Ilkay Gundogan and Erling Haaland's missed penalty in Manchester City's unexpectedly close 2-1 victory over Leeds was not criticized by Pep Guardiola.
When City was given a last-minute penalty kick at the Etihad Stadium, regular taker Haaland deferred to Gundogan so the German could attempt a hat-trick.
But much to Guardiola's evident annoyance, Joel Robles saved Gundogan's shot, and Rodrigo soon restored parity for the relegation-threatened team.
After Gundogan's two well-executed attempts in the first half, the game appeared to be a routine Premier League assignment for the champions, setting up a thrilling conclusion.
Guardiola, who was visibly agitated at the time, was overheard on video opining that Haaland, who has already scored 51 goals this season but has twice hit the woodwork, should have grabbed the opportunity.
When the Spaniard took on his post-game media responsibilities, he had, however, calmed down.
"The performance was excellent, we played really well," remarked Guardiola.I won't go into detail about how I felt about the final five, six, or seven minutes because overall it was excellent.Whether Erling would have taken the penalty and missed is unknown. What happens if Riyad (Mahrez) attempts to seize it but fails? What happens if Ilkay Gundogan scores after taking the penalty?Who takes if it's 2-0 is the question. Erling or Riyad must take the shot if the score is 2-0.
However, it demonstrates Erling's character. He is amazing and likes to score goals, but teammates are also crucial. He is so kind and giving.I can appreciate both points of view, but the game might have been over. "Gundo scored two great goals," Ilkay said. "I've never scored a hat-trick. How proficient was he today? He is fully equipped.
Gundogan, whose contract expires at the end of the current campaign, acknowledged that the incident has diminished his enjoyment of the game.
"I saw Erling with the ball, looking for me, telling me to take it," he stated on Sky Sports. I repeatedly questioned him, "Are you sure?," but he was confident and certain to hand me the ball.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0