Man City boss Guardiola urges players to make VAR irrelevant

Pep Guardiola says teams must “do better” if they want to avoid VAR controversies.

Guardiola believes his Manchester City side have been on the wrong end of replay calls in the past and is still annoyed by decisions that went against his team in their FA Cup final defeats of 2024 and 2025.

VAR made headlines again after relegation-threatened West Ham were denied a stoppage-time equaliser against title-chasing Arsenal following a lengthy review last Sunday, with the Gunners’ 1-0 win leaving the Premier League leaders five points clear of second-placed City.

But City manager Guardiola said players had it within their power to take VAR out of the equation.

“We lost the two finals of the FA Cup because the referees didn’t do their jobs they should do, even the VAR,” said Guardiola.

“When this happens it is because we have to do better, not the referees or VAR.”

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss added: “I never trust anything since I arrived a long time ago. Always I learned you have to do it better, do it better, be in a position to do it better because you blame yourself with what you have to do, because (VAR) is a flip of a coin.”

City were beaten 2-1 by rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final two years ago, with Guardiola believing his side could have had two penalties in the game following separate challenges on Erling Haaland by Lisandro Martinez and Kobbie Mainoo.

And there was further controversy at Wembley during City’s shock defeat by Crystal Palace in last season’s final.

Dean Henderson was one of Palace’s heroes, the goalkeeper saving a penalty, but the outcome might have been different had he been sent off for handling outside his area.

But Guardiola insisted he is not dwelling on that match ahead of facing Palace in the Premier League on Wednesday, where a win for City would cut Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table to two points.

“You have to do better and better for yourself, and that is focusing on Crystal Palace for us,” said Guardiola.

“Of course it is not in our hands in the Premier League. Always I say to the players, ‘Do it, do it, do it better’.

“I always learned that when you lose the focus, you are in a dangerous situation.

“The only thing we can do is do it better, that is only in your control.”