Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has publicly voiced his strong disapproval of how referees officiate star striker Erling Haaland, accusing them of unfairly penalizing him for fouls on defenders. This sentiment comes after a contentious incident during Manchester City's Carabao Cup semifinal match against Newcastle, where an Antoine Semenyo goal was disallowed. The decision followed a lengthy five-and-a-half-minute VAR review, which concluded that Haaland, while in an offside position, had interfered with play.

Guardiola not only disagreed with the specific VAR decision but expressed a broader concern that the prolific Norwegian striker is being unfairly targeted. He emphatically stated, "He is the only striker in the world that makes more fouls than defenders do on him." Guardiola highlighted this as a unique and perplexing attribute, adding, "I've never seen this. At the beginning of the season the referee said it would be the opposite. But it is the opposite of that, honestly."

The City manager further questioned the inconsistency in officiating, particularly regarding interactions within the penalty boxes. "Have you seen what happens in the boxes, not just with Man City? When there is pushes and holding? I don't understand that [there] is never a foul every time. I don't understand that every time Erling touches an opponent it's a foul from Erling," Guardiola elaborated, underscoring his frustration with what he perceives as a biased application of rules against Haaland.

Despite his crucial role for the team, scoring 29 goals in 26 appearances for City this season, Haaland's recent form has seen him net only once – a penalty – in his last six games. Guardiola addressed this dip, suggesting it might be a natural consequence of the demanding football schedule. He pointed to the "incredible period for games," with matches every three days, reduced recovery time due to travel, and the challenge of facing "tough central defenders."

Nevertheless, Guardiola maintained his unwavering support for Haaland, expressing profound gratitude for his presence in the squad. "God bless that we have Erling in our team right now and all of the season," he remarked. "We are fortunate to have him and without him we would not be in the position we are in now." The manager remains confident that Haaland is continually improving in many aspects and will soon recover his renowned sharpness, assuring that "he'll be back."

In other related news mentioned by sources, Manchester City has reportedly agreed a deal with Crystal Palace for Guéhi, while further explanations regarding the five-minute VAR decision to rule out Semenyo's goal have been provided. The Premier League January transfer window has also seen numerous confirmed ins and outs for clubs. Manchester City is set to return to Premier League action this Saturday, embarking on a short derby trip to face rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.