated four times in a four-minute and 30-second post-match press conference as he was quizzed about City's frustrations with decisions at St James' Park. Phil Foden was denied a clear penalty in the first half after being fouled by Fabian Schar, before Donnarumma's anger at not getting a free-kick.
Sky Sports reported that Guardiola went into the officials' room to speak to Sam Barrott after the game, a claim the 54-year-old didn't deny.
But he refused to criticise the officials and pointed to decisions he felt City didn't get in FA Cup final defeats to Manchester United and Crystal Palace that he also kept quiet about as evidence of his stance towards referees.
“The last five questions about referees and the actions. Ask the referees. I didn’t see the images yet and nothing is going to change,” he said.
“I played two FA Cup finals against United and Crystal Palace and oh my god, did I say something? Nothing. It is what it is. And I lost. The first thing I did on behalf of my club was congratulate United and Crystal Palace.
"I’m not coming here to talk about referees, it’s gone. I didn’t come here to blame [them]. It’s fine. It didn’t happen against Bournemouth, so it’s normal it didn’t happen today," he said.
Donnarumma felt he was fouled from a corner against Bournemouth when the Cherries got their goal at the Etihad recently and it was a similar incident at St James' Park.
On neither occasion did City get a free-kick and both times the Italian was booked for his complaints, but Guardiola denied his side got too emotional and defended Donnarumma from accusations that he is still getting to grips with the physicality in the Premier League.
"No. There is no emotion. It happened. He believes when he goes there and touches the ball he wasn’t stable," he said.
"He’s physical, strong, the guy. It's not a question for Gigio. He felt a touch. But the VAR and the referees decide the opposite. We are used to it."
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