VAR is a flip of a coin, says Guardiola

Manchester City believe they have been on the wrong end of VAR calls in the past two FA Cup finals

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has compared video assistant referee decision-making to the "flip of a coin" and says he has never trusted the system since it was introduced in England.

VAR has come under renewed scrutiny this week with a stoppage-time goal for West Ham against Arsenal ruled out following a lengthy review - a decision which had an impact at both ends of the Premier League table.

Guardiola believes his side have been on the wrong end of referee decisions and cited calls in his side's FA Cup final defeats in 2024 and 2025.

"We lost the two finals of the FA Cup because the referees didn't do their jobs they should do, even the VAR," the Spaniard said.

City lost to Crystal Palace in last year's final, with the Eagles' goalkeeper Dean Henderson saving a penalty.

But the England man could have seen red for handling outside the area, which may have changed the outcome of the game.

That came after City were left aggrieved following the previous year's loss to Manchester United, believing they should have been awarded two penalties in the game.

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But Guardiola says it is up to the players to take VAR out of the equation.

"When this happens it is because we have to do better, not the referees or VAR," he continued.

"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."

Guardiola was speaking before Wednesday's meeting with Palace, which they need to win to cut Arsenal's lead at the top of the table to two points.

That would still leave Arsenal needing to drop points in their remaining two games - against relegated Burnley and Palace - for City to have any chance of winning the Premier League title.

"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'," Guardiola added.

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

Guardiola's side will play in their third FA Cup final in three seasons when they meet Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.

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