Manchester City’s awayday blues haunted them again as Monaco snatched a late 2-2 draw in their Champions League league phase clash through Eric Dier’s controversial late penalty.
City were seemingly heading for a deserved victory in the dying minutes when referee Jesus Gil Manzano was sent to the VAR monitor to review Nico Gonzalez’s high boot on Dier at a free-kick, which he eventually ruled a foul – with a number of visiting backroom staff sent off as tensions boiled over.
Even without wanting to directly criticise the decision, Pep Guardiola took clear issue with the referee’s call, later telling TNT Sports: “We didn’t defend [the free-kick] perfectly, we conceded a penalty despite touching the ball first, it touched the opponent but touched the ball too.”
Dier stepped up from 12 yards to send Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way, and stretch Man City’s winless away run in the tournament into a second year – 12 months to the day since they last won a game on the road at Slovan Bratislava.
Even with that decision, City should have been out of sight after twice hitting the crossbar and racking up 18 shots without managing to add to their first-half Erling Haaland double.
The big Norwegian was in fine form again to score twice before the break from just seven touches – with one a kick-off.
A deft flick on Josko Gvardiol’s lofted pass after 14 minutes was his first touch of the night, but the intrigue about his efficiency was shortlived when Jordan Teze rifled a fine 20-yard equaliser into the top corner three minutes later.
Phil Foden hit the bar amid City’s increasing domination before Haaland finally powered a header from Nico O’Reilly’s cross beyond Philipp Kohn for his second just before the break.
“I still think I’m involved in the game with my movements, giving space to others. It’s not only about touching the ball as to if you’re in the game or not,” he told TNT Sports after the game.
Haaland scored his second goal with a powerful header
City should have added to their lead with Tijjani Reijnders also denied by the woodwork after the interval, and Haaland spurning a fine chance for his hat-trick soon after.
The visitors looked certain to emerge victorious but, without managing to increase their fragile lead, were made to pay late on when Gonzalez’s challenge was punished in the harshest terms.
Guardiola: Many things were against us
Man City manager Pep Guardiola to TNT Sports:
“I haven’t seen the stats or the chances, but I think we were much more energetic than them, sometimes that isn’t possible. Many things was against us in situations.
“Haaland played really good. He plays to score goals, to have chances. The team was really, really good.”
On taking Rodri off after an hour: “It’s step by step, we have to do that. Ninety minutes is too much.”
Haaland: We didn’t deserve to win
Double goalscorer Erling Haaland to TNT Sports:
“I don’t think we played good enough. We don’t deserve to win. We need more energy. We needed to do more of what we did in the first half. We dominated much more and then in the second half they took the lead much more. It’s not good enough.
“I didn’t see [the penalty]. I don’t know, if you kick someone in the face I guess it’s a penalty.”
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