Animinated may be too understated for Pep Guardiola after James Milner evaded a second yellow card, but the Man City boss felt his side wouldn’t have received the same leniency.
Liverpool were without Trent Alexander-Arnold due to a calf injury, leaving Milner to deputise once more in his absence.
It was a clear target for Man City, with Phil Foden tasked with the job to keep the No. 7 occupied – and he did just that.
The Reds were subsequently readily exposed on the right flank, with a Foden assist and goal key for the visitors, and a yellow card in the first half left Milner walking on a tightrope heading into the second half.
And a touchline challenge with Bernardo Silva with the score at 1-1 saw Guardiola erupt on the sidelines as referee Paul Tierney did not show the 35-year-old another yellow, keeping it as 11 vs. 11.
Mohamed Salah would soon edge Liverpool back into the lead with a stunning goal before Milner was replaced by Joe Gomez, and Guardiola felt his side would not have received the same treatment.
“It’s a yellow card. It’s a yellow card. It’s clear,” Guardiola told Sky Sports.
“It’s Anfield, it’s Old Trafford. In this situation, a City player is sent off. 100 percent. It’s too much clear. It was a second yellow card.”
The reaction by his dugout did catch Jurgen Klopp‘s attention, and he was left a little perplexed having not seen Milner’s challenge on the far side.
“Pep got a little bit outraged over that. I didn’t see but I saw Pep’s reaction obviously but I didn’t know exactly why he did that,” Klopp told Sky Sports post-match.
“Milly did incredibly well first half and it is not easy to defend these guys.”
It is fair to say Liverpool did get lucky with the No. 7 but the 2-2 draw, on balance, is far from the end of the world considering the Reds’ first-half display.
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