“Everything is fine,” Pep Guardiola repeated four times in less than five minutes throughout his postmatch press conference. In light of the chaotic events which had unfolded on the St James’ Park turf moments earlier, the Manchester City manager did not make a convincing argument.
The Catalan coach was unimpressed with the nature of his side’s 2–1 defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday evening. Both teams combined to create the most Opta-defined “big chances” in any Premier League first half this season yet somehow conspired to miss each one.
City, who had been denied a strong appeal for a penalty in the first half, eventually fell behind to a crisp Harvey Barnes opener shortly after the hour mark. Rúben Dias hit back with a scruffy equaliser five minutes later but Barnes would nab the winning goal on 70 minutes in hotly controversial circumstances.
A lengthy VAR check eventually determined that both the goalscorer and Bruno Guimarães were onside. Yet City’s complaints stemmed from the contact on goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who appeared to be bumped to the floor by Barnes in the phase of play before his deft backheel.
Guardiola took to the pitch in frustration at the final whistle. There was a confrontation with the match official Sam Barrott which reportedly continued into the referees dressing room. Guardiola was keen to dismiss this dispute with his favourite three words: “No, nothing, nothing. Everything is fine. Everything is fine. It is what it is.”
The cameras caught Guardiola next in discussion with Newcastle skipper Guimarães. The Brazilian had been the subject of praise from City’s manager prematch and supposedly received some more kind words during what, from the outside, looked to be a heated exchange.
“I told him how good he is,” Guardiola unconvincingly insisted before again turning towards the game’s controversial moments, “and the situation with Gigio [Donnarumma] I told him what happened for the previous situations. I think it’s fine.”
Oddly enough, Guardiola was not questioned about his interaction with an on-pitch camera operator, who had one of his headphones lifted up by the City boss as the edges began to fray.
When pushed on the topic of a foul on Donnarumma, who protested vehemently with the referee immediately after the goal, Guardiola admitted: “If he complained, it’s because something wrong happened. The same happened in Bournemouth. It’s what it is.”
However, Guardiola’s patience began to ebb away by the end of a draining press conference. “The last five questions [have been] about referees and the actions,” he fumed. “Ask the referees. I didn’t see the images yet and nothing is going to change.
“I played two FA Cup finals against Manchester United and Crystal Palace and oh my god, did I say something? Nothing. It is what it is. And I lost. The first thing I did on behalf of my club was congratulate United and Palace.
“I’m not coming here to talk about referees, it’s gone. I didn’t come here to blame. It’s fine. It didn’t happen against Bournemouth so it’s normal it didn’t happen today.”
Ruben Dias: ‘Make It Make Sense’
Harvey Barnes remembered to put his shooting boots on at half-time. pic.twitter.com/wyav5Z5taq
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) November 22, 2025
Guardiola wasn’t the only City employee incensed with the referee.
“Of all the decisions, only the second goal we need to make it make sense,” Dias fumed to Sky Sports. “Where’s the sense in their player pushing our keeper out of the goal. What are we allowing and for how long? It’s more like sometimes you allow it and sometimes you don’t so what can you do? In the second goal Gigi [Donnarumma] is being pushed outside his area and there is no consequence.
“I have had a chance to see, I didn’t even see it out of the pitch. I had the chance to see the review and I think it is Barnes is pushing him away from the goal. We are so picky with certain contacts but then ones like this with the keeper, then they allow it. If this is the rule then fine.
“But then let us do the same. Back in the day it was a foul and now apparently it is allowed.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Pep Guardiola Explains Stunning Postgame Meltdown By Repeating Three Words.
