Pep Guardiola says he supports VAR as it ‘provides justice’, despite complaining about the system following last weekend’s draw against Tottenham.
After thoroughly dominating the game, City’s last-minute winner from Gabriel Jesus was chalked off after a handball in the build-up from Aymeric Laporte, under the new handball rules.
City had been denied a penalty earlier in the game after a push on midfielder Rodri which VAR didn’t call back for review, leaving fans and player hugely frustrated. Now, though, Guardiola has put his support behind the controversial system.
“I like VAR because it provides justice,” he said. “This is the first season. It helps to be more fair to referees. I think in the end it will be right.
“I had the same opinion from the beginning. I support the technology. But during the process, it needs time to adjust.
“It’s emotional when you score a goal in that way. His [Jesus’] reaction was normal. He was not upset. The reaction from the Tottenham players showed that they didn’t know why it was disallowed. They accepted it was a goal.
“The reaction of our players was normal. We have to keep going. It’s done. We have to move forward.”
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Despite the disappointment, Guardiola will have been hugely encouraged by City’s dominance in the match and will be hoping for more of the same this weekend.
City travel to the south coast on Sunday to face a Bournemouth side who also have four points from their first two games, but are yet to keep a clean sheet in this season’s Premier League.
New signing Joao Cancelo, yet to feature after his move from Juventus, could be handed his debut with Guardiola confirming he is fully ready to take part.
“He can play,” Guardiola said. “He is ready.
“He sees what we want in training, meetings and analysis. Tomorrow, he can play.
“After the international break, everyone will be involved. He’s an incredible professional.”
Oleksandr Zinchenko is fit after a minor injury scare was revealed to be just cramp, while John Stones isn’t yet ready to return to action.
Stones missed the Spurs game with a muscular injury, but is set to be welcomed back into the fold for City’s home fixture against Brighton next week.