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Manchester City were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle United on Saturday in a game full of drama and decisions
Manchester City slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United on Saturday night as Pep Guardiola's side missed the chance to put pressure on league leaders Arsenal. Harvey Barnes scored both goals for Newcastle with Ruben Dias' equaliser sandwiched in between as the Blues were briefly level.
All three goals came in the space of eight second-half minutes and there was a lengthy VAR check for the winner, with Bruno Guimaraes judged to be onside when he headed against the bar in the build-up to Barnes bundling home. City also felt Gianluigi Donnarumma was impeded, and there was disappointment in the Blues camp that first-half penalty appeals for a challenge on Phil Foden by Fabian Schar were turned away.
It all meant City suffered a fourth defeat of the Premier League season and dropped below Chelsea in the standings. Guardiola spent less than five minutes conducting his post match media duties and refused to criticise the officials even if his feelings on some of the game's key incidents were clear.
Speaking after the game, former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer suggested Guardiola and City should look closer to home rather than bemoaning decisions. "For me, nothing wrong with the goal Newcastle scored," said Shearer.
"But for me, the concern would be how many chances they're giving up, not on the refereeing decisions and bad luck. It was how many chances Newcastle created today because if they'd have had their finishing boots on...
"As I said, they should have scored six or seven. They missed four absolute sitters, and the way they carved City open would be the bigger concern for me."
Meanwhile, the winning goal was shrouded in controversy with Guimaraes looking just offside when heading against the bar before Barnes converted the rebound. A lengthy VAR check ultimately decided that the Brazilian was being played on by City defender Dias' shoulder and the goal stood.
A clarification from the Premier League Match Centre was issued. The statement read: "The referee's call of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with both Guimaraes and Barnes in onside positions in the build-up. The VAR also checked and confirmed the referee's call of no foul on Donnarumma prior to the goal."
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