Pep Guardiola accepts VAR decision in Spurs clash

Pep Guardiola accepts VAR decision in Spurs clash

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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said that he will "have to accept it" after an intervention from VAR cancelled Gabriel Jesus’s last-minute winner against Tottenham Hotspur. The result meant that this was the first time in 2019 that Guardiola's Manchester City had failed to win a game at home.

With the game tied at 2-2 heading into added time, Manchester City were able to find the back of the net through second-half substitute Jesus, who pounced on a deflection to slot in what appeared to be the winner. However, VAR decided to rule out the goal after spotting a handball in the build-up. The decision brought back memories of Manchester City's Champions League quarter-final exit against Spurs last season, where a Raheem Sterling goal in the dying moments of the game was ruled out for offside.

"We have to accept it, it's tough because we scored a goal late on. But ask VAR people, not me," Guardiola said in the post-match press conference, reported BBC.

Jesus’ goal was disallowed because of the newly introduced handball rules that state that any goal resulting from handball, accidental or otherwise, must be ruled out. VAR has already divided opinion in English football and former Liverpool player Danny Murphy criticized the decision calling it “ridiculous” on Match of the Day.  

"The new handball rule is ridiculous. That should never on any playing field anywhere in the world be disallowed. It wouldn't even be seen if we didn't have VAR," Murphy was quoted saying.

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