Pressure boiled over on a tense night in north London, and this time it wasn’t just about dropped points.
Manchester City’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham sparked a heated debate about refereeing, with Rodri and Pep Guardiola both openly questioning whether officials truly remain neutral when City are involved.
Rodri Says City’s Success Is Working Against Them
Rodri didn’t hold back after the final whistle.
The Manchester City midfielder suggested that the club’s years of dominance may now be influencing how referees judge their games.
According to him, too many big decisions have gone against City lately for it to feel like coincidence.
He pointed specifically to Dominic Solanke’s opening goal for Spurs, which stood despite contact with City defender Marc Guehi.
VAR took its time checking the incident, including a possible offside, but ultimately waved the goal through.
For Rodri, that decision was baffling.
“He’s kicked the leg — it’s so clear,” Rodri said, clearly frustrated.
“He anticipated Marc and it’s a foul. This isn’t just today, it’s been two or three games in a row, and honestly, I don’t know why.”
‘Referees Have to Be Neutral’
Rodri went even further, suggesting that City’s trophy-laden recent history may be counting against them.
“I know we won too much and people don’t want us to win,” he said.
“But the referee has to be neutral. For me, it’s not fair. It’s not fair.”
Those comments echoed a growing sense inside the City camp that inconsistency from officials is costing them at crucial moments this season.
Guardiola Sees a Double Standard
Pep Guardiola was very much on the same wavelength as his midfielder.
The City manager argued that if the same challenge had happened at the other end of the pitch, the outcome would have been completely different.
“Marc has the ball, he’s been kicked from behind, and it’s a goal,” Guardiola said.
“If you do that to a striker, it’s a penalty. I’m not a referee, but it’s fascinating in the Premier League.”
Guardiola also felt that the emotional fallout from that first Spurs goal shifted the entire rhythm of the game, making it harder for City to regain control.
“There was an emotional issue with that first goal,” he explained.
“After that, the momentum is difficult to control. That’s how it is here in England.”
Touchline Tensions and Another Booking
The frustration showed on the touchline too.
Guardiola was booked after reacting angrily to the goal being replayed on the stadium’s big screen.
It was another moment of tension for the City boss, who recently served a suspension after accumulating three yellow cards over the course of the season.
Spurs Boss Admits It Was a Grey Area
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank struck a more balanced tone when asked about the controversial decision.
He admitted there was contact in the build-up to Solanke’s goal and accepted that the call could easily have gone the other way.
“There is contact,” Frank said.
“We want a higher threshold, and I understand it’s a grey area. I’m very happy it finally dropped for us.”
Solanke Shines Despite Fitness Concerns
Frank was also keen to praise Solanke, who has recently returned from a lengthy injury lay-off.
Despite not being fully fit, the 28-year-old has been delivering.
“Dom clearly struggled to run at the end,” Frank admitted. “We knew playing 90 minutes would be a big push.
He’s not there fitness-wise.”
Even so, Frank highlighted Solanke’s impact. “It’s four goals in four games at about 80 per cent fitness.
Imagine City without Erling Haaland for six months — we’ve been hit hard by injuries. Dom was excellent.”
Injury Updates from Both Camps
Spurs were also forced into a change at half-time, with captain Cristian Romero coming off due to illness that had already affected him during the midweek win in Frankfurt.
On the City side, Guardiola played down concerns over Bernardo Silva after the midfielder appeared to pull up with a hamstring issue.
The manager suggested it was nothing serious, offering a small piece of relief ahead of a busy schedule.
City’s Slump and What Comes Next
The draw means City have now won just one of their last six matches, leaving them six points behind league leaders Arsenal with 14 games still to play.
Frustration is clearly building as margins tighten at the top.
Next up, City turn their attention to the Carabao Cup, with a clash against Newcastle United coming on Wednesday — and after this latest controversy, all eyes will once again be on the officials.
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