‘I don’t agree with him’… BBC pundit is not having what £63m player said after Man City 1-1 Chelsea

Redaction Simon Brett with Tom Procter
Published on 2024-02-18 09:05:04

Manchester City faced off against Chelsea on Saturday night in a match that ended in a 1-1 draw.

Following the game, Rodri expressed his frustration at the refereeing, but his comments were downplayed by Match of the Day pundit, Danny Murphy.

The draw was somewhat disappointing for City, especially since both Liverpool and Arsenal secured wins in their respective matches the day before.

However, City will have the opportunity to close the gap on Liverpool to just one point if they manage to defeat Brentford on Tuesday.

During the match against Chelsea, City made multiple attempts to score, with Jeremy Doku having a significant amount of possession.

However, Chelsea’s defense, particularly their center-backs, proved to be resilient. Erling Haaland had an off day for City, and the team fell short in the final third.

Following the game, Rodri expressed his dissatisfaction with the referee, mentioning numerous VAR challenges and decisions that he felt were unfair.

He specifically mentioned a penalty shout involving Kyle Walker and Raheem Sterling, as well as a handball by Levi Colwill after a cross into the box.

Despite Rodri’s frustration, Murphy disagreed with his views on Match of the Day.

Speaking on Match of the Day, Murphy said: “Although I love him (Rodri) and admire him very much, I don’t agree with him. I think Andy Madley did brilliantly with this one and got it spot on.

“I think the more you see it, Walker goes across Sterling and puts his leg across him. Sterling doesn’t even see him coming. It’s a deliberate ploy really, he initiates the contact. I think it’s a really good decision.

“Now this one (Colwill claim), I understand the discontent and disappointment from City’s players because if you think of Luton and Sheffield United and some of the ridiculous handballs we’ve seen this season…

“I think it’s the right decision not to give a penalty. I don’t want to see a penalty given for handballs when players don’t have a clue where the ball is.”

While Rodri’s dissatisfaction with the referee is understandable, Murphy’s perspective provides a clearer understanding of the decisions made.

Controversial calls often arise in matches, and in this instance, Murphy’s assessment underscores the complexity of refereeing decisions. Ultimately, the draw against Chelsea was a reflection of the challenges City faced, both on the field and in relation to the officiating decisions.

Read Original article on Manchester City News