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Pep Guardiola apologises to Gabriel Jesus for stopping him taking Manchester City penalty

Gabriel Jesus
Image: Pep Guardiola stopped Gabriel Jesus from taking the penalty at Anfield

Pep Guardiola has apologised to Gabriel Jesus for preventing him from taking the late penalty that Riyad Mahrez missed in Manchester City's 0-0 draw at Liverpool on Sunday.

With City's regular penalty taker Sergio Aguero on the bench having been substituted earlier in the game, Jesus was keen to take the kick that could have given his side their first win at Anfield since 2003.

However, Guardiola let it be known - via Benjamin Mendy - that Mahrez was to take the kick. The £60m summer signing promptly blazed the penalty over the bar for his fifth miss in eight attempts.

Following the draw, which put his side back on top of the Premier League on goal difference, Guardiola said: "During the training sessions every day I see Mahrez taking the penalties and it gave me a lot of confidence. It will be good experience for him, next time it will go in.

Pep Guardiola reacts after Virgil van Dijk appeared to handle the ball in the area
Image: Guardiola was frustrated that City were not awarded two further penalties that he felt his side deserved

"Jesus wanted to (take it). I apologise. It was my decision."

In addition to the penalty that City were awarded for Virgi van Dijk's foul on Leroy Sane, Guardiola also believed his team should have been given two other spot-kicks.

The Spaniard felt Dejan Lovren committed a foul on Sergio Aguero in the first half, and also thought that Van Dijk handled in the area - an incident which instead saw Fernandinho punished for a foul on the Liverpool man.

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Guardiola said: "Normally for the last six, seven months the penalties were always Sergio's but he was on the bench. He was on the pitch when the first penalty was not given.

"Maybe we need two penalties to score one goal. I would not like to speak about the referees, about the decisions. We should talk about the game, the football.

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