Rodri hits out at referee decision, claims Manchester City 'won too much' after Tottenham Hotspur draw

‘People don’t want us to win’ - Rodri hits out at referee decision, claims Manchester City 'won too much' after Tottenham Hotspur draw

TNT Sports

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola blasted the decision to allow Dominic Solanke's first goal for Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday in the clubs' 2-2 draw in the Premier League in north London. Guardiola's midfield general Rodri went further still, suggesting that the club were not on the receiving end of impartial refereeing treatment, something he blamed on their previous glories.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri believes the club’s previous success is influencing refereeing decisions after Sunday’s draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

The Spain international made the claim following the 2-2 draw which saw Pep Guardiola dispute some of the decisions made in north London in their Premier League match, which left them six points behind league leaders Arsenal.

Spurs striker Dominic Solanke scored both goals for the home side and, for the first, he appeared to make contact with new City defender Marc Guehi.

Guardiola said after the match that he felt a foul would have been awarded had the defender been perceived to be at fault.

"It's happened, once again," Guardiola said. "What can I say? Marc has the ball, he's been kicked from behind, and it's a goal. So what can I say? Nothing. One more.

"If you do it to a striker it would be a penalty. I'm not a referee. Fascinating in the Premier League."

He continued: "There was an emotional issue for the first goal that the referee conceded to Spurs, and after that, the momentum is difficult to control, it is whatever happens here in England."

There was a VAR review after the 50th-minute strike, and the goal was allowed to stand. Solanke added a second 20 minutes later.

That completed a comeback for Thomas Frank’s side, after City had gone ahead with two first-half goals.

The first came from Rayan Cherki on 11 minutes, and then Antoine Semenyo scored in the 44th minute as he continued his good form since his arrival from Bournemouth last month.

Speaking after the game, former Ballon d'Or winner Rodri felt that the decision to allow the goal was plainly incorrect.

"He's kicked the leg - it's so clear," he said. "He anticipated Marc, and it's a clear foul."

He then went on to suggest that this was one of a string of poor decisions taken against City by officials, and he then suggested referees were impartial as a reaction to the trophies they have won in the past few years.

Rodri continued: "But it's not today, it's two or three games in a row and I honestly don't know why.

"I know we won too much and the people don't want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral. For me, it's not fair. It's not fair."

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The defeat ended City's two-match winning run which came off the back of a difficult period for the club.

They recently lost 2-0 at Manchester United in Michael Carrick's first game in charge as interim manager at Old Trafford, before a 3-1 defeat at Bodo/Glimt in the UEFA Champions League.

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