Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola voiced his frustration with referee Anthony Taylor following his team's 3-1 victory against Bournemouth on November 2, 2025. The Premier League match, which saw Erling Haaland score twice and Nico O'Reilly add another, was marked by a controversial Bournemouth goal that sparked Guardiola's criticism.
The contentious moment occurred when Bournemouth's Tyler Adams scored, equalizing the score after Haaland's initial goal. City's goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, claimed he was impeded by Bournemouth's captain, David Brooks, as he attempted to punch the ball clear from a corner. Donnarumma argued that Brooks had tugged him, preventing him from making a clean punch.
Referee Anthony Taylor waved away the protests, and VAR (Paul Tierney) upheld Taylor's decision, deeming the contact incidental. Donnarumma received a booking for his vehement protests. Despite the comfortable scoreline in the end, the disputed goal remained a talking point after the match.
Guardiola expressed his discontent, suggesting that he has grown accustomed to unfavorable decisions against his team during his decade-long tenure in the Premier League. "We conceded I'm sorry to tell you an unbelievable goal for the official," Guardiola stated. "I'm one decade here and we know each other quite well, I'm so pleased with what we achieved with Man City despite everything…".
Guardiola further revealed that he addressed Taylor after the game, seeking clarification on the disputed goal. "I said to him after when we see each other, tell me if it's a foul or not because I'm waiting," Guardiola explained. "If it's a foul or not, just tell me. Just take a look. It's fine. They're brave here. In the Etihad they are brave, so brave".
The Manchester City manager's comments echo previous instances where the FA has sought explanations from Guardiola regarding his remarks about referees. In 2018, the FA investigated Guardiola's comments about Anthony Taylor before a Manchester derby. At the time, Taylor's appointment was questioned by some City fans due to his hailing from Wythenshawe, a suburb near Manchester United's Old Trafford. However, the Premier League found no issue, as Taylor supports Altrincham, a National League North club.
Despite the controversy, Manchester City secured the win, with Haaland's brace bringing his season total to 13 goals in 10 Premier League appearances. However, City's over-reliance on Haaland for goals is evident, with Burnley defender Maxime Esteve being their next highest scorer due to two own goals in a previous match. No other City player has scored more than one goal so far this season.
