Manchester Metropolis’s awayday blues haunted them once more as Monaco snatched a late 2-2 draw of their Champions League league part conflict by Eric Dier’s controversial late penalty.
Metropolis had been seemingly heading for a deserved victory within the dying minutes when referee Jesus Gil Manzano was despatched to the VAR monitor to overview Nico Gonzalez’s excessive boot on Dier at a free-kick, which he finally dominated a foul – with plenty of visiting backroom employees despatched off as tensions boiled over.
Even with out eager to immediately criticise the choice, Pep Guardiola took clear situation with the referee’s name, later telling TNT Sports activities: “We did not defend [the free-kick] completely, we conceded a penalty regardless of touching the ball first, it touched the opponent however touched the ball too.”
Dier stepped up from 12 yards to ship Gianluigi Donnarumma the flawed method, and stretch Man Metropolis’s winless away run within the match right into a second 12 months – 12 months to the day since they final gained a recreation on the highway at Slovan Bratislava.
Even with that call, Metropolis ought to have been out of sight after twice hitting the crossbar and racking up 18 photographs with out managing so as to add to their first-half Erling Haaland double.
The large Norwegian was in superb type once more to attain twice earlier than the break from simply seven touches – with one a kick-off.
A deft flick on Josko Gvardiol’s lofted go after 14 minutes was his first contact of the night time, however the intrigue about his effectivity was shortlived when Jordan Teze rifled a superb 20-yard equaliser into the highest nook three minutes later.
Phil Foden hit the bar amid Metropolis’s growing domination earlier than Haaland lastly powered a header from Nico O’Reilly’s cross past Philipp Kohn for his second simply earlier than the break.
“I nonetheless assume I am concerned within the recreation with my actions, giving area to others. It isn’t solely about touching the ball as to when you’re within the recreation or not,” he informed TNT Sports activities after the sport.
Haaland scored his second objective with a strong header
Metropolis ought to have added to their lead with Tijjani Reijnders additionally denied by the woodwork after the interval, and Haaland spurning a superb probability for his hat-trick quickly after.
The guests regarded sure to emerge victorious however, with out managing to extend their fragile lead, had been made to pay late on when Gonzalez’s problem was punished within the harshest phrases.
Guardiola: Many issues had been in opposition to us
Man Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola to TNT Sports activities:
“I have never seen the stats or the probabilities, however I feel we had been way more energetic than them, typically that is not doable. Many issues was in opposition to us in conditions.
“Haaland performed actually good. He performs to attain objectives, to have probabilities. The staff was actually, actually good.”
On taking Rodri off after an hour: “It is step-by-step, we have now to do this. Ninety minutes is an excessive amount of.”
Haaland: We did not need to win
Double goalscorer Erling Haaland to TNT Sports activities:
“I do not assume we performed adequate. We do not need to win. We want extra vitality. We wanted to do extra of what we did within the first half. We dominated way more after which within the second half they took the lead way more. It isn’t adequate.
“I did not see [the penalty]. I do not know, when you kick somebody within the face I suppose it is a penalty.”
