Man City players confront officials following defeat to Man Utd

Manchester City players surrounded the officials within the Old Trafford tunnel following their controversial derby defeat to Manchester United, sources have instructed ESPN.

City have been left livid after Bruno Fernandes’ equaliser was allowed to stand regardless of Marcus Rashford straying into an offside place.

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The aim was initially dominated out by the linesman however was then awarded by referee Stuart Attwell as a result of Rashford didn’t contact the ball earlier than Fernandes scored.

Pep Guardiola argued afterwards that the ahead had interfered with play earlier than the aim, which got here simply 4 minutes earlier than Rashford scored to seal United’s 2-1 win.

The controversy led to an indignant confrontation between players and officials within the tunnel after the ultimate whistle. Jack Grealish, who opened the scoring for City, was seen remonstrating with Attwell as they left the pitch and the arguments continued on the best way to the dressing rooms.

“To be honest, the first goal is a joke that it’s allowed. Rashford is clearly offside so I played him offside,” City defender Manuel Akanji stated. “He runs to the last second and only stops because Bruno is coming in behind him.

“I perceive he does not contact the ball however he runs for 30 metres, chasing the ball then he stops. The ref did not take a look at the scenario.

“The referee didn’t say anything to me but I talked to the linesman and he said, ‘Did Rashford touch the ball?’ I said, ‘no but he’s chasing the ball for a long time.’

“In that scenario, the referee has to at the least take a look at the scenario and might perceive the scenario I’m in and Kyle [Walker] on the opposite facet.

“Probably the pressure got to him in the stadium. That’s why he decided to let it go.”

Akanji additionally hinted on the confrontation within the tunnel after the City players and the officials, together with Attwell, assistant referees Gary Beswick and Darren Cann in addition to fourth official Robert Jones, left the pitch.

“I came really late to it,” he stated. “When I was there it was close to the end. I don’t know how it started or what was the actual reason but everybody was not in a good mood.”

City boss Pep Guardiola weighed in by saying that Fernandes’ aim wouldn’t have stood had it not been scored at Old Trafford.

“Rashford is offside, Bruno is not offside, the question is interference,” Guardiola stated. “When one player from 18-yard box shoots and one player is in front of the keeper but doesn’t touch the ball, it is disallowed all the time.

“The scenario and the choice is the referee’s, the VAR, our defenders make a line [for Rashford], if we all know it is Fernandes we do not make the road, we observe the motion, and after the motion the interference for [Ederson].

“This is the decision in this stadium with the referee and the VAR. Here he said not intervene in this stadium. What are we to do? Are we going to make a complaint? No. It sometimes happens on our side.

“The choice is that they did not consider Rashford was intervening on this stadium. This is Old Trafford, we now have to play a lot better, like Anfield, we now have to do higher.”