Pep Guardiola seemed visibly frustrated following Manchester City’s draw with Arsenal, as he pulled substitute Jack Grealish aside for an extended conversation on the pitch after the final whistle.
Guardiola intervened to defuse a confrontation between Erling Haaland and Gabriel, immediately following a lengthy exchange with Jack Grealish.
Pep Guardiola turns mediator
The Spanish manager witnessed his Manchester City side secure a lackluster draw against Arsenal, slipping three points behind leaders Liverpool in the title race. Despite dominating much of the second half, the game saw few clear-cut chances.
Grealish was introduced in the final 30 minutes but struggled to assert himself from the left flank. This prompted an extensive post-match discussion initiated by Guardiola, who pulled the winger aside for scrutiny.
During the conversation, Guardiola engaged in animated gestures while conveying his points to the English star. Initially appearing hesitant, Grealish eventually seemed to acknowledge his manager’s points, nodding along to his arguments.
After affectionately ruffling Grealish’s hair, Guardiola swiftly intervened to diffuse a brewing argument between Haaland and Gabriel. The two had clashed frequently throughout the game, particularly with Gabriel marking the striker.
Their disagreement persisted after the final whistle, prompting Guardiola to step in between them and encourage Gabriel to disengage. Despite Guardiola’s efforts, Gabriel and Haaland continued their exchange, prompting Guardiola to physically separate his player from the Arsenal star.
Repeatedly pulling Gabriel away, Guardiola also guided Grealish away from the situation. Gabriel then redirected his frustration towards Pep Guardiola, until Declan Rice stepped in to guide his teammate away.
Broadcaster slams Guardiola
Haaland and Gabriel swiftly reconciled and hugged to demonstrate that they had resolved their disagreement. However, veteran broadcaster Richard Keys criticized Guardiola, arguing that his discussion with Grealish should have been conducted away from the cameras.
“Save it for the dressing room, it’s so tiresome isn’t it, it’s all for the cameras. Go down the tunnel, he shouldn’t even be on the pitch. Then he’s got to go and tell everyone else what they did wrong of course.”, he said, as cited by The Mirror.
In other news Sports Buddy reported two weeks ago that Pep Guardiola was involved in a heated arguement with Kevin De Bruyne during Manchester City’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool.
This consecutive draws leaves Manchester City sitting third on the table, three points behind leaders Liverpool.
