Newcastle and Man City VAR controversy summed up after Premier League explanation

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Match Result & League Context: Manchester City suffered a 2-1 defeat against Newcastle United on Saturday night. This loss prevented Pep Guardiola's team from closing the gap on current Premier League leaders, Arsenal.

Controversial Winning Goal: The match-winner by Harvey Barnes was immediately followed by a lengthy VAR review due to concerns over offside and a potential foul on the goalkeeper. The goal was ultimately allowed after the VAR ruled that Bruno Guimaraes, in the build-up, was deemed onside.

Premier League Justification: The Premier League Match Centre subsequently released a statement to officially clarify the decision. This clarification confirmed that the onside positions of both Guimaraes and Barnes were checked and validated, and it ruled there was no foul on City's goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma.

First-Half Grievances: City's frustration with the officiating also stemmed from an earlier incident involving Phil Foden. They were denied a penalty appeal in the first half after Foden appeared to be challenged by Fabian Schar inside the box.

Guardiola's Reaction: Manager Pep Guardiola kept his post-match media duties very brief, speaking for less than five minutes after the match. While his feelings on the controversial moments were evident, he notably refused to criticize the match officials directly.

Alan Shearer's take: Former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer urged Man City to focus on their defensive performance rather than bemoaning the refereeing decisions. He said that the primary "concern" for the Blues should be the sheer quantity of scoring opportunities they allowed Newcastle to create.

League Standings Impact: The loss marks Manchester City's fourth defeat of the current Premier League campaign. This negative result caused the reigning champions to slip down in the table, falling below Chelsea.

Arsenal Harvey Barnes Bruno Guimaraes Phil Foden Pep Guardiola Premier League Manchester City Newcastle United

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