Pep Guardiola has railed against the referees who officiated Manchester City’s game against Everton on Wednesday night and the current Premier League rules, in general, after John Stones picked up a concerning injury when the linesman refrained from flagging for offside.
The English centre-back limped off just before half-time following a challenge from opposition striker, Beto, who was in an offside position but was allowed to play on due to referees still being instructed to wait before raising their flag until the sequence of play is finished.
Guardiola has already detailed that the situation “doesn’t look good”, revealing that Stones left Goodison Park wearing a protective boot and that they are yet to find out how serious the ankle injury is.
Nevertheless, the Man City coach wasted no time in expressing his disappointment and frustration at the continued use of the protocol, insisting that when it becomes clear that a player is offside, the linesmen should simply raise their flag to prevent situations like this.
Pep Guardiola frustrated after John Stones goes off injured with an ankle injury 💢
The defender went off after colliding with Beto despite the fact the fact that the striker was offside, Should the assistant have raised his flag beforehand? 🚩 pic.twitter.com/eifYQqrhUi
Guardiola argues that Stones might not have picked up the injury if the referee blew for offside.
Also speaking in the post-match press conferences, Everton manager Sean Dyche agreed that current refereeing standards seem to be resulting in more confusion than clarity, stating that “the rules are saying one thing, the people in the game want a different thing, VAR intervenes when we’re not sure when it’s intervened or not, and there’s a lot going on”.
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Reflecting on the prospect of putting microphones on referees and installing more screens around stadiums to make the processes clearer, Dyche argued: “Surely the idea is to take it away — give the ref less to do in a good way… just let them referee the game. But they just keep adding another rule, another layer and another offside rule where we all just sit there and think ‘I have no clue what’s going on here'”.
While Dyche was more referring to the handball claim that went against them rather than one for them in the 3-1 defeat on Merseyside, with Julián Álvarez slotting home a somewhat controversial penalty — several City players having been criticised for surrounding the referee — it is clear both sides had their grievances and the injury to Stones proved to be yet another case against the current offside protocol.
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Pitchside at Goodison Park @andykerrtv details how the Man City bench are fuming John Stones' injury came when the linesman didn't flag for an offside as is protocol.
On the subject of injuries, Pep also went on to give an update on striker Erling Haaland and his potential return date, adding, “Hopefully in January he can come back with us.”
The 52-year-old confirmed that the Norwegian number nine is “feeling better” but is yet to complete a training session back with the squad; fellow star man Kevin De Bruyne has completed a training session but is still yet to get back on the pitch.
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Despite their current injury setbacks, the two-time treble-winner — who secured a total of five trophies for his side in 2023 — said that he knew they were “the best team in the world” when he heard them already talking about the next fixture just hours after lifting the Club World Cup.
You can see the full highlights of Man City’s important away win against the Toffees down below:
Featured Images — Amazon Prime Sport (via Screenshot)
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Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty
Daisy Jackson
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.
Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.
Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.
Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.
The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.
They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”
In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.
Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.
“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”
Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.
One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”
Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”
Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”
Manchester City plotting spending spree ‘before’ Club World Cup
Danny Jones
Manchester City are set to embark on somewhat of a spending spree this summer transfer window as the club’s higher-ups are looking to get business done before the 2025 Club World Cup.
With FIFA’s intercontinental club competition set to get underway in mid-June, the Blues don’t have too long to welcome in new players, but Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reiterated their urgency regarding recruitment.
Despite having brought in four new acquisitions in a very short space of time last season, the 50-year-old argued that he wasn’t completely happy with the extent and speed of their business.
Giving a lengthy interview this week, CFG‘s founding chairman has imposed an internal deadline ahead of the lucrative knockout competition.
Speaking with club media, Khaldoon recognised that while there were incomings in January of this year, he believes they “should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do, adding that he believes it “cost [them].”
“I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly [the targets are], in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option”, he continues.
More importantly, he goes on to add: “We’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”
He also suggested the flurry of activity this past January was not just atypical of the administration, but felt the squad fell into a crisis state with the number of injuries, insisting they “had to act.”
City have already been linked with a hugely talented and highly-rated European target in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure and a lack of strength in depth in midfield.
An initial bid is said to have been received already and will likely be the first of many City summer signings.
He also insisted that the players who joined last season weren’t scattershot, emergency transfers (perhaps barring the resigning of İlkay Gündoğan) but were the start of the rebuild and “gives [fans] an idea of what’s coming this summer.”
Another player linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored in big moments during their Europa League run this year, registering 32 goal contributions across all competitions throughout the 24/25 campaign.
Who would you like to see added to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, then, Man City fans?
You can watch Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s interview in full down below:
Danny Jones -
28th December 2023 
