Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola defended Jeremy Doku, saying he is not a diving player, and criticised the referee for showing the speedy winger a yellow card for diving to avoid a challenge in the 2-2 draw at home to Brighton. Omar

Marmouch won a penalty for Erling Haaland to convert early in the game and then added two more himself to take the lead, but the Seagulls tied every time.

In the 61st minute between the two teams looking for the winning goal, Doku dodges the ball and is blocked by Jan Paul van Hecke, who slides and falls, but is not fouled, and Simon Hooper, the

referee, himself, issues a yellow card. Guardiola was so irritated that he went to talk to Anthony Taylor, the fourth official, after the final whistle, สนใจสมัคร? คลิกที่นี่เพื่อเริ่มต้น and went to ask Hooper for more explanation, but he seemed unsatisfied.

“If he didn’t jump, he could have broken his leg,” Guardiola told the media after the match at the Etihad: “Jeremy is not a diving player. He’s got an opponent sliding on the grass. And jumped to avoid a tackle. “

The referee should know that but they did. We didn’t win or lose because of that decision. I told the referee that if Doku hadn’t jumped he would have taken a big kick, he did that to defend himself.”

Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett, a pundit, joined in criticising his compatriot: “That was a terrible decision by Hooper because a Man City player didn’t fall to the ground to try and deceive.

“The Man City player fell to the ground to avoid a tackle. Referee Hooper read the game very poorly and there is no appeal against the yellow card according to the rules. “

At the same time, it would have been better if Guardiola had gone into the dressing room to ask for an explanation after the game. They gave him 30 minutes to cool down before doing that.”