Never mind Haaland concern and VAR complaints…Guardiola has got his mojo back

The Manchester City manager suggested crucial decisions had gone against his side and that his star striker is fatigued but he looks like the trophy-hunting boss that we have all come to recognise

If you have the world’s smallest violin, get it out for Pep Guardiola. The Manchester City manager was bemoaning a couple of things in the wake of his side’s excellent win and performance at St James’ Park on Tuesday night.

He had a valid point when highlighting how VAR had not made a decisive intervention when Phil Foden was clearly fouled in the penalty area in the Premier League game between City and Newcastle back in November.

In that same match, there was also an extremely strong case for VAR to recommend the referee reassess his decision not to award a City penalty for what looked like a Malick Thiaw handball.

But City have been no more a victim of VAR vagaries than any other club in the Premier League. When Pep was talking about his team’s experience with VAR at Newcastle this season, Arne Slot must have raised a wry smile.

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VAR failed to get involved when Virgil van Dijk’s header was controversially ruled out at the Etihad, also back in November. So, City and Guardiola are not being hard done by – they have just taken their turn to suffer at the hands of a system whose application is flawed Premier League-wide.

It doesn’t discriminate. It’s rubbish for all. Guardiola was less animated about his selection issues but did express his concern about Erling Haaland’s physical state.

“Hopefully, Omar Marmoush comes back soon to give rest to Erling Haaland because Erling is exhausted,” he said. Get started on that small violin.

For starters, Guardiola need not have played Haaland for 45 minutes against Exeter City in the FA Cup last Saturday. The Norwegian could have stayed at home and rested.

And while Haaland has played a lot of matches, the workload is not unusual for a central striker who stays clear of injury. Also, it is not as though Guardiola is short of options.

This is a manager who has just been handed the bonus of a £62.5million attacker in the January transfer window – an attacker in the prime of his career right now. This is a manager who has Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki at his disposal, along with Savinho, although the Brazilian is out for a little while.

This is a manager whose squad is good enough to do without £100million Jack Grealish for the season. For a change, the ball is not currently running well for Haaland in front of goal.

He has not scored from open play since scoring twice against West Ham United at the Etihad on December 20. But it does not look like a fatigue issue. No player is indefatigable but Haaland looks pretty close.

For all his post-Newcastle gripes, though, you suspect Guardiola is not whingeing. You suspect it all adds to the psychological push that goes with the territory when you are battling for honours as regularly as Pep does.

City lie second in the Premier League table, sixth in the Champions League qualification standings, have one foot in the Carabao Cup final and hit double figures en route to the fourth round of the FA Cup. And Guardiola’s message to his players is…look, lads, you are doing this despite officialdom being against us and despite having to run our talismanic striker into the ground.

Pep has got his mischief back. He has got his devilment back. The trophy-hunting twinkle is back in his eye.

He might think there is some sort of VAR conspiracy against City, he might think Haaland is running on empty. But he is relishing the prospect of fighting on all fronts. Make no mistake about that.

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