Share Comments By Simon Bajkowski 06:00, 18 AUG 2019 Sport opinion Get the biggest Manchester City FC Var and the rules step in again It seems contrary to football and the way it is enjoyed.
Nobody clocked the ball brushing Aymeric Laporte's arm on the way through to Gabriel Jesus and it didn't appear to carry the ball that decisively, yet technology stepped in to confirm the rule change and leave Manchester City on the wrong end of a decision against Tottenham for the second time in three meetings.
City's game was the VAR talking point at West Ham, will likely be the VAR talking point after this week , and it will likely be that way for the rest of the season. And if it should be noted that the Jesus goal was actually disallowed because of a rule change, one of the debates going on around VAR is how often the technology should be turned to and how it changes the way the game is played. Can a team be hard done to if they don't appeal?
Unfortunately for the Blues, it will probably follow them round all season because they score more goals than everyone else and push space in behind defenders to the limit more than everyone else in their quest for goals.
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Logic in Gundogan call There's always at least one selection surprise and Ilkay Gundogan was not down in many predictions to take his place in the centre of midfield. If the result is not as expected, those decisions are likely to be analysed more than if the team had won.
Guardiola, though has been effusive about the German and last week claimed that he had been the best midfielder in the league for the closing months of last season.
Despite not looking as sharp as some of his rivals for a starting slot in pre-season, Gundogan has an extra energy and drive in midfield that David Silva, for instance, doesn't and that perfectly suits the powerful start that City used to take control of the game against Spurs.
He may have been culpable along with other teammates to allow Spurs back into the game but it was easy to see why he had been picked.
(Image: Manchester City FC via Getty Ima) Refereeing consistency In the opening 15 minutes of the game, Erik Lamela put his arms around Rodri in the penalty box as a corner came in and bundled him to the ground: no penalty.
In the second 15 minutes, Raheem Sterling put his arms around a Spurs player on the halfway line: fould and yellow card.
A minute later, Davinson Sanchez stopped Kevin De Bruyne as he bore down on goal about 25 yards out: foul but no yellow card.
Nobody is (or should be) expecting referees to get everything right but it is jarring to see different decisions made for similar situations minutes apart.
Read More Pep Guardiola explains heated Sergio Aguero Man City touchline confrontation Sane support goes both ways Guardiola had called on everyone at the club to support Leroy Sane through his injury and the club did what is becoming, unfortunately for them given the circumstances, a familiar gesture of warming up with shirts bearing Sane's name.
The German was there on the touchline to see it too, which was nice. He is heading off for surgery this weekend and Pep Guardiola did not seem so pleased that he will be having it in Austria with a doctor that Bayern Munich and Germany prefer rather than in Barcelona with City's own specialist.
