The 24th round of the English Premier League was memorable for one of the big clashes in London. Tottenham didn't defeat one of the main contenders for the championship - Manchester City - at home: Guardiola's team seemed to have made things very "closed" in the first half, but in the second half, a completely different Tottenham appeared on the field.
In the first half, the Citizens took the lead with a two-goal margin. Pressure on the opponent, quick passes, accuracy in attack - everything was in place. But after the break, Tottenham star Dominic Solanke brought a completely different rhythm to the game. He "found" the goal twice, bringing the score to 2:2, and City's victory was lost.
The most talk is revolving around Solanke's first goal. In that episode, he clashed with Uzbek defender Abdukodir Khusanov in the process of getting to the ball. On social media, many are writing that there was a push from Solanke, while others, on the contrary, are intensifying criticism by saying that Khusanov couldn't resist his opponent strongly enough.
The discussions were so heated that some fans even resorted to sarcastic remarks. There were also rumors that "the attacker sent Khusanov back to Uzbekistan." Additionally, fans point out problems with City's defense, particularly clearing passes from the wings and positioning against attackers' quick moves. That is, it's not just about one episode - the general weakening in the second half has also gotten on my nerves.
However, the club's head coach Pep Guardiola didn't leave Abdukodir Khusanov "closed" in this matter. He directed the criticism directly to the referee's decision and pointed out that the first goal was an overt foul by Solanke.
Guardiola believes the Tottenham striker pushed the defender from behind. The Spanish specialist even made a very simple comparison: he hinted that if the central defender nudges the striker in the same position, the referees will award a penalty without hesitation.
- If this is a situation between a central defender and a striker - it's a penalty, right? There was contact. "You saw it yourself," said Guardiola.
He didn't hide the fact that after this episode, a psychological and emotional "break" occurred in the team. According to the coach, in English football, especially in such games, it's very difficult to regain control after a controversial decision.
- After the first goal in favor of Tottenham, the team experienced an emotional crisis. After such a situation, it becomes very difficult to control the game, regardless of what happens in English football," said Pep Guardiola.
After the equalization, the numbers in the tournament table also acquired special significance. Manchester City remains in second place with 47 points. However, thanks to the lead "Arsenal" winning this round, the difference between the teams has increased to six points - every point lost in the race is now even more valuable.
Now, another big test awaits the Citizens: an away match against reigning champions Liverpool on February 8th. In such a situation, the most important thing for the team is one thing - internal order and field conclusions rather than external sensations. Whether it's Khusanov or someone else, City's stability in the second half is becoming a decisive factor.
In football, the rule is simple: one episode can change the fate of the entire game, but the fate of the season is decided only by the right conclusion and patience.
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