Kevin de Bruyne set Manchester City on their way to a 2-0 win over Cardiff , and then said to Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock: 'I didn't mean it'.
De Bruyne scored his first Premier League goal since December 22 when he fired past Cardiff keeper Neil Etheridge, before Leroy Sane doubled the lead to send City back to the top of the table.
Etheridge pulled off a string of impressive saves to keep the scoreline respectable - but his manager Warnock said he should have saved de Bruyne's opener.
But when the Cardiff boss confronted his keeper about it, Etheridge said even the Belgian international himself didn't know the shot was going in - as it was supposed to be a cross.
"The first goal, I think Neil the goalkeeper will be disappointed in that," Warnock told Wales Online .
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"When I went on the pitch after he had a great second half, pulled off some great saves, I said 'it's a pity about the goal, son' and he said 'gaffer he didn't mean it, De Bruyne!'.
Warnock added: "Kevin was just going off the pitch so I shouted to Kevin and said 'Tell me the truth, he said you didn't mean it' and he went 'I didn't'.
"He meant to cross it but the power of the cross was too much. It's a good lesson for (Neil) because you can't anticipate as a goalkeeper, but that was good of Kevin really."
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Meanwhile, City are facing a defensive crisis ahead of their FA Cup semi-final against Brighton & Hove Albion after Oleksandr Zinchenko was injured in the win over Cardiff.
Pep Guardiola 's men could be Man City facing defensive crisis for FA Cup semi-final for their trip to Wembley on Saturday after Zinchenko was forced off with what looked like a hamstring injury.
Zinchenko has made the left-back slot his own in 2019, having started the last six games.
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With Fabian Delph also out and £52million man Benjamin Mendy having not played since January, Guardiola Man City facing defensive crisis for FA Cup semi-final of the Wembley clash.
Guardiola said: “Right now I don’t know, it doesn’t look good for Zinchenko for the next days. Delph is also out.
“We’ll see tomorrow how Mendy trains. We don’t have many options.”
