Alan Shearer has told Pep Guardiola to focus on improving Manchester City's defence rather than complaining about refereeing decisions after their 2-1 loss to Newcastle United. The Premier League clash at St James' Park saw Harvey Barnes score twice in the second half to secure victory for the hosts.
City had equalised through Ruben Dias's deflected strike, but Barnes restored Newcastle's lead from close range. The winning goal proved controversial, with a lengthy VAR check confirming Bruno Guimaraes was onside, while City felt goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had been pushed. Guardiola was visibly frustrated after the match, clashing with Guimaraes, Joelinton and referee Sam Barrott.
Speaking on Premier League Productions, Shearer dismissed Guardiola's complaints, stating the real issue was the number of chances City conceded. “If Newcastle had their shooting boots on, they should have scored six or seven,” he said. “The way they carved City open would be a bigger concern for me.”
Erling Haaland was kept quiet by Newcastle's defence, and City now sit third in the table, four points behind Arsenal. Shearer added that City are not the force they once were without Rodri, particularly defensively. “They are certainly not the same team without Rodri... defensively they aren’t as sharp as they used to be,” he concluded.
