Pep Guardiola said he would not follow his former assistant Mikel Arteta in a public tirade at officials after Manchester City's 3-3 draw against Tottenham on Sunday ended in controversial fashion.
City were denied a huge chance to win the match in stoppage time when referee Simon Hooper stopped the game to award Guardiola's men a free-kick just as Jack Grealish was bearing down on goal. The decision sparked a furious reaction from City players and Guardiola on the touchline.
Erling Haaland could face punishment after taking to social media to criticise the call. However, when facing the media, Guardiola kept his cool. Arsenal boss Arteta described the decision to award Newcastle's winning goal against his side last month as a "disgrace" and "embarrassing" to the Premier League.
Arteta faces a Football Association charge for his comments, which were backed up by Arsenal in a club statement. "Next question. I will not do a Mikel Arteta comment," Guardiola said when asked about the incident. "It is hard when you review the image. The referee decides to blow the whistle after he has already said to play on.
"After the pass, the whistle, so I do not understand this action." After draws against Chelsea and Liverpool, City have now failed to win in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time in over six years. Guardiola's men were made to pay for both a profligacy in front of goal and defensive errors.
Spurs captain Son Heung-min scored at both ends in a frantic first 10 minutes. City then went on to dominate the first half but only had Phil Foden's goal to show for it. A depleted Tottenham hit back after the break as Giovani Lo Celso fired in 20 minutes from time. Grealish looked to have given City victory, but Dejan Kulusevski's 90th minute goal rescued a point for Ange Postecoglou's men.