Man City boss Pep Guardiola weighs in on refereeing standards amid Arsenal VAR controversy

Pep Guardiola accepts that the emotion after a game is 'difficult to handle', as he discussed the continuing fall-out of Arsenal's trip to Newcastle at the weekend.

Newcastle won the Premier League fixture 1-0, but Mikel Arteta said the decision to allow Anthony Gordon's winning goal was "disgraceful" and "embarrassing". Arsenal felt that the ball had gone out of play in the build-up, while there was also a potential foul and offside before Gordon stabbed home.

Arsenal followed up Arteta's comments with a firm statement calling for urgent improvements to the standards of officiating, causing a stir with their reaction to the incident. Manchester City have not escaped their own refereeing controversies over the last two seasons, while a number of other decisions across the Premier League have resulted in apologies being given from refereeing body PGMOL.

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Asked about the weekend's incident, Guardiola took care over his answer, slowing down to ensure he did not say anything out of line. The City boss has already served a one-match ban this season after picking up three yellow cards. He looked to take sympathy with Arteta and Arsenal, but made clear he was only expressing his own point of view.

"The emotions after the game, it is difficult for managers right after finishing the game to talk when feelings are so so high," he said. "It's difficult for me to handle - I'm talking for myself, not Mikel or any other managers. It's not easy. They decide that we cannot talk with the fourth officials or do anything and the situation is quite similar to last