Pep Guardiola Urges Manchester City to Focus on Performance, Not VAR

VAR has once again become a hot topic this week after the Video Assistant Referee disallowed West Ham’s late equalizer in their 1-0 loss to Arsenal at the London Stadium last Sunday. The controversies surrounding VAR have impacted both ends of the Premier League table, bringing the focus back to the technology. Despite some decisions going against Manchester City this season, manager Pep Guardiola emphasized that his team must focus on their performance to mitigate any VAR-related issues.

In his pre-match comments ahead of a crucial fixture against Crystal Palace, Guardiola expressed his lack of trust in VAR. He stated that his team needs to concentrate on improving their game instead of worrying about referee decisions. He explained, in quotes relayed by Sky Sports: “What is important is tomorrow, then we’ll see what happens when we get to the next one. I always learned that when you lose focus, you’re in a dangerous situation. Only we can do what we have to do and do it better. That is only in our control.”

Guardiola added, “We lost the two FA Cup finals because the referees didn’t do the job they should do. Even the VAR. When this happened, it’s because we have to do better. Not the referees. I have never trusted anything [with VAR] since I arrived a long time ago.”

Guardiola also likened VAR decisions to a flip of a coin, emphasizing the necessity for his players to maintain focus on their game, particularly in the match against Crystal Palace. He explained that attention to VAR is a distraction that the team cannot afford. He has consistently urged his players to focus on improving their own performance: “The other one is a job for the statements and institutions which rule the competition.”

Guardiola’s assessment rings true, as Manchester City has at times hindered their title chances, making their destiny dependent on others. Concentrating on VAR is unproductive, as the issues surrounding it continue to be a regular topic of discussion since its introduction.

The focus for Manchester City should remain on improvement. This season has already seen the team adopt a new identity, though there is still room for growth. One critical focus area for Guardiola’s side is closing out matches, as they have often dropped points from winning situations. Guardiola believes that if his team can address this, they will need not to worry about officiating or VAR.

Ultimately, Guardiola insists that for Manchester City, the best course of action is to enhance their performance, effectively removing VAR from the equation going forward.