Pep Guardiola explains Bruno Guimarães altercation after Newcastle United loss | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola delivered his verdict on his side’s 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park on Saturday evening.

City were wasteful in the first-half and squandered a flurry of opportunities to break the deadlock against an even more profligate Magpies side, who should have entered the interval with a comfortable lead with the chances at their disposal.

A Harvey Barnes brace either side of Ruben Dias’ equaliser in the second-half earned all three points for the north-east outfit, who ran out deserved winners albeit in controversial fashion owing to protests from the Manchester City camp over the nature of Newcastle’s winner.

Arsenal can extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to six points with a win over Tottenham on Sunday, with Manchester City falling to third place in the table after suffering their fourth league loss of the campaign.

Speaking in the aftermath of his first managerial defeat to Eddie Howe, Guardiola said: “A good advert for the Premier League!”

The 54-year-old will be keen to address City’s frailties that were exposed in Tyneside on Saturday but maintained that there was not much that he was displeased with in terms of his side’s display despite their defeat to Newcastle.

“We gave everything, we wanted to make a step like we have done in the last two months, but after the international break always it’s not an easy place to come. But there’s a long, long way to go,” the Catalan added.

Guardiola went on to heap special praise on deadline day signing Gianluigi Donnarumma, who made a series of match-winning saves throughout to thwart the hosts and keep Manchester City in the game.

“Gigio (Donnarumma) was extraordinary, we missed chances, we were better in the second-half, we conceded a goal, and after switched both sides (wide players), and at the end we could not take a result,” Guardiola added.

After the full-time whistle, Guardiola was spotted in intense conversation with match official Sam Barrott. “No, nothing, nothing. Everything is fine. Everything is fine. It is what it is,” the Manchester City boss, who went straight into the referee’s room after full-time, added.

The Catalan was also seen speaking to Newcastle skipper Bruno Guimarães after full-time, with the latter at the centre of his side’s controversial winner that drew an animated protest from Donnarumma.

“I asked (Guimarães) what happened with Gigio (Donnarumma) and him, and I think it’s fine,” Guardiola said.

Manchester City turn their attention to the UEFA Champions League in midweek and Guardiola will be keen to forego a disappointing return to Premier League duties after the recent international break with another step towards qualification for the play-offs with three points against Bayer Leverkusen.