Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola insists he “doesn’t spend a second” thinking about referees as he prepares to face Nottingham Forest in the wake of high-profile criticism of match officials.
Relegation-threatened Forest were furious at missing three penalties during last weekend’s 2-0 Premier League defeat at Everton and made headlines with a series of scathing comments.
Guardiola, who takes his title-chasing side to the City Ground on Sunday afternoon, feels it is a waste of his time to be busy with referee appointments.
“I go to the game and I never know who the referee is,” he said.
“When I see their face it’s ‘Oh, I miss that face’. I’ve never talked about referees before, during or since in my life.
“A mistake can be a mistake and we’re sad, and we’re lucky when it’s in our favor.
But I don’t waste my time. I have to economize, I have to make exactly the choices I have to make with my time. I don’t spend a second (thinking) about the referees, especially when we lose.
Forest questioned the decision to select their relegation rivals Luton fan Stuart Attwell as VAR for the match at Goodison Park and raised concerns with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).
He then called for talks between Atwell and on-field official Anthony Taylor to be publicly released after lamenting “three very poor decisions” during the Toffees’ damaging defeat.
Referees’ body PGML privately shared the audio with Forest, who feel they suffered an injustice in a season when the club was deducted four points for breaching financial rules.
“I only worry about what we have to do to play well,” said Guardiola, whose side beat Brighton 4-0 on Thursday evening to move a game behind leaders Arsenal.
“Decisions are decisions and there are moments during the season that help you, sometimes not.
“You have to do what you have to do to beat Nottingham Forest 11 to 11.”
Phil Foden inspired City’s comfortable win at the Amex Stadium with a brace between Kevin De Bruyne and Julian Alvarez’s finals.
Guardiola hopes the 23-year-old English midfielder, who has scored 24 goals for the season in all competitions, can continue his excellent form during the title race.
“Phil has a sixth gear but he can’t play in sixth gear all the time – he has to play in second and third,” Guardiola said. “I think, with time, he will learn it.
“Everything is too fast; football sometimes has to slow down to become faster after surprising the opponent.
“He’ll understand the game through years and years and experience. But he loves to play and his work ethic is unbelievable.
“We’re really happy and pleased for him and hopefully he doesn’t stop in the last month before us.
“I’d love to have every single action in sixth gear but once you’re less accurate – it’s not effective.
“He has to know when to be aggressive and when to be more calm.
“He has improved a lot from the start of the season and last season.”
Credit : www.independent.co.uk
