Manchester City’s clash with Tottenham definitely lived up to the pre-match hype after a thrilling 3-3 draw at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Not that Erling Haaland was too happy after referee Simon Hooper denied Jack Grealish the chance to score a stoppage-time winner for the defending Premier League champions.
The Norway international reacted furiously when the whistle was blown for an earlier foul on him just as Grealish looked set to run through on goal. Haaland was booked for his response.
“He’s a little bit disappointed,” City manager Guardiola said afterward. “Even the referee — if he played for Man City today, he would be disappointed for that action, that’s for sure.”
Haaland had been brought down by Tottenham defender Emerson Royal as City went in search of a winner after Dejan Kulusevski’s 90th-minute equalizer. But as the forward regained his feet, Hooper appeared to gesture for play to carry on, with Haaland releasing Grealish with a pass.
It was then that the official blew his whistle, much to the anger of the home fans and City’s players.
Haaland went on to express his frustration at what had happened in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, when responding to a video of the incident.
Guardiola was asked to comment on the referee’s decision in his post-game news conference and was more careful with his response.
“I don’t want to criticize him (the referee),” Guardiola said. “On the touchline sometimes I lose my mind and my gestures are not proper … But I would say we didn’t draw for that (reason).”
City had twice been ahead in the match and looked to have scored a winner when Grealish came off the bench to make it 3-2 in the 81st.
Kulusevski’s header earned Tottenham a point and consigned City to a third straight draw in the league, leaving Guardiola’s team three points off league leader Arsenal in third. Liverpool, which beat Fulham 4-3, is a point ahead of City in second place.
Son Heung-min had put Tottenham ahead in the sixth, but put through his own net three minutes later and Phil Foden struck in the 31st.
Giovani Lo Celso leveled the score in the 69th before strikes from Grealish and Kulusevski.
City’s recent winless run in the league has seen it concede eight goals in three games, following a 4-4 draw with Chelsea and 1-1 against Liverpool.
“Football is about mistakes sometimes, but still we are there,” Guardiola said. “After many years we still have the feeling that we want it (the title).”
Tottenham ended its recent three-game losing run, which had seen it drop from first to sixth in the standings.
“We weren’t at our usual standard first half — Man City could have blown us away during that period,” manager Ange Postecoglou said. “They missed a few chances, a lot like us last week to be honest.
“We hung in there and second half was a lot better. We had more belief and conviction and we made it more uncomfortable for them. Massive effort from the players, it would have been very easy to get blown away, but I thought they showed great character and it is important they get a reward. A point is a good reward.”
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