Pep won't waste time on refs as his focus is players and performance

PEP Guardiola has already been banned from the touchline this season for his conduct towards officials, but the City manager stopped well short of piling in on referees.

- SIMON BAJKOWSKI

Having previously said he could completely understand Liverpool's anger at the VAR failures for their game with Tottenham, Mikel Arteta's meltdown at Newcastle could not draw any support from his former boss. Asked if the current standard of refereeing is at its lowest, Guardiola was about as non-commital as he could be on Monday morning.

"I don't know. There have always been problems to solve," he said.

"It's such a sensitive issue right now, what is happening in many games. It's difficult for the referees and for all of us.

"I don't know. I don't have a clear opinion because I don't know what position I am in."

Guardiola's attitude towards officials can often be seen as defeatist in that he rarely expects any meaningful change, but it is also pragmatic.